The Social Origins of Networks and Diffusion.

PubMed

Centola, Damon

2015-03-01

Recent research on social contagion has demonstrated significant effects of network topology on the dynamics of diffusion. However, network topologies are not given a priori. Rather, they are patterns of relations that emerge from individual and structural features of society, such as population composition, group heterogeneity, homophily, and social consolidation. Following Blau and Schwartz, the author develops a model of social network formation that explores how social and structural constraints on tie formation generate emergent social topologies and then explores the effectiveness of these social networks for the dynamics of social diffusion. Results show that, at one extreme, high levels of consolidation can create highly balkanized communities with poor integration of shared norms and practices. As suggested by Blau and Schwartz, reducing consolidation creates more crosscutting circles and significantly improves the dynamics of social diffusion across the population. However, the author finds that further reducing consolidation creates highly intersecting social networks that fail to support the widespread diffusion of norms and practices, indicating that successful social diffusion can depend on moderate to high levels of structural consolidation.

The walking behaviour of pedestrian social groups and its impact on crowd dynamics.

PubMed

Moussaïd, Mehdi; Perozo, Niriaska; Garnier, Simon; Helbing, Dirk; Theraulaz, Guy

2010-04-07

Human crowd motion is mainly driven by self-organized processes based on local interactions among pedestrians. While most studies of crowd behaviour consider only interactions among isolated individuals, it turns out that up to 70% of people in a crowd are actually moving in groups, such as friends, couples, or families walking together. These groups constitute medium-scale aggregated structures and their impact on crowd dynamics is still largely unknown. In this work, we analyze the motion of approximately 1500 pedestrian groups under natural condition, and show that social interactions among group members generate typical group walking patterns that influence crowd dynamics. At low density, group members tend to walk side by side, forming a line perpendicular to the walking direction. As the density increases, however, the linear walking formation is bent forward, turning it into a V-like pattern. These spatial patterns can be well described by a model based on social communication between group members. We show that the V-like walking pattern facilitates social interactions within the group, but reduces the flow because of its "non-aerodynamic" shape. Therefore, when crowd density increases, the group organization results from a trade-off between walking faster and facilitating social exchange. These insights demonstrate that crowd dynamics is not only determined by physical constraints induced by other pedestrians and the environment, but also significantly by communicative, social interactions among individuals.

Sociogenetic structure, kin associations and bonding in delphinids.

PubMed

Möller, Luciana M

2012-02-01

Social systems are the outcomes of natural and sexual selection on individuals' efforts to maximize reproductive success. Ecological conditions, life history, demography traits and social aspects have been recognized as important factors shaping social systems. Delphinids show a wide range of social structures and large variation in life history traits and inhabit several aquatic environments. They are therefore an excellent group in which to investigate the interplay of ecological and intrinsic factors on the evolution of mammalian social systems in these environments. Here I synthetize results from genetic studies on dispersal patterns, genetic relatedness, kin associations and mating patterns and combine with ecological, life history and phylogenetic data to predict the formation of kin associations and bonding in these animals. I show that environment type impacts upon dispersal tendencies, with small delphinids generally exhibiting female-biased philopatry in inshore waters and bisexual dispersal in coastal and pelagic waters. When female philopatry occurs, they develop moderate social bonds with related females. Male bonding occurs in species with small male-biased sexual size dimorphism and male-biased operational sex ratio, and it is independent of dispersal tendencies. By contrast, large delphinids, which live in coastal and pelagic waters, show bisexual philopatry and live in matrilineal societies. I propose that sexual conflict favoured the formation of these stable societies and in turn facilitated the development of kin-biased behaviours. Studies on populations of the same species inhabiting disparate environments, and of less related species living in similar habitats, would contribute towards a comprehensive framework for the evolution of delphinid social systems. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Perception of front-of-pack labels according to social characteristics, nutritional knowledge and food purchasing habits.

PubMed

Méjean, Caroline; Macouillard, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Hercberg, Serge; Castetbon, Katia

2013-03-01

To identify patterns of perception of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels and to determine social factors, nutritional knowledge and attention to packaging features related to such patterns. Cross-sectional. Perception was measured using indicators of understanding and acceptability of three simple FOP labels (the 'Green Tick', the logo of the French Nutrition and Health Programme (PNNS logo) and 'simple traffic lights' (STL)) and two detailed formats ('multiple traffic lights' (MTL) and the 'colour range' logo (CR)). Associations of perception patterns with individual characteristics were examined using χ2 tests. Data from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort study. A total of 38,763 adults. Four perception patterns emerged. Poorly educated individuals were most often found in groups favouring simple formats. The 'favourable to CR' group had a high rate of men and older persons. Poor nutritional knowledge was more frequent in the 'favourable to STL' group, while individuals with substantial knowledge were proportionally more numerous in the 'favourable to MTL' group. The 'favourable to STL' group more frequently self-reported noting price and marketing characteristics during purchasing, while the 'favourable to MTL' and 'favourable to CR' groups declared more interest in nutritional information. The 'favourable to Green Tick and PNNS logo' group self-reported paying closer attention to claims and quality guarantee labels. The 'favourable to MTL' cluster was most frequently represented in our survey. However, simple FOP formats may be most appropriate for increasing awareness of healthy eating among targeted groups with poor nutritional knowledge and little interest in the nutritional quality of packaged foods.

We'll Meet Again: Revealing Distributional and Temporal Patterns of Social Contact

PubMed Central

Pachur, Thorsten; Schooler, Lael J.; Stevens, Jeffrey R.

2014-01-01

What are the dynamics and regularities underlying social contact, and how can contact with the people in one's social network be predicted? In order to characterize distributional and temporal patterns underlying contact probability, we asked 40 participants to keep a diary of their social contacts for 100 consecutive days. Using a memory framework previously used to study environmental regularities, we predicted that the probability of future contact would follow in systematic ways from the frequency, recency, and spacing of previous contact. The distribution of contact probability across the members of a person's social network was highly skewed, following an exponential function. As predicted, it emerged that future contact scaled linearly with frequency of past contact, proportionally to a power function with recency of past contact, and differentially according to the spacing of past contact. These relations emerged across different contact media and irrespective of whether the participant initiated or received contact. We discuss how the identification of these regularities might inspire more realistic analyses of behavior in social networks (e.g., attitude formation, cooperation). PMID:24475073

Correlations between human mobility and social interaction reveal general activity patterns.

PubMed

Mollgaard, Anders; Lehmann, Sune; Mathiesen, Joachim

2017-01-01

A day in the life of a person involves a broad range of activities which are common across many people. Going beyond diurnal cycles, a central question is: to what extent do individuals act according to patterns shared across an entire population? Here we investigate the interplay between different activity types, namely communication, motion, and physical proximity by analyzing data collected from smartphones distributed among 638 individuals. We explore two central questions: Which underlying principles govern the formation of the activity patterns? Are the patterns specific to each individual or shared across the entire population? We find that statistics of the entire population allows us to successfully predict 71% of the activity and 85% of the inactivity involved in communication, mobility, and physical proximity. Surprisingly, individual level statistics only result in marginally better predictions, indicating that a majority of activity patterns are shared across our sample population. Finally, we predict short-term activity patterns using a generalized linear model, which suggests that a simple linear description might be sufficient to explain a wide range of actions, whether they be of social or of physical character.

Individual-level movement bias leads to the formation of higher-order social structure in a mobile group of baboons.

PubMed

Bonnell, Tyler R; Clarke, Parry M; Henzi, S Peter; Barrett, Louise

2017-07-01

In mobile social groups, influence patterns driving group movement can vary between democratic and despotic. The arrival at any single pattern of influence is thought to be underpinned by both environmental factors and group composition. To identify the specific patterns of influence driving travel decision-making in a chacma baboon troop, we used spatially explicit data to extract patterns of individual movement bias. We scaled these estimates of individual-level bias to the level of the group by constructing an influence network and assessing its emergent structural properties. Our results indicate that there is heterogeneity in movement bias: individual animals respond consistently to particular group members, and higher-ranking animals are more likely to influence the movement of others. This heterogeneity resulted in a group-level network structure that consisted of a single core and two outer shells. Here, the presence of a core suggests that a set of highly interdependent animals drove routine group movements. These results suggest that heterogeneity at the individual level can lead to group-level influence structures, and that movement patterns in mobile social groups can add to the exploration of both how these structures develop (i.e. mechanistic aspects) and what consequences they have for individual- and group-level outcomes (i.e. functional aspects).

Individual-level movement bias leads to the formation of higher-order social structure in a mobile group of baboons

PubMed Central

Clarke, Parry M.; Henzi, S. Peter; Barrett, Louise

2017-01-01

In mobile social groups, influence patterns driving group movement can vary between democratic and despotic. The arrival at any single pattern of influence is thought to be underpinned by both environmental factors and group composition. To identify the specific patterns of influence driving travel decision-making in a chacma baboon troop, we used spatially explicit data to extract patterns of individual movement bias. We scaled these estimates of individual-level bias to the level of the group by constructing an influence network and assessing its emergent structural properties. Our results indicate that there is heterogeneity in movement bias: individual animals respond consistently to particular group members, and higher-ranking animals are more likely to influence the movement of others. This heterogeneity resulted in a group-level network structure that consisted of a single core and two outer shells. Here, the presence of a core suggests that a set of highly interdependent animals drove routine group movements. These results suggest that heterogeneity at the individual level can lead to group-level influence structures, and that movement patterns in mobile social groups can add to the exploration of both how these structures develop (i.e. mechanistic aspects) and what consequences they have for individual- and group-level outcomes (i.e. functional aspects). PMID:28791140

Trauma rates and patterns in specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) groups.

PubMed

Stavisky, Ronda C; Ramsey, Jacklyn K; Meeker, Tracy; Stovall, Melissa; Crane, Maria M

2018-03-01

There are some predictable patterns of trauma in captive rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) social groups. Several factors have been documented to contribute to these patterns, including group formation of unrelated animals, and the establishment of dominance ranks. Here, we report on how socially induced trauma in groups of rhesus monkeys is influenced by the breeding season, numbers of matrilines per group and matriline size. We analyzed 3 years of data collected from veterinary admittance logs for four groups in our specific pathogen free (SPF) breeding colony. Since the groups differed in time from formation, both the numbers of matrilines and the composition of those matrilines were different. Across the four groups, trauma rates were significantly higher during the fall breeding season than the spring and summer months when births occur. The group that was formed most recently, comprised of the greatest number of matrilines but fewest related animals, showed significantly higher rates of trauma than the older social groups. Further, the middle and lowest ranking families received signifincantly higher rates of trauma than the highest ranking families, suggesting a rank-related phenomenon. Additionally, there was a significant negative correlation between numbers of adult females in a matriline and rates of trauma observed in each matriline, but the numbers of adult females are significantly higher in the top ranked families compared to all of the other matrilines. These findings suggest that trauma rates increase during the breeding season and may be exacerbated in recently formed breeding groups that have smaller matrilines and reduced opportunities for social support to mitigate rank-related aggression. Management practices should be devised to ensure adequate matrilineal size to decrease rates of trauma in captive rhesus macaque groups. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Non-linear pattern formation in bone growth and architecture.

PubMed

Salmon, Phil

2014-01-01

The three-dimensional morphology of bone arises through adaptation to its required engineering performance. Genetically and adaptively bone travels along a complex spatiotemporal trajectory to acquire optimal architecture. On a cellular, micro-anatomical scale, what mechanisms coordinate the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts to produce complex and efficient bone architectures? One mechanism is examined here - chaotic non-linear pattern formation (NPF) - which underlies in a unifying way natural structures as disparate as trabecular bone, swarms of birds flying, island formation, fluid turbulence, and others. At the heart of NPF is the fact that simple rules operating between interacting elements, and Turing-like interaction between global and local signals, lead to complex and structured patterns. The study of "group intelligence" exhibited by swarming birds or shoaling fish has led to an embodiment of NPF called "particle swarm optimization" (PSO). This theoretical model could be applicable to the behavior of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, seeing them operating "socially" in response simultaneously to both global and local signals (endocrine, cytokine, mechanical), resulting in their clustered activity at formation and resorption sites. This represents problem-solving by social intelligence, and could potentially add further realism to in silico computer simulation of bone modeling. What insights has NPF provided to bone biology? One example concerns the genetic disorder juvenile Pagets disease or idiopathic hyperphosphatasia, where the anomalous parallel trabecular architecture characteristic of this pathology is consistent with an NPF paradigm by analogy with known experimental NPF systems. Here, coupling or "feedback" between osteoblasts and osteoclasts is the critical element. This NPF paradigm implies a profound link between bone regulation and its architecture: in bone the architecture is the regulation. The former is the emergent consequence of the latter.

Making big communities small: using network science to understand the ecological and behavioral requirements for community social capital.

PubMed

Neal, Zachary

2015-06-01

The concept of social capital is becoming increasingly common in community psychology and elsewhere. However, the multiple conceptual and operational definitions of social capital challenge its utility as a theoretical tool. The goals of this paper are to clarify two forms of social capital (bridging and bonding), explicitly link them to the structural characteristics of small world networks, and explore the behavioral and ecological prerequisites of its formation. First, I use the tools of network science and specifically the concept of small-world networks to clarify what patterns of social relationships are likely to facilitate social capital formation. Second, I use an agent-based model to explore how different ecological characteristics (diversity and segregation) and behavioral tendencies (homophily and proximity) impact communities' potential for developing social capital. The results suggest diverse communities have the greatest potential to develop community social capital, and that segregation moderates the effects that the behavioral tendencies of homophily and proximity have on community social capital. The discussion highlights how these findings provide community-based researchers with both a deeper understanding of the contextual constraints with which they must contend, and a useful tool for targeting their efforts in communities with the greatest need or greatest potential.

Three Interaction Patterns on Asynchronous Online Discussion Behaviours: A Methodological Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jo, I.; Park, Y.; Lee, H.

2017-01-01

An asynchronous online discussion (AOD) is one format of instructional methods that facilitate student-centered learning. In the wealth of AOD research, this study evaluated how students' behavior on AOD influences their academic outcomes. This case study compared the differential analytic methods including web log mining, social network analysis…

Social and Demographic Problems of Young People in the Russian Federation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ermakov, S. P.

2014-01-01

Changes in reproductive behavior among young people in Russia, changing patterns of marriage and family formation, and high death rates among males are all affecting Russia's human capital potential, and public policy reforms will need to take this into account. The new Federal Law "On Youth Policy" represents an important stage that…

Pattern formation, social forces, and diffusion instability in games with success-driven motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbing, Dirk

2009-02-01

A local agglomeration of cooperators can support the survival or spreading of cooperation, even when cooperation is predicted to die out according to the replicator equation, which is often used in evolutionary game theory to study the spreading and disappearance of strategies. In this paper, it is shown that success-driven motion can trigger such local agglomeration and may, therefore, be used to supplement other mechanisms supporting cooperation, like reputation or punishment. Success-driven motion is formulated here as a function of the game-theoretical payoffs. It can change the outcome and dynamics of spatial games dramatically, in particular as it causes attractive or repulsive interaction forces. These forces act when the spatial distributions of strategies are inhomogeneous. However, even when starting with homogeneous initial conditions, small perturbations can trigger large inhomogeneities by a pattern-formation instability, when certain conditions are fulfilled. Here, these instability conditions are studied for the prisoner’s dilemma and the snowdrift game. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that asymmetrical diffusion can drive social, economic, and biological systems into the unstable regime, if these would be stable without diffusion.

Cross-correlation patterns in social opinion formation with sequential data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, Anindya S.

2016-11-01

Recent research on large-scale internet data suggests existence of patterns in the collective behavior of billions of people even though each of them may pursue own activities. In this paper, we interpret online rating activity as a process of forming social opinion about individual items, where people sequentially choose a rating based on the current information set comprising all previous ratings and own preferences. We construct an opinion index from the sequence of ratings and we show that (1) movie-specific opinion converges much slower than an independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) sequence of ratings, (2) rating sequence for individual movies shows lesser variation compared to an i.i.d. sequence of ratings, (3) the probability density function of the asymptotic opinions has more spread than that defined over opinion arising from i.i.d. sequence of ratings, (4) opinion sequences across movies are correlated with significantly higher and lower correlation compared to opinion constructed from i.i.d. sequence of ratings, creating a bimodal cross-correlation structure. By decomposing the temporal correlation structures from panel data of movie ratings, we show that the social effects are very prominent whereas group effects cannot be differentiated from those of surrogate data and individual effects are quite small. The former explains a large part of extreme positive or negative correlations between sequences of opinions. In general, this method can be applied to any rating data to extract social or group-specific effects in correlation structures. We conclude that in this particular case, social effects are important in opinion formation process.

The dynamics of latifundia formation.

PubMed

Chaves, Luis Fernando

2013-01-01

Land tenure inequity is a major social problem in developing nations worldwide. In societies, where land is a commodity, inequities in land tenure are associated with gaps in income distribution, poverty and biodiversity loss. A common pattern of land tenure inequities through the history of civilization has been the formation of latifundia [Zhuāngyuán in chinese], i.e., a pattern where land ownership is concentrated by a small fraction of the whole population. Here, we use simple Markov chain models to study the dynamics of latifundia formation in a heterogeneous landscape where land can transition between forest, agriculture and recovering land. We systematically study the likelihood of latifundia formation under the assumption of pre-capitalist trade, where trade is based on the average utility of land parcels belonging to each individual landowner during a discrete time step. By restricting land trade to that under recovery, we found the likelihood of latifundia formation to increase with the size of the system, i.e., the amount of land and individuals in the society. We found that an increase of the transition rate for land use changes, i.e., how quickly land use changes, promotes more equitable patterns of land ownership. Disease introduction in the system, which reduced land profitability for infected individual landowners, promoted the formation of latifundia, with an increased likelihood for latifundia formation when there were heterogeneities in the susceptibility to infection. Finally, our model suggests that land ownership reforms need to guarantee an equitative distribution of land among individuals in a society to avoid the formation of latifundia.

The Dynamics of Latifundia Formation

PubMed Central

Chaves, Luis Fernando

2013-01-01

Land tenure inequity is a major social problem in developing nations worldwide. In societies, where land is a commodity, inequities in land tenure are associated with gaps in income distribution, poverty and biodiversity loss. A common pattern of land tenure inequities through the history of civilization has been the formation of latifundia [Zhuāngyuán in chinese], i.e., a pattern where land ownership is concentrated by a small fraction of the whole population. Here, we use simple Markov chain models to study the dynamics of latifundia formation in a heterogeneous landscape where land can transition between forest, agriculture and recovering land. We systematically study the likelihood of latifundia formation under the assumption of pre-capitalist trade, where trade is based on the average utility of land parcels belonging to each individual landowner during a discrete time step. By restricting land trade to that under recovery, we found the likelihood of latifundia formation to increase with the size of the system, i.e., the amount of land and individuals in the society. We found that an increase of the transition rate for land use changes, i.e., how quickly land use changes, promotes more equitable patterns of land ownership. Disease introduction in the system, which reduced land profitability for infected individual landowners, promoted the formation of latifundia, with an increased likelihood for latifundia formation when there were heterogeneities in the susceptibility to infection. Finally, our model suggests that land ownership reforms need to guarantee an equitative distribution of land among individuals in a society to avoid the formation of latifundia. PMID:24376597

Similar but Different: Dynamic Social Network Analysis Highlights Fundamental Differences between the Fission-Fusion Societies of Two Equid Species, the Onager and Grevy’s Zebra

PubMed Central

Rubenstein, Daniel I.; Sundaresan, Siva R.; Fischhoff, Ilya R.; Tantipathananandh, Chayant; Berger-Wolf, Tanya Y.

2015-01-01

Understanding why animal societies take on the form that they do has benefited from insights gained by applying social network analysis to patterns of individual associations. Such analyses typically aggregate data over long time periods even though most selective forces that shape sociality have strong temporal elements. By explicitly incorporating the temporal signal in social interaction data we re-examine the network dynamics of the social systems of the evolutionarily closely-related Grevy’s zebras and wild asses that show broadly similar social organizations. By identifying dynamic communities, previously hidden differences emerge: Grevy’s zebras show more modularity than wild asses and in wild asses most communities consist of solitary individuals; and in Grevy’s zebras, lactating females show a greater propensity to switch communities than non-lactating females and males. Both patterns were missed by static network analyses and in general, adding a temporal dimension provides insights into differences associated with the size and persistence of communities as well as the frequency and synchrony of their formation. Dynamic network analysis provides insights into the functional significance of these social differences and highlights the way dynamic community analysis can be applied to other species. PMID:26488598

Role of social interactions in dynamic patterns of resource patches and forager aggregation.

PubMed

Tania, Nessy; Vanderlei, Ben; Heath, Joel P; Edelstein-Keshet, Leah

2012-07-10

The dynamics of resource patches and species that exploit such patches are of interest to ecologists, conservation biologists, modelers, and mathematicians. Here we consider how social interactions can create unique, evolving patterns in space and time. Whereas simple prey taxis (with consumable prey) promotes spatial uniform distributions, here we show that taxis in producer-scrounger groups can lead to pattern formation. We consider two types of foragers: those that search directly ("producers") and those that exploit other foragers to find food ("scroungers" or exploiters). We show that such groups can sustain fluctuating spatiotemporal patterns, akin to "waves of pursuit." Investigating the relative benefits to the individuals, we observed conditions under which either strategy leads to enhanced success, defined as net food consumption. Foragers that search for food directly have an advantage when food patches are localized. Those that seek aggregations of group mates do better when their ability to track group mates exceeds the foragers' food-sensing acuity. When behavioral switching or reproductive success of the strategies is included, the relative abundance of foragers and exploiters is dynamic over time, in contrast with classic models that predict stable frequencies. Our work shows the importance of considering two-way interaction--i.e., how food distribution both influences and is influenced by social foraging and aggregation of predators.

A social competence intervention for young children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome: a pilot study.

PubMed

Minne, Elizabeth Portman; Semrud-Clikeman, Margaret

2012-11-01

The key features of Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) include marked and sustained impairment in social interactions. A multi-session, small group program was developed to increase social perception based on the assumption perceptual or interpretive problems underlying these social difficulties. Additionally, the group format espoused a play therapy orientation and the use of sociodramatic play was the primary therapeutic modality used. Qualitative analyses of the data resulted in an explanation of the key changes in social interactions that took place through the course of the intervention. Although each participant's experience in this group was unique, all children in this program demonstrated improvements in their social interactions, as they experienced development both emotionally and behaviorally. Findings suggest that, despite their rigid interests and behavior patterns, the social limitations of these children improved when provided with the necessary environmental resources.

Time Allocation in Social Networks: Correlation Between Social Structure and Human Communication Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miritello, Giovanna; Lara, Rubén; Moro, Esteban

Recent research has shown the deep impact of the dynamics of human interactions (or temporal social networks) on the spreading of information, opinion formation, etc. In general, the bursty nature of human interactions lowers the interaction between people to the extent that both the speed and reach of information diffusion are diminished. Using a large database of 20 million users of mobile phone calls we show evidence this effect is not homogeneous in the social network but in fact, there is a large correlation between this effect and the social topological structure around a given individual. In particular, we show that social relations of hubs in a network are relatively weaker from the dynamical point than those that are poorer connected in the information diffusion process. Our results show the importance of the temporal patterns of communication when analyzing and modeling dynamical process on social networks.

Candidate genes for cooperation and aggression in the social wasp Polistes dominula.

PubMed

Manfredini, Fabio; Brown, Mark J F; Toth, Amy L

2018-05-01

Cooperation and aggression are ubiquitous in social groups, and the genetic mechanisms underlying these behaviours are of great interest for understanding how social group formation is regulated and how it evolves. In this study, we used a candidate gene approach to investigate the patterns of expression of key genes for cooperation and aggression in the brain of a primitively eusocial wasp, Polistes dominula, during colony founding, when multiple foundresses can join the same nest and establish subtle hierarchies of dominance. We used a comparative approach to select candidate genes for cooperation and aggression looking at two previously published studies on global gene expression in wasps and ants. We tested the expression of these genes in P. dominula wasps that were either displaying aggressive behaviour (dominant and single foundresses) or cooperation (subordinate foundresses and workers) towards nestmates. One gene in particular, the egg yolk protein vitellogenin, known for its reproductive role in insects, displayed patterns of expression that strongly matched wasp social rank. We characterize the genomic context of vitellogenin by building a head co-expression gene network for P. dominula, and we discuss a potential role for vitellogenin as a mediator of social interactions in wasps.

Examining relations of entertainment with social interaction motives and team identification.

PubMed

Gau, Li-Shiue; Wann, Daniel L; James, Jeffrey D

2010-10-01

The goal was to investigate a potential causal pattern between the motives of sport spectators and team identification by using a cross-lagged panel design. Questionnaires were completed by 229 participants at the beginning and end of one NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) college football season for 4 mo. in the USA. The questionnaire included three items for each motive (Social Interaction and Entertainment), three items measuring team identification, and demographic items. The relation of Entertainment at Time 1 to team identification at Time 2 was larger than the relation of team identification at Time 1 to Entertainment at Time 2. This suggests that the motivation of Entertainment may lead to the formation of team identification more than team identification leads to Entertainment. However, the motive of Social Interaction did not show the same pattern. As results of this study suggested some spectator sport motives might lead to identification with a team, the hypothesis that all motives would be the basis of team identification might not be correct.

[Puer aeternus].

PubMed

Bélteczki, Zsuzsanna; Erdélyi, Agnes; Beszterci, Felícia

2011-01-01

The social changes of the last few decades have resulted in the revaluation of the classic life-stage models. The time of finding active employment and establishing a family have been postponed, thus not supporting self reliance and undertaking adult roles. In our comprehensive study we discuss the social and demographic phenomena that have contributed to the formation of post-adolescence. We analyse the significance of optional life-patterns which appeared instead of the standard life-course, as well as the change in the criteria system of adulthood and the separation dimensions. We review the psychoanalytic and psychosocial theories of adolescence- the theory of the Erikson adolescent crisis and Marcia's psychosocial moratorium theory, together with the cognitive patterns that lie in the background of post-adolescence, and the changes in lifestyle that characterize the social adaptation of youngsters. The differences between the Peter Pan syndrome and prolonged adolescence crisis are examined in the aspect of transaction-analysis. We take account of the psychic disorders, due to which these people seek for psychiatric help.

Opinion formation on social media: An empirical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Fei; Liu, Yun

2014-03-01

Opinion exchange models aim to describe the process of public opinion formation, seeking to uncover the intrinsic mechanism in social systems; however, the model results are seldom empirically justified using large-scale actual data. Online social media provide an abundance of data on opinion interaction, but the question of whether opinion models are suitable for characterizing opinion formation on social media still requires exploration. We collect a large amount of user interaction information from an actual social network, i.e., Twitter, and analyze the dynamic sentiments of users about different topics to investigate realistic opinion evolution. We find two nontrivial results from these data. First, public opinion often evolves to an ordered state in which one opinion predominates, but not to complete consensus. Second, agents are reluctant to change their opinions, and the distribution of the number of individual opinion changes follows a power law. Then, we suggest a model in which agents take external actions to express their internal opinions according to their activity. Conversely, individual actions can influence the activity and opinions of neighbors. The probability that an agent changes its opinion depends nonlinearly on the fraction of opponents who have taken an action. Simulation results show user action patterns and the evolution of public opinion in the model coincide with the empirical data. For different nonlinear parameters, the system may approach different regimes. A large decay in individual activity slows down the dynamics, but causes more ordering in the system.

Parent-Child Conversations about the Past: Exercises for the Child's Study of the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahler, Robert G.; Rowinski, Katherine S.

2009-01-01

We outline ideas and research in training parents to help their children to appreciate historical patterns of social contingencies as well as contingencies in the present. Parents' use of "lessons and dialogue" is presented as a means of guiding the children's efforts to describe their past experiences in narrative format, along with teaching the…

Rethinking sexual initiation: pathways to identity formation among gay and bisexual Mexican male youth.

PubMed

Carrillo, Héctor; Fontdevila, Jorge

2011-12-01

The topic of same-sex sexual initiation has generally remained understudied in the literature on sexual identity formation among sexual minority youth. This article analyzes the narratives of same-sex sexual initiation provided by 76 gay and bisexual Mexican immigrant men who participated in interviews for the Trayectos Study, an ethnographic study of sexuality and HIV risk. These participants were raised in a variety of locations throughout Mexico, where they also realized their same-sex attraction and initiated their sexual lives with men. We argue that Mexican male same-sex sexuality is characterized by three distinct patterns of sexual initiation--one heavily-based on gender roles, one based on homosociality, and one based on object choice--which inform the men's interpretations regarding sexual roles, partner preferences, and sexual behaviors. We analyzed the social factors and forms of cultural/sexual socialization that lead sexual minority youth specifically to each of these three patterns of sexual initiation. Our findings confirm the importance of studying same-sex sexual initiation as a topic in its own right, particularly as a tool to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of same-sex sexual experiences and sexual identities within and among ethnic/cultural groups.

Simulating Social Networks of Online Communities: Simulation as a Method for Sociability Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ang, Chee Siang; Zaphiris, Panayiotis

We propose the use of social simulations to study and support the design of online communities. In this paper, we developed an Agent-Based Model (ABM) to simulate and study the formation of social networks in a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) guild community. We first analyzed the activities and the social network (who-interacts-with-whom) of an existing guild community to identify its interaction patterns and characteristics. Then, based on the empirical results, we derived and formalized the interaction rules, which were implemented in our simulation. Using the simulation, we reproduced the observed social network of the guild community as a means of validation. The simulation was then used to examine how various parameters of the community (e.g. the level of activity, the number of neighbors of each agent, etc) could potentially influence the characteristic of the social networks.

Communication and Collective Consensus Making in Animal Groups via Mechanical Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Várkonyi, Péter L.

2011-06-01

Mechanical constraints have a strong influence on the dynamics and structure of granular aggregations. The contact forces within dense suspensions of active particles may give rise to intriguing phenomena, including anomalous density fluctuations, long-range orientational ordering, and spontaneous pattern formation. Various authors have proposed that these physical phenomena contribute to the ability of animal groups to move coherently. Our systematic numerical simulations confirm that spontaneous interactions of elongated individuals can trigger oriented motion in small groups. They are, however, insufficient in larger ones, despite their significant imprint on the group's internal structure. It is also demonstrated that preferred directions of motion of a minority of group members can be communicated to others solely by mechanical interactions. These findings strengthen the link between pattern formation in active nematics and the collective decision making of social animals.

Inferring and analysis of social networks using RFID check-in data in China

PubMed Central

Liu, Tao; Liu, Shouyin; Ge, Shuangkui

2017-01-01

Social networks play an important role in our daily lives. However, social ties are rather elusive to quantify, especially for large groups of subjects over prolonged periods of time. In this work, we first propose a methodology for extracting social ties from long spatio-temporal data streams, where the subjects are 17,795 undergraduates from a university of China and the data streams are the 9,147,106 time-stamped RFID check-in records left behind by them during one academic year. By several metrics mentioned below, we then analyze the structure of the social network. Our results center around three main observations. First, we characterize the global structure of the network, and we confirm the small-world phenomenon on a global scale. Second, we find that the network shows clear community structure. And we observe that younger students at lower levels tend to form large communities, while students at higher levels mostly form smaller communities. Third, we characterize the assortativity patterns by studying the basic demographic and network properties of users. We observe clear degree assortativity on a global scale. Furthermore, we find a strong effect of grade and school on tie formation preference, but we do not find any strong region homophily. Our research may help us to elucidate the structural characteristics and the preference of the formation of social ties in college students’ social network. PMID:28570586

Role of social interactions in dynamic patterns of resource patches and forager aggregation

PubMed Central

Tania, Nessy; Vanderlei, Ben; Heath, Joel P.; Edelstein-Keshet, Leah

2012-01-01

The dynamics of resource patches and species that exploit such patches are of interest to ecologists, conservation biologists, modelers, and mathematicians. Here we consider how social interactions can create unique, evolving patterns in space and time. Whereas simple prey taxis (with consumable prey) promotes spatial uniform distributions, here we show that taxis in producer–scrounger groups can lead to pattern formation. We consider two types of foragers: those that search directly (“producers”) and those that exploit other foragers to find food (“scroungers” or exploiters). We show that such groups can sustain fluctuating spatiotemporal patterns, akin to “waves of pursuit.” Investigating the relative benefits to the individuals, we observed conditions under which either strategy leads to enhanced success, defined as net food consumption. Foragers that search for food directly have an advantage when food patches are localized. Those that seek aggregations of group mates do better when their ability to track group mates exceeds the foragers’ food-sensing acuity. When behavioral switching or reproductive success of the strategies is included, the relative abundance of foragers and exploiters is dynamic over time, in contrast with classic models that predict stable frequencies. Our work shows the importance of considering two-way interaction—i.e., how food distribution both influences and is influenced by social foraging and aggregation of predators. PMID:22745167

College dating and social anxiety: using the Internet as a means of connecting to others.

PubMed

Stevens, Sarah B; Morris, Tracy L

2007-10-01

With the advent and widespread use of the Internet, various online media are being used to connect and maintain social relationships in individuals of all ages. Social relationships are vital to healthy development, and individuals with social and/or dating anxiety may have marked difficulty in establishing appropriate, supportive relationships because of fear of negative evaluation by others. For these individuals, the Internet may open avenues of communication and provide an outlet through which relationships can be formed and preserved. This study investigated the characteristics of computer and Internet use in young adults to determine whether individuals who were high in social/dating anxiety symptoms were more likely to make and maintain social relationships online. To further understand the patterns of these behaviors, several measures of social and dating anxiety were collected and analyzed along with demographic, computer use, and relationship characteristics. Results indicated differences between high and low social/dating anxiety with respect to media use and relationship formation. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Marriage and its transition in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ahmed, A U

1986-01-01

The author examines developments in marriage patterns in Bangladesh in light of social, cultural, and economic conditions. Previous literature on the subject is used to discuss Muslim marriage, Hindu marriage, child marriage, mate selection and social mobility, and the question of a marriage squeeze. "The analysis presents evidence that the society is experiencing a change in its family formation, mating process and family type. This transition is to some extent towards the characteristics of [the] Western World, but in a poor economy. Part of this transition is due to the effect of modernization and part due to increasing poverty." excerpt

The prevalence of social phobia, and its impact on quality of life, academic achievement, and identity formation in university students.

PubMed

Gültekin, Bülent Kadri; Dereboy, I Ferhan

2011-01-01

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of social phobia, and the sociodemographic variables, substance use patterns, and comorbid psychiatric disorders associated with it. The impact of social phobia on quality of life, academic achievement, and identity formation were also examined. The study was conducted between 01 March and 01 June 2008, and included 700 undergraduate students at Adnan Menderes University. A sociodemographic data form, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Form, Turkish Version (WHOQoL-BREF-TR), and Instrument for Assessing Identity Confusion (IFAIC) were administered to the participants. In all, 20.9% of the participants had social phobia during the previous year and 21.7% had social phobia for a lifetime. In total, 74.6% of those that had social phobia during the previous year and 76.5% of those that had social phobia for their whole lives also had a specific social phobia. There was a significant difference between the participants with generalized social phobia or a specific social phobia, and those without social phobia, in terms of LSAS and IFAIC scores. Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of social phobia was 1.7-fold higher among the females than males, 1.5-fold higher among those that lived in cities for the last 15 years than those that lived in towns, 1.9-fold higher among those that lived in cities for the last 15 years than those that lived in villages, and 1.8-fold higher among those that had relatives with a psychiatric illness than those that didn't. Higher socioeconomic status was negatively correlated with the prevalence of social phobia. Cigarette smoking was more prevalent among the students without social phobia and suicidal ideation was more prevalent among the students with social phobia. WHOQOL-BREF-TR scores showed that students without social phobia had significantly higher quality of life quality than those with social phobia. Self-reported academic performance did not significantly differ between the students with social phobia and those without social phobia. Social phobia research may be limited, but was highly prevalent among the university students in the present study and had significant negative effects on identity formation and quality of life.

Mathematical Analysis for Non-reciprocal-interaction-based Model of Collective Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kano, Takeshi; Osuka, Koichi; Kawakatsu, Toshihiro; Ishiguro, Akio

2017-12-01

In many natural and social systems, collective behaviors emerge as a consequence of non-reciprocal interaction between their constituents. As a first step towards understanding the core principle that underlies these phenomena, we previously proposed a minimal model of collective behavior based on non-reciprocal interactions by drawing inspiration from friendship formation in human society, and demonstrated via simulations that various non-trivial patterns emerge by changing parameters. In this study, a mathematical analysis of the proposed model wherein the system size is small is performed. Through the analysis, the mechanism of the transition between several patterns is elucidated.

Dynamics of bounded confidence opinion in heterogeneous social networks: Concord against partial antagonism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurmyshev, Evguenii; Juárez, Héctor A.; González-Silva, Ricardo A.

2011-08-01

Bounded confidence models of opinion dynamics in social networks have been actively studied in recent years, in particular, opinion formation and extremism propagation along with other aspects of social dynamics. In this work, after an analysis of limitations of the Deffuant-Weisbuch (DW) bounded confidence, relative agreement model, we propose the mixed model that takes into account two psychological types of individuals. Concord agents (C-agents) are friendly people; they interact in a way that their opinions always get closer. Agents of the other psychological type show partial antagonism in their interaction (PA-agents). Opinion dynamics in heterogeneous social groups, consisting of agents of the two types, was studied on different social networks: Erdös-Rényi random graphs, small-world networks and complete graphs. Limit cases of the mixed model, pure C- and PA-societies, were also studied. We found that group opinion formation is, qualitatively, almost independent of the topology of networks used in this work. Opinion fragmentation, polarization and consensus are observed in the mixed model at different proportions of PA- and C-agents, depending on the value of initial opinion tolerance of agents. As for the opinion formation and arising of “dissidents”, the opinion dynamics of the C-agents society was found to be similar to that of the DW model, except for the rate of opinion convergence. Nevertheless, mixed societies showed dynamics and bifurcation patterns notably different to those of the DW model. The influence of biased initial conditions over opinion formation in heterogeneous social groups was also studied versus the initial value of opinion uncertainty, varying the proportion of the PA- to C-agents. Bifurcation diagrams showed an impressive evolution of collective opinion, in particular, radical changes of left to right consensus or vice versa at an opinion uncertainty value equal to 0.7 in the model with the PA/C mixture of population near 50/50.

Modelling the evolution of a bi-partite network Peer referral in interlocking directorates*

PubMed Central

Edling, Christofer

2010-01-01

A central part of relational ties between social actors are constituted by shared affiliations and events. The action of joint participation reinforces personal ties between social actors as well as mutually shared values and norms that in turn perpetuate the patterns of social action that define groups. Therefore the study of bipartite networks is central to social science. Furthermore, the dynamics of these processes suggests that bipartite networks should not be considered static structures but rather be studied over time. In order to model the evolution of bipartite networks empirically we introduce a class of models and a Bayesian inference scheme that extends previous stochastic actor-oriented models for unimodal graphs. Contemporary research on interlocking directorates provides an area of research in which it seems reasonable to apply the model. Specifically, we address the question of how tie formation, i.e. director recruitment, contributes to the structural properties of the interlocking directorate network. For boards of directors on the Stockholm stock exchange we propose that a prolific mechanism in tie formation is that of peer referral. The results indicate that such a mechanism is present, generating multiple interlocks between boards. PMID:24944435

Disentangling the Importance of Psychological Predispositions and Social Constructions in the Organization of American Political Ideology.

PubMed

Verhulst, Brad; Hatemi, Peter K; Eaves, Lindon J

2012-06-01

Ideological preferences within the American electorate are contingent on both the environmental conditions that provide the content of the contemporary political debate and internal predispositions that motivate people to hold liberal or conservative policy preferences. In this article we apply Jost, Federico, and Napier's (2009) top-down/bottom-up theory of political attitude formation to a genetically informative population sample. In doing so, we further develop the theory by operationalizing the top-down pathway to be a function of the social environment and the bottom-up pathway as a latent set of genetic factors. By merging insights from psychology, behavioral genetics, and political science, we find strong support for the top-down/bottom-up framework that segregates the two independent pathways in the formation of political attitudes and identifies a different pattern of relationships between political attitudes at each level of analysis.

Social Salience Discriminates Learnability of Contextual Cues in an Artificial Language.

PubMed

Rácz, Péter; Hay, Jennifer B; Pierrehumbert, Janet B

2017-01-01

We investigate the learning of contextual meaning by adults in an artificial language. Contextual meaning here refers to the non-denotative contextual information that speakers attach to a linguistic construction. Through a series of short games, played online, we test how well adults can learn different contextual meanings for a word-formation pattern in an artificial language. We look at whether learning contextual meanings depends on the social salience of the context, whether our players interpret these contexts generally, and whether the learned meaning is generalized to new words. Our results show that adults are capable of learning contextual meaning if the context is socially salient, coherent, and interpretable. Once a contextual meaning is recognized, it is readily generalized to related forms and contexts.

Self-Organized Lattices of Nonlinear Optochemical Waves in Photopolymerizable Fluids: The Spontaneous Emergence of 3-D Order in a Weakly Correlated System.

PubMed

Ponte, Matthew R; Hudson, Alexander D; Saravanamuttu, Kalaichelvi

2018-03-01

Many of the extraordinary three-dimensional architectures that pattern our physical world emerge from complex nonlinear systems or dynamic populations whose individual constituents are only weakly correlated to each other. Shoals of fish, murmuration behaviors in birds, congestion patterns in traffic, and even networks of social conventions are examples of spontaneous pattern formation, which cannot be predicted from the properties of individual elements alone. Pattern formation at a different scale has been observed or predicted in weakly correlated systems including superconductors, atomic gases near Bose Einstein condensation, and incoherent optical fields. Understanding pattern formation in nonlinear weakly correlated systems, which are often unified through mathematical expression, could pave intelligent self-organizing pathways to functional materials, architectures, and computing technologies. However, it is experimentally difficult to directly visualize the nonlinear dynamics of pattern formation in most populations-especially in three dimensions. Here, we describe the collective behavior of large populations of nonlinear optochemical waves, which are poorly correlated in both space and time. The optochemical waves-microscopic filaments of white light entrapped within polymer channels-originate from the modulation instability of incandescent light traveling in photopolymerizable fluids. By tracing the three-dimensional distribution of optical intensity in the nascent polymerizing system, we find that populations of randomly distributed, optochemical waves synergistically and collectively shift in space to form highly ordered lattices of specific symmetries. These, to our knowledge, are the first three-dimensionally periodic structures to emerge from a system of weakly correlated waves. Their spontaneous formation in an incoherent and effectively chaotic field is counterintuitive, but the apparent contradiction of known behaviors of light including the laws of optical interference can be explained through the soliton-like interactions of optochemical waves with nearest neighbors. Critically, this work casts fundamentally new insight into the collective behaviors of poorly correlated nonlinear waves in higher dimensions and provides a rare, accessible platform for further experimental studies of these previously unexplored behaviors. Furthermore, it defines a self-organization paradigm that, unlike conventional counterparts, could generate polymer microstructures with symmetries spanning all the Bravais lattices.

Social networks dynamics revealed by temporal analysis: An example in a non-human primate (Macaca sylvanus) in "La Forêt des Singes".

PubMed

Sosa, Sebastian; Zhang, Peng; Cabanes, Guénaël

2017-06-01

This study applied a temporal social network analysis model to describe three affiliative social networks (allogrooming, sleep in contact, and triadic interaction) in a non-human primate species, Macaca sylvanus. Three main social mechanisms were examined to determine interactional patterns among group members, namely preferential attachment (i.e., highly connected individuals are more likely to form new connections), triadic closure (new connections occur via previous close connections), and homophily (individuals interact preferably with others with similar attributes). Preferential attachment was only observed for triadic interaction network. Triadic closure was significant in allogrooming and triadic interaction networks. Finally, gender homophily was seasonal for allogrooming and sleep in contact networks, and observed in each period for triadic interaction network. These individual-based behaviors are based on individual reactions, and their analysis can shed light on the formation of the affiliative networks determining ultimate coalition networks, and how these networks may evolve over time. A focus on individual behaviors is necessary for a global interactional approach to understanding social behavior rules and strategies. When combined, these social processes could make animal social networks more resilient, thus enabling them to face drastic environmental changes. This is the first study to pinpoint some of the processes underlying the formation of a social structure in a non-human primate species, and identify common mechanisms with humans. The approach used in this study provides an ideal tool for further research seeking to answer long-standing questions about social network dynamics. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pacopampa: Early evidence of violence at a ceremonial site in the northern Peruvian highlands.

PubMed

Nagaoka, Tomohito; Uzawa, Kazuhiro; Seki, Yuji; Morales Chocano, Daniel

2017-01-01

Pacopampa, a ceremonial complex in Peru's northern highlands, reveals early evidence of trauma in the Middle to Late Formative Period coinciding with the emergence of social stratification in the area. We examine the prevalence of trauma in human remains found at the site and present evidence of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of individuals who lived during the early stages of Andean civilization. The materials are the remains of 104 individuals (38 non-adult and 66 adult) from the Middle to Late Formative Periods. We explored trauma macroscopically and recorded patterns based on skeletons' locations, age at death, sex, social class, and chronology. We detected trauma in remains over the Middle to Late Formative Periods. While the prevalence of trauma was minimal in the Middle Formative Period, skeletons from the subsequent era exhibit more severe disturbances. However, all the skeletons show signs of healing and affected individuals experienced a low degree of trauma. Given the archaeological context (the remains were recovered from sites of ceremonial practices), as well as the equal distribution of trauma among both sexes and a lack of defensive architecture, it is plausible that rituals, rather than organized warfare or raids, caused most of the exhibited trauma. Pacopampa was home to a complex society founded on ritual activity in a ceremonial center: this is indicated by the presence of ritual violence in a society that built impressively large, ceremonial architecture and developed social stratification without any political control of surplus agricultural goods.

Truthful Incentive Mechanisms for Social Cost Minimization in Mobile Crowdsourcing Systems

PubMed Central

Duan, Zhuojun; Yan, Mingyuan; Cai, Zhipeng; Wang, Xiaoming; Han, Meng; Li, Yingshu

2016-01-01

With the emergence of new technologies, mobile devices are capable of undertaking computational and sensing tasks. A large number of users with these mobile devices promote the formation of the Mobile Crowdsourcing Systems (MCSs). Within a MCS, each mobile device can contribute to the crowdsourcing platform and get rewards from it. In order to achieve better performance, it is important to design a mechanism that can attract enough participants with mobile devices and then allocate the tasks among participants efficiently. In this paper, we are interested in the investigation of tasks allocation and price determination in MCSs. Two truthful auction mechanisms are proposed for different working patterns. A Vickrey–Clarke–Groves (VCG)-based auction mechanism is proposed to the continuous working pattern, and a suboptimal auction mechanism is introduced for the discontinuous working pattern. Further analysis shows that the proposed mechanisms have the properties of individual rationality and computational efficiencies. Experimental results suggest that both mechanisms guarantee all the mobile users bidding with their truthful values and the optimal maximal social cost can be achieved in the VCG-based auction mechanism. PMID:27058541

Rethinking Sexual Initiation: Pathways to Identity Formation among Gay and Bisexual Mexican Male Youth

PubMed Central

Carrillo, Héctor; Fontdevila, Jorge

2010-01-01

The topic of same-sex sexual initiation has generally remained understudied in the literature on sexual identity formation among sexual minority youth. This article analyzed the narratives of same-sex sexual initiation provided by 76 gay and bisexual Mexican immigrant men who participated in interviews for the Trayectos Study, an ethnographic study of sexuality and HIV risk. These participants were raised in a variety of locations throughout Mexico, where they also realized their same-sex attraction and initiated their sexual lives with men. We argue that Mexican male same-sex sexuality is characterized by three distinct patterns of sexual initiation-- one heavily-based on gender roles, one based on homosociality, and one based on object choice-- which inform the men’s interpretations regarding sexual roles, partner preferences, and sexual behaviors. We analyzed the social factors and forms of cultural/sexual socialization that lead sexual minority youth specifically to each of these three patterns of sexual initiation. Our findings confirm the importance of studying same-sex sexual initiation as a topic in its own right, particularly as a tool to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of same-sex sexual experiences and sexual identities within and among ethnic/cultural groups. PMID:20838869

Development of a dynamic framework to explain population patterns of leisure-time physical activity through agent-based modeling.

PubMed

Garcia, Leandro M T; Diez Roux, Ana V; Martins, André C R; Yang, Yong; Florindo, Alex A

2017-08-22

Despite the increasing body of evidences on the factors influencing leisure-time physical activity, our understanding of the mechanisms and interactions that lead to the formation and evolution of population patterns is still limited. Moreover, most frameworks in this field fail to capture dynamic processes. Our aim was to create a dynamic conceptual model depicting the interaction between key psychological attributes of individuals and main aspects of the built and social environments in which they live. This conceptual model will inform and support the development of an agent-based model aimed to explore how population patterns of LTPA in adults may emerge from the dynamic interplay between psychological traits and built and social environments. We integrated existing theories and models as well as available empirical data (both from literature reviews), and expert opinions (based on a systematic expert assessment of an intermediary version of the model). The model explicitly presents intention as the proximal determinant of leisure-time physical activity, a relationship dynamically moderated by the built environment (access, quality, and available activities) - with the strength of the moderation varying as a function of the person's intention- and influenced both by the social environment (proximal network's and community's behavior) and the person's behavior. Our conceptual model is well supported by evidence and experts' opinions and will inform the design of our agent-based model, as well as data collection and analysis of future investigations on population patterns of leisure-time physical activity among adults.

Media Engagement and Identity Formation Among Minority Youth.

PubMed

Mayhew, Amy; Weigle, Paul

2018-04-01

Clinicians who work with youth should understand how they engage with screen media, including differences between ethnic groups, and how to maximize its positive potential and minimize negative consequences. This article presents data summarizing patterns of media use by youth, with an emphasis on European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans. The authors explain how identity formation and social identity theory relate to online influences, benefits, and risks of online engagement, including those specific to minority populations. The authors clarify how child mental health professionals may use this information to better treat patients and their families. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enabling Community Through Social Media

PubMed Central

Haythornthwaite, Caroline

2013-01-01

Background Social network analysis provides a perspective and method for inquiring into the structures that comprise online groups and communities. Traces from interaction via social media provide the opportunity for understanding how a community is formed and maintained online. Objective The paper aims to demonstrate how social network analysis provides a vocabulary and set of techniques for examining interaction patterns via social media. Using the case of the #hcsmca online discussion forum, this paper highlights what has been and can be gained by approaching online community from a social network perspective, as well as providing an inside look at the structure of the #hcsmca community. Methods Social network analysis was used to examine structures in a 1-month sample of Twitter messages with the hashtag #hcsmca (3871 tweets, 486 unique posters), which is the tag associated with the social media–supported group Health Care Social Media Canada. Network connections were considered present if the individual was mentioned, replied to, or had a post retweeted. Results Network analyses revealed patterns of interaction that characterized the community as comprising one component, with a set of core participants prominent in the network due to their connections with others. Analysis showed the social media health content providers were the most influential group based on in-degree centrality. However, there was no preferential attachment among people in the same professional group, indicating that the formation of connections among community members was not constrained by professional status. Conclusions Network analysis and visualizations provide techniques and a vocabulary for understanding online interaction, as well as insights that can help in understanding what, and who, comprises and sustains a network, and whether community emerges from a network of online interactions. PMID:24176835

Inferring a District-Based Hierarchical Structure of Social Contacts from Census Data

PubMed Central

Yu, Zhiwen; Liu, Jiming; Zhu, Xianjun

2015-01-01

Researchers have recently paid attention to social contact patterns among individuals due to their useful applications in such areas as epidemic evaluation and control, public health decisions, chronic disease research and social network research. Although some studies have estimated social contact patterns from social networks and surveys, few have considered how to infer the hierarchical structure of social contacts directly from census data. In this paper, we focus on inferring an individual’s social contact patterns from detailed census data, and generate various types of social contact patterns such as hierarchical-district-structure-based, cross-district and age-district-based patterns. We evaluate newly generated contact patterns derived from detailed 2011 Hong Kong census data by incorporating them into a model and simulation of the 2009 Hong Kong H1N1 epidemic. We then compare the newly generated social contact patterns with the mixing patterns that are often used in the literature, and draw the following conclusions. First, the generation of social contact patterns based on a hierarchical district structure allows for simulations at different district levels. Second, the newly generated social contact patterns reflect individuals social contacts. Third, the newly generated social contact patterns improve the accuracy of the SEIR-based epidemic model. PMID:25679787

Social Salience Discriminates Learnability of Contextual Cues in an Artificial Language

PubMed Central

Rácz, Péter; Hay, Jennifer B.; Pierrehumbert, Janet B.

2017-01-01

We investigate the learning of contextual meaning by adults in an artificial language. Contextual meaning here refers to the non-denotative contextual information that speakers attach to a linguistic construction. Through a series of short games, played online, we test how well adults can learn different contextual meanings for a word-formation pattern in an artificial language. We look at whether learning contextual meanings depends on the social salience of the context, whether our players interpret these contexts generally, and whether the learned meaning is generalized to new words. Our results show that adults are capable of learning contextual meaning if the context is socially salient, coherent, and interpretable. Once a contextual meaning is recognized, it is readily generalized to related forms and contexts. PMID:28194122

Asymmetries of the human social brain in the visual, auditory and chemical modalities.

PubMed

Brancucci, Alfredo; Lucci, Giuliana; Mazzatenta, Andrea; Tommasi, Luca

2009-04-12

Structural and functional asymmetries are present in many regions of the human brain responsible for motor control, sensory and cognitive functions and communication. Here, we focus on hemispheric asymmetries underlying the domain of social perception, broadly conceived as the analysis of information about other individuals based on acoustic, visual and chemical signals. By means of these cues the brain establishes the border between 'self' and 'other', and interprets the surrounding social world in terms of the physical and behavioural characteristics of conspecifics essential for impression formation and for creating bonds and relationships. We show that, considered from the standpoint of single- and multi-modal sensory analysis, the neural substrates of the perception of voices, faces, gestures, smells and pheromones, as evidenced by modern neuroimaging techniques, are characterized by a general pattern of right-hemispheric functional asymmetry that might benefit from other aspects of hemispheric lateralization rather than constituting a true specialization for social information.

Targeting imported malaria through social networks: a potential strategy for malaria elimination in Swaziland.

PubMed

Koita, Kadiatou; Novotny, Joseph; Kunene, Simon; Zulu, Zulizile; Ntshalintshali, Nyasatu; Gandhi, Monica; Gosling, Roland

2013-06-27

Swaziland has made great progress towards its goal of malaria elimination by 2015. However, malaria importation from neighbouring high-endemic Mozambique through Swaziland's eastern border remains a major factor that could prevent elimination from being achieved. In order to reach elimination, Swaziland must rapidly identify and treat imported malaria cases before onward transmission occurs. A nationwide formative assessment was conducted over eight weeks to determine if the imported cases of malaria identified by the Swaziland National Malaria Control Programme could be linked to broader social networks and to explore methods to access these networks. Using a structured format, interviews were carried out with malaria surveillance agents (6), health providers (10), previously identified imported malaria cases (19) and people belonging to the networks identified through these interviews (25). Most imported malaria cases were Mozambicans (63%, 12/19) making a living in Swaziland and sustaining their families in Mozambique. The majority of imported cases (73%, 14/19) were labourers and self-employed contractors who travelled frequently to Mozambique to visit their families and conduct business. Social networks of imported cases with similar travel patterns were identified through these interviews. Nearly all imported cases (89%, 17/19) were willing to share contact information to enable network members to be interviewed. Interviews of network members and key informants revealed common congregation points, such as the urban market places in Manzini and Malkerns, as well as certain bus stations, where people with similar travel patterns and malaria risk behaviours could be located and tested for malaria. This study demonstrated that imported cases of malaria belonged to networks of people with similar travel patterns. This study may provide novel methods for screening high-risk groups of travellers using both snowball sampling and time-location sampling of networks to identify and treat additional malaria cases. Implementation of a proactive screening programme of importation networks may help Swaziland halt transmission and achieve malaria elimination by 2015.

Seasonal Patterns of Mixed Species Groups in Large East African Mammals

PubMed Central

Kiffner, Christian; Kioko, John; Leweri, Cecilia; Krause, Stefan

2014-01-01

Mixed mammal species groups are common in East African savannah ecosystems. Yet, it is largely unknown if co-occurrences of large mammals result from random processes or social preferences and if interspecific associations are consistent across ecosystems and seasons. Because species may exchange important information and services, understanding patterns and drivers of heterospecific interactions is crucial for advancing animal and community ecology. We recorded 5403 single and multi-species clusters in the Serengeti-Ngorongoro and Tarangire-Manyara ecosystems during dry and wet seasons and used social network analyses to detect patterns of species associations. We found statistically significant associations between multiple species and association patterns differed spatially and seasonally. Consistently, wildebeest and zebras preferred being associated with other species, whereas carnivores, African elephants, Maasai giraffes and Kirk's dik-diks avoided being in mixed groups. During the dry season, we found that the betweenness (a measure of importance in the flow of information or disease) of species did not differ from a random expectation based on species abundance. In contrast, in the wet season, we found that these patterns were not simply explained by variations in abundances, suggesting that heterospecific associations were actively formed. These seasonal differences in observed patterns suggest that interspecific associations may be driven by resource overlap when resources are limited and by resource partitioning or anti-predator advantages when resources are abundant. We discuss potential mechanisms that could drive seasonal variation in the cost-benefit tradeoffs that underpin the formation of mixed-species groups. PMID:25470495

Seasonal patterns of mixed species groups in large East African mammals.

PubMed

Kiffner, Christian; Kioko, John; Leweri, Cecilia; Krause, Stefan

2014-01-01

Mixed mammal species groups are common in East African savannah ecosystems. Yet, it is largely unknown if co-occurrences of large mammals result from random processes or social preferences and if interspecific associations are consistent across ecosystems and seasons. Because species may exchange important information and services, understanding patterns and drivers of heterospecific interactions is crucial for advancing animal and community ecology. We recorded 5403 single and multi-species clusters in the Serengeti-Ngorongoro and Tarangire-Manyara ecosystems during dry and wet seasons and used social network analyses to detect patterns of species associations. We found statistically significant associations between multiple species and association patterns differed spatially and seasonally. Consistently, wildebeest and zebras preferred being associated with other species, whereas carnivores, African elephants, Maasai giraffes and Kirk's dik-diks avoided being in mixed groups. During the dry season, we found that the betweenness (a measure of importance in the flow of information or disease) of species did not differ from a random expectation based on species abundance. In contrast, in the wet season, we found that these patterns were not simply explained by variations in abundances, suggesting that heterospecific associations were actively formed. These seasonal differences in observed patterns suggest that interspecific associations may be driven by resource overlap when resources are limited and by resource partitioning or anti-predator advantages when resources are abundant. We discuss potential mechanisms that could drive seasonal variation in the cost-benefit tradeoffs that underpin the formation of mixed-species groups.

Social Knowledge and Goal-based Influences on Social Information Processing in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Hess, Thomas M.; Kotter-Grühn, Dana

2011-01-01

Effective social functioning is reflected in the ability to accurately characterize other people and then use this information in the service of social goals. To examine this type of social functioning, the authors conducted two studies that investigated potential influences of social experience and chronic socioemotional goals on adults’ social judgments in an impression formation task. In line with a social expertise framework, middle-aged and older adults were more sensitive to trait-diagnostic behavioral information than were younger adults. Relative to younger adults, older adults paid more attention to negative than to positive information when it related to morality traits. Increasing the salience of the social context, and presumably activating such goals, did not alter this pattern of performance. In contrast, when more global social evaluations were examined (e.g., suitability as a social partner), older adults were less likely than younger or middle-aged adults to adjust their evaluations in response to situational goals. Consistent with a heightened focus on socioemotional goals, older adults’ judgments were more consistently influenced by their attributions of traits that would likely impact the affective outcomes associated with interpersonal interactions. The results demonstrate the interaction between social knowledge, situational social goals, and chronic socioemotional goals in determining age differences in social information processing. PMID:21604887

The Policy Formation Process: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuchs, E. F.

1972-01-01

A conceptual framework for analysis which is intended to assist both the policy analyst and the policy researcher in their empirical investigations into policy phenomena is developed. It is meant to facilitate understanding of the policy formation process by focusing attention on the basic forces shaping the main features of policy formation as a dynamic social-political-organizational process. The primary contribution of the framework lies in its capability to suggest useful ways of looking at policy formation reality. It provides the analyst and the researcher with a group of indicators which suggest where to look and what to look for when attempting to analyze and understand the mix of forces which energize, maintain, and direct the operation of strategic level policy systems. The framework also highlights interconnections, linkage, and relational patterns between and among important variables. The framework offers an integrated set of conceptual tools which facilitate understanding of and research on the complex and dynamic set of variables which interact in any major strategic level policy formation process.

Pacopampa: Early evidence of violence at a ceremonial site in the northern Peruvian highlands

PubMed Central

Uzawa, Kazuhiro; Seki, Yuji; Morales Chocano, Daniel

2017-01-01

Objectives Pacopampa, a ceremonial complex in Peru’s northern highlands, reveals early evidence of trauma in the Middle to Late Formative Period coinciding with the emergence of social stratification in the area. We examine the prevalence of trauma in human remains found at the site and present evidence of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of individuals who lived during the early stages of Andean civilization. Materials and methods The materials are the remains of 104 individuals (38 non-adult and 66 adult) from the Middle to Late Formative Periods. We explored trauma macroscopically and recorded patterns based on skeletons’ locations, age at death, sex, social class, and chronology. Results We detected trauma in remains over the Middle to Late Formative Periods. While the prevalence of trauma was minimal in the Middle Formative Period, skeletons from the subsequent era exhibit more severe disturbances. However, all the skeletons show signs of healing and affected individuals experienced a low degree of trauma. Discussion Given the archaeological context (the remains were recovered from sites of ceremonial practices), as well as the equal distribution of trauma among both sexes and a lack of defensive architecture, it is plausible that rituals, rather than organized warfare or raids, caused most of the exhibited trauma. Pacopampa was home to a complex society founded on ritual activity in a ceremonial center: this is indicated by the presence of ritual violence in a society that built impressively large, ceremonial architecture and developed social stratification without any political control of surplus agricultural goods. PMID:28957380

Perceived parenting dimensions and identity styles: exploring the socialization of adolescents' processing of identity-relevant information.

PubMed

Smits, Ilse; Soenens, Bart; Luyckx, Koen; Duriez, Bart; Berzonsky, Michael; Goossens, Luc

2008-04-01

This study examined the relationships between crucial dimensions of perceived parenting (support, behavioral control, and psychological control) and the three identity styles defined by Berzonsky [Berzonsky, M. D. (1990). Self-construction over the life span: A process perspective on identity formation. Advances in Personal Construct Psychology, 1, 155-186.]. Each identity style was hypothesized to relate to a specific pattern of perceived parenting dimensions. Hypotheses were examined in a sample of middle and late adolescents (n=674). An information-oriented style was positively predicted by parental support. Contrary to expectations, however, an information-oriented style was also positively predicted by psychological control. A normative identity style was positively predicted by support and behavioral control. In line with expectations, a diffuse-avoidant identity style was positively predicted by psychological control and negatively by maternal (but not paternal) behavioral control. Findings are discussed in light of the literature on the socialization of identity formation and directions for future research are outlined.

Patterns of Family Formation in Response to Sex Ratio Variation

PubMed Central

Schacht, Ryan; Kramer, Karen L.

2016-01-01

The impact that unbalanced sex ratios have on health and societal outcomes is of mounting contemporary concern. However, it is increasingly unclear whether it is male- or female-biased sex ratios that are associated with family and social instability. From a socio-demographic perspective, male-biased sex ratios leave many men unable to find a mate, elevating competition among males, disrupting family formation and negatively affecting social stability. In contrast, from a mating-market perspective, males are expected to be less willing to marry and commit to a family when the sex ratio is female-biased and males are rare. Here we use U.S. data to evaluate predictions from these competing frameworks by testing the relationship between the adult sex ratio and measures of family formation. We find that when women are rare men are more likely to marry, be part of a family and be sexually committed to a single partner. Our results do not support claims that male-biased sex ratios lead to negative family outcomes due to a surplus of unmarried men. Rather, our results highlight the need to pay increased attention to female-biased sex ratios. PMID:27556401

Patterns of Family Formation in Response to Sex Ratio Variation.

PubMed

Schacht, Ryan; Kramer, Karen L

2016-01-01

The impact that unbalanced sex ratios have on health and societal outcomes is of mounting contemporary concern. However, it is increasingly unclear whether it is male- or female-biased sex ratios that are associated with family and social instability. From a socio-demographic perspective, male-biased sex ratios leave many men unable to find a mate, elevating competition among males, disrupting family formation and negatively affecting social stability. In contrast, from a mating-market perspective, males are expected to be less willing to marry and commit to a family when the sex ratio is female-biased and males are rare. Here we use U.S. data to evaluate predictions from these competing frameworks by testing the relationship between the adult sex ratio and measures of family formation. We find that when women are rare men are more likely to marry, be part of a family and be sexually committed to a single partner. Our results do not support claims that male-biased sex ratios lead to negative family outcomes due to a surplus of unmarried men. Rather, our results highlight the need to pay increased attention to female-biased sex ratios.

Substance-related disorders and somatic symptoms: how should clinicians understand the associations?

PubMed

Yoshimasu, Kouichi

2012-12-01

There are five major patterns which explain the associations between somatic symptoms and substance-related disorders (SRD) in patients without organic disorders. They are withdrawal somatic symptoms, somatic symptoms related to co-morbid mental disorders, those related to co-morbid infectious diseases, functional intractable somatic symptoms (including somatoform disorders), and symptoms associated with intoxication. Those somatic symptoms that occur according to those five patterns might overlap each other, making it difficult for physicians to precisely grasp the associations between somatic symptoms and SRD. This results in a very complicated formation of various kinds of symptoms (syndrome). Furthermore, the clinical and social features of those patterns of associations differ between legal and illicit substances users. It should also be noted that such somatic symptoms associated with SRD may be affected by social factors such as cultural backgrounds or legal restrictions on such substances. Those factors differ according to each country, area, or community whose cultural backgrounds are somewhat specific. In those areas, psychosocial factors such as stigmas, prejudices, or feeling ashamed of one's mental disorder (including SRD) also differ. Thus, it is important to take into account the effects of social or psychosocial backgrounds when evaluating and studying the associations between somatic symptoms and SRD. When clinicians confront patients with somatic symptoms and suspected SRD, they should presume which association pattern is the most significant problem for the patients, based on those psychosocial and biological information obtained from the patients themselves and their surroundings. This procedure might give an opportunity to clinicians for elucidating complicated associations between somatic complaints and SRD.

A coevolving model based on preferential triadic closure for social media networks

PubMed Central

Li, Menghui; Zou, Hailin; Guan, Shuguang; Gong, Xiaofeng; Li, Kun; Di, Zengru; Lai, Choy-Heng

2013-01-01

The dynamical origin of complex networks, i.e., the underlying principles governing network evolution, is a crucial issue in network study. In this paper, by carrying out analysis to the temporal data of Flickr and Epinions–two typical social media networks, we found that the dynamical pattern in neighborhood, especially the formation of triadic links, plays a dominant role in the evolution of networks. We thus proposed a coevolving dynamical model for such networks, in which the evolution is only driven by the local dynamics–the preferential triadic closure. Numerical experiments verified that the model can reproduce global properties which are qualitatively consistent with the empirical observations. PMID:23979061

First report of sauropod tracks from the Upper Jurassic Tianchihe Formation of Guxian County, Shanxi Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Huan; Liu, Yong-Qing; Kuang, Hong-Wei; Peng, Nan; Rodríguez-López, Juan Pedro; Xu, Shi-Chao; Wang, Suo-Zhu; Yi, Jian; Xue, Pei-Lin; Jia, Lei

2018-02-01

This paper presents the first report of sauropod tracks from the Upper Jurassic of Shanxi Province, China. Dinosaur tracks appear concentrated in five trackways, in different stratigraphic levels of the Late Jurassic Tianchihe Formation. Tracks are dominantly small and medium-size sauropod tracks and are tentatively assigned to Brontopodus based on preserved track morphology, trackway pattern and statistical analysis. The Tianchihe Formation in which the tracks appear shows a gradual change from meandering fluvial to sandy braided fluvial depositional systems developed in a seasonally arid environment. Comparisons of the evaluated speed of bipedal to quadruped trackways indicate that the slower walk more easily produces pes-dominated overprints. Trackways in the Guxian tracksite appear following different orientations, suggesting that these trackways were produced by different sauropods at different times. An unusual trackway following a curved pattern has been identified in the site and could represent a special locomotion character or a social behavior. The presence of eolian deposits in central Shanxi Province could have acted as a paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental barrier for the dispersion of the Yanliao Biota that survived in northern Hebei-western Liaoning and northestern Shanxi Province to the Ordos Basin during the Late Jurassic.

Land Use and Family Formation in the Settlement of the U.S. Great Plains

PubMed Central

Gutmann, Myron P.; Pullum-Piñón, Sara M.; Witkowski, Kristine; Deane, Glenn D.; Merchant, Emily

2014-01-01

In agricultural settings, environment shapes patterns of settlement and land use. Using the Great Plains of the United States during the period of its initial Euro-American settlement (1880–1940) as an analytical lens, this article explores whether the same environmental factors that determine settlement timing and land use—those that indicate suitability for crop-based agriculture—also shape initial family formation, resulting in fewer and smaller families in areas that are more conducive to livestock raising than to cropping. The connection between family size and agricultural land availability is now well known, but the role of the environment has not previously been explicitly tested. Descriptive analysis offers initial support for a distinctive pattern of family formation in the western Great Plains, where precipitation is too low to support intensive cropping. However, multivariate analysis using county-level data at 10-year intervals offers only partial support to the hypothesis that environmental characteristics produce these differences. Rather, this analysis has found that the region was also subject to the same long-term social and demographic changes sweeping the rest of the country during this period. PMID:24634550

The spatial distribution of umbral dots and granules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, J. K.

1983-08-01

It is pointed out that the study of point patterns in two dimensions is of extremely broad interest in both the natural and social sciences. The subjects to which this study has been applied include tree distributions in forests, bird nesting patterns, the growth of towns, crystal formation in rocks, and the distribution of galaxies on the sky. The present investigation is concerned with the particular example of the distribution of umbral dots and their similarity, or dissimilarity, to photospheric granules. Attention is given to a collection of N points in an area A, statistical comparisons of distributions, and studies conducted by Bumba and Suda (1980) and Adjabshirzadeh and Koutchmy (1980, 1982).

Micro-level dynamics of the online information propagation: A user behavior model based on noisy spiking neurons.

PubMed

Lymperopoulos, Ilias N; Ioannou, George D

2016-10-01

We develop and validate a model of the micro-level dynamics underlying the formation of macro-level information propagation patterns in online social networks. In particular, we address the dynamics at the level of the mechanism regulating a user's participation in an online information propagation process. We demonstrate that this mechanism can be realistically described by the dynamics of noisy spiking neurons driven by endogenous and exogenous, deterministic and stochastic stimuli representing the influence modulating one's intention to be an information spreader. Depending on the dynamically changing influence characteristics, time-varying propagation patterns emerge reflecting the temporal structure, strength, and signal-to-noise ratio characteristics of the stimulation driving the online users' information sharing activity. The proposed model constitutes an overarching, novel, and flexible approach to the modeling of the micro-level mechanisms whereby information propagates in online social networks. As such, it can be used for a comprehensive understanding of the online transmission of information, a process integral to the sociocultural evolution of modern societies. The proposed model is highly adaptable and suitable for the study of the propagation patterns of behavior, opinions, and innovations among others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A free response test of interpersonal effectiveness.

PubMed

Getter, H; Nowinski, J K

1981-06-01

Development of the Interpersonal Problem Solving Assessment Technique (IPSAT), College form, is described. Guided by Rotter's Social Learning Theory, problem-solving, and assertiveness research, a semi-structured free response format was designed to assess components of interpersonal effectiveness, The instrument yields patterns of self-reported behaviors in six classes of problematic social situations. A detailed manual enabled reliable scoring of the following response categories: Effectiveness, avoidance, appropriateness, dependency and solution productivity. Scores were not materially affected by sex, verbal ability, or social desirability response sets. Correlations with the College Self-Expression Scale, the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and the Lanyon Psychological Screening Inventory provided initial evidence of validity. Comparison of mean IPSAT scores of 23 psychotherapy clients with those of 78 normative subjects showed that clients report less interpersonal effectiveness and more avoidance than controls. Implications for utility of the IPSAT are discussed.

Marketing the "radical": symbolic communication and persuasive technologies in jihadist websites.

PubMed

Bhui, Kamaldeep; Ibrahim, Yasmin

2013-04-01

This paper reviews the persuasion techniques employed by jihadist websites with particular reference to the patterns of rhetoric, image, and symbolism manifested in text, videos, and interactive formats. Beyond symbolic communication, the online media needs to be also understood through its persuasive tendencies as a medium which elicits social response through its design architecture. This double articulation of new media technologies, as a medium for information and as a form of persuasive technology, has provided new means to market the radical. The marketing techniques of jihadist websites through multimedia formats have consequences for the formation of identities, both collective and individual. As a marketing tool it combines established forms of rhetoric and propaganda with new ways to reach audiences through both popular culture and religious ideologies. The paper analyses the implications for further research and counterterrorism strategies.

Nearest pattern interaction and global pattern formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Seong-Ok; Moon, Hie-Tae; Ko, Tae-Wook

2000-12-01

We studied the effect of nearest pattern interaction on a global pattern formation in a two-dimensional space, where patterns are to grow initially from a noise in the presence of a periodic supply of energy. Although our approach is general, we found that this study is relevant in particular to the pattern formation on a periodically vibrated granular layer, as it gives a unified perspective of the experimentally observed pattern dynamics such as oscillon and stripe formations, skew-varicose and crossroll instabilities, and also a kink formation and decoration.

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC): A Psychometric and Equivalence Study of an Alternate Form.

PubMed

Johannesen, Jason K; Lurie, Jessica B; Fiszdon, Joanna M; Bell, Morris D

2013-01-01

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) uses a 64-second video of geometric shapes set in motion to portray themes of social relatedness and intentions. Considered a test of "Theory of Mind," the SAT-MC assesses implicit social attribution formation while reducing verbal and basic cognitive demands required of other common measures. We present a comparability analysis of the SAT-MC and the new SAT-MC-II, an alternate form created for repeat testing, in a university sample (n = 92). Score distributions and patterns of association with external validation measures were nearly identical between the two forms, with convergent and discriminant validity supported by association with affect recognition ability and lack of association with basic visual reasoning. Internal consistency of the SAT-MC-II was superior (alpha = .81) to the SAT-MC (alpha = .56). Results support the use of SAT-MC and new SAT-MC-II as equivalent test forms. Demonstrating relatively higher association to social cognitive than basic cognitive abilities, the SAT-MC may provide enhanced sensitivity as an outcome measure of social cognitive intervention trials.

The Evolution of Fertility Expectations over the Life Course

PubMed Central

HAYFORD, SARAH R.

2009-01-01

In low-fertility contexts, how many children people have is largely a product of how many children they want. However, the social, institutional, and individual factors that influence how many children people want are not well understood. In particular, there is scant evidence about how fertility expectations change over the life course. This article provides an empirical description of changes in women’s expected fertility over the entire span of childbearing years. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort, group-based trajectory analysis illuminates common patterns in the evolution of fertility intentions and identifies individual characteristics associated with these patterns. Factors related to family formation, such as marriage and whether a woman has a child at an early age, are found to be the most consistent correlates of patterns of change in expected family size. PMID:20084828

How social factors and behavioural strategies affect feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs.

PubMed

Boumans, Iris J M M; de Boer, Imke J M; Hofstede, Gert Jan; Bokkers, Eddie A M

2018-04-26

Animals living in groups compete for food resources and face food conflicts. These conflicts are affected by social factors (e.g. competition level) and behavioural strategies (e.g. avoidance). This study aimed to deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between social factors and behavioural strategies affecting feeding and social interaction patterns in animals. We focused on group-housed growing pigs, Sus scrofa, which typically face conflicts around the feeder, and of which patterns in various competitive environments (i.e. pig:feeder ratio) have been documented soundly. An agent-based model was developed to explore how interactions among social factors and behavioural strategies can affect various feeding and social interaction patterns differently under competitive situations. Model results show that pig and diet characteristics interact with group size and affect daily feeding patterns (e.g. feed intake and feeding time) and conflicts around the feeder. The level of competition can cause a turning point in feeding and social interaction patterns. Beyond a certain point of competition, meal-based (e.g. meal frequency) and social interaction patterns (e.g. displacements) are determined mainly by behavioural strategies. The average daily feeding time can be used to predict the group size at which this turning point occurs. Under the model's assumptions, social facilitation was relatively unimportant in the causation of behavioural patterns in pigs. To validate our model, simulated patterns were compared with empirical patterns in conventionally housed pigs. Similarities between empirical and model patterns support the model results. Our model can be used as a tool in further research for studying the effects of social factors and group dynamics on individual variation in feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs, as well as in other animal species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservation in Mammals of Genes Associated with Aggression-Related Behavioral Phenotypes in Honey Bees

PubMed Central

Robinson, Gene E.; Jakobsson, Eric

2016-01-01

The emerging field of sociogenomics explores the relations between social behavior and genome structure and function. An important question is the extent to which associations between social behavior and gene expression are conserved among the Metazoa. Prior experimental work in an invertebrate model of social behavior, the honey bee, revealed distinct brain gene expression patterns in African and European honey bees, and within European honey bees with different behavioral phenotypes. The present work is a computational study of these previous findings in which we analyze, by orthology determination, the extent to which genes that are socially regulated in honey bees are conserved across the Metazoa. We found that the differentially expressed gene sets associated with alarm pheromone response, the difference between old and young bees, and the colony influence on soldier bees, are enriched in widely conserved genes, indicating that these differences have genomic bases shared with many other metazoans. By contrast, the sets of differentially expressed genes associated with the differences between African and European forager and guard bees are depleted in widely conserved genes, indicating that the genomic basis for this social behavior is relatively specific to honey bees. For the alarm pheromone response gene set, we found a particularly high degree of conservation with mammals, even though the alarm pheromone itself is bee-specific. Gene Ontology identification of human orthologs to the strongly conserved honey bee genes associated with the alarm pheromone response shows overrepresentation of protein metabolism, regulation of protein complex formation, and protein folding, perhaps associated with remodeling of critical neural circuits in response to alarm pheromone. We hypothesize that such remodeling may be an adaptation of social animals to process and respond appropriately to the complex patterns of conspecific communication essential for social organization. PMID:27359102

Conservation in Mammals of Genes Associated with Aggression-Related Behavioral Phenotypes in Honey Bees.

PubMed

Liu, Hui; Robinson, Gene E; Jakobsson, Eric

2016-06-01

The emerging field of sociogenomics explores the relations between social behavior and genome structure and function. An important question is the extent to which associations between social behavior and gene expression are conserved among the Metazoa. Prior experimental work in an invertebrate model of social behavior, the honey bee, revealed distinct brain gene expression patterns in African and European honey bees, and within European honey bees with different behavioral phenotypes. The present work is a computational study of these previous findings in which we analyze, by orthology determination, the extent to which genes that are socially regulated in honey bees are conserved across the Metazoa. We found that the differentially expressed gene sets associated with alarm pheromone response, the difference between old and young bees, and the colony influence on soldier bees, are enriched in widely conserved genes, indicating that these differences have genomic bases shared with many other metazoans. By contrast, the sets of differentially expressed genes associated with the differences between African and European forager and guard bees are depleted in widely conserved genes, indicating that the genomic basis for this social behavior is relatively specific to honey bees. For the alarm pheromone response gene set, we found a particularly high degree of conservation with mammals, even though the alarm pheromone itself is bee-specific. Gene Ontology identification of human orthologs to the strongly conserved honey bee genes associated with the alarm pheromone response shows overrepresentation of protein metabolism, regulation of protein complex formation, and protein folding, perhaps associated with remodeling of critical neural circuits in response to alarm pheromone. We hypothesize that such remodeling may be an adaptation of social animals to process and respond appropriately to the complex patterns of conspecific communication essential for social organization.

Asymmetries of the human social brain in the visual, auditory and chemical modalities

PubMed Central

Brancucci, Alfredo; Lucci, Giuliana; Mazzatenta, Andrea; Tommasi, Luca

2008-01-01

Structural and functional asymmetries are present in many regions of the human brain responsible for motor control, sensory and cognitive functions and communication. Here, we focus on hemispheric asymmetries underlying the domain of social perception, broadly conceived as the analysis of information about other individuals based on acoustic, visual and chemical signals. By means of these cues the brain establishes the border between ‘self’ and ‘other’, and interprets the surrounding social world in terms of the physical and behavioural characteristics of conspecifics essential for impression formation and for creating bonds and relationships. We show that, considered from the standpoint of single- and multi-modal sensory analysis, the neural substrates of the perception of voices, faces, gestures, smells and pheromones, as evidenced by modern neuroimaging techniques, are characterized by a general pattern of right-hemispheric functional asymmetry that might benefit from other aspects of hemispheric lateralization rather than constituting a true specialization for social information. PMID:19064350

Predation Risk Shapes Social Networks in Fission-Fusion Populations

PubMed Central

Kelley, Jennifer L.; Morrell, Lesley J.; Inskip, Chloe; Krause, Jens; Croft, Darren P.

2011-01-01

Predation risk is often associated with group formation in prey, but recent advances in methods for analysing the social structure of animal societies make it possible to quantify the effects of risk on the complex dynamics of spatial and temporal organisation. In this paper we use social network analysis to investigate the impact of variation in predation risk on the social structure of guppy shoals and the frequency and duration of shoal splitting (fission) and merging (fusion) events. Our analyses revealed that variation in the level of predation risk was associated with divergent social dynamics, with fish in high-risk populations displaying a greater number of associations with overall greater strength and connectedness than those from low-risk sites. Temporal patterns of organisation also differed according to predation risk, with fission events more likely to occur over two short time periods (5 minutes and 20 minutes) in low-predation fish and over longer time scales (>1.5 hours) in high-predation fish. Our findings suggest that predation risk influences the fine-scale social structure of prey populations and that the temporal aspects of organisation play a key role in defining social systems. PMID:21912627

A Qualitative Study of the Formation and Composition of Social Networks Among Homeless Youth

PubMed Central

Tyler, Kimberly A.; Melander, Lisa A.

2011-01-01

Although social networks are essential for explaining protective and risk factors among homeless youth, little is known about the formation and composition of these groups. In this study, we utilized 19 in-depth interviews with homeless youth to investigate their social network formation, role relationships, housing status, and network member functions. Our findings reveal that the formation of these networks occurred in different ways including meeting network members through others or in specific social situations. The majority of social network members were currently housed and provided various functions including instrumental and social support and protection. Responses from participants provide valuable insight into the formation of social networks and potentially explain their subsequent involvement in risky behaviors. PMID:22121330

Emergence of bursts and communities in evolving weighted networks.

PubMed

Jo, Hang-Hyun; Pan, Raj Kumar; Kaski, Kimmo

2011-01-01

Understanding the patterns of human dynamics and social interaction and the way they lead to the formation of an organized and functional society are important issues especially for techno-social development. Addressing these issues of social networks has recently become possible through large scale data analysis of mobile phone call records, which has revealed the existence of modular or community structure with many links between nodes of the same community and relatively few links between nodes of different communities. The weights of links, e.g., the number of calls between two users, and the network topology are found correlated such that intra-community links are stronger compared to the weak inter-community links. This feature is known as Granovetter's "The strength of weak ties" hypothesis. In addition to this inhomogeneous community structure, the temporal patterns of human dynamics turn out to be inhomogeneous or bursty, characterized by the heavy tailed distribution of time interval between two consecutive events, i.e., inter-event time. In this paper, we study how the community structure and the bursty dynamics emerge together in a simple evolving weighted network model. The principal mechanisms behind these patterns are social interaction by cyclic closure, i.e., links to friends of friends and the focal closure, links to individuals sharing similar attributes or interests, and human dynamics by task handling process. These three mechanisms have been implemented as a network model with local attachment, global attachment, and priority-based queuing processes. By comprehensive numerical simulations we show that the interplay of these mechanisms leads to the emergence of heavy tailed inter-event time distribution and the evolution of Granovetter-type community structure. Moreover, the numerical results are found to be in qualitative agreement with empirical analysis results from mobile phone call dataset.

Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Sexual Risk Behavior among Female Sex Workers in two South Indian Communities

PubMed Central

Heravian, Anisa; Solomon, Raja; Krishnan, Gopal; Vasudevan, CK; Krishnan, AK; Osmand, Thomas; Ekstrand, Maria L.

2012-01-01

Background HIV transmission in India is primarily heterosexual and there is a concentrated HIV epidemic among female sex workers (FSWs). Earlier reports demonstrate that many FSWs consume alcohol regularly before sexual encounters. This qualitative study is part of a larger quantitative study designed to assess alcohol consumption patterns among female sex workers and their association with sexual risk taking. Here we investigate the environmental influence, reasons for and consequences of consuming alcohol in the FSW population. Methods Trained staff from two Non-Governmental Organizations in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala conducted semi-structured interviews with 63 FSWs in Chirala, Andhra Pradesh (n=35) and Calicut, Kerala (n=28) following extensive formative research, including social mapping and key informant interviews, to assess drinking patterns and sexual risk behaviors. Results FSWs reported consuming alcohol in multiple contexts: sexual, social, mental health and self-medication. Alcohol consumption during sexual encounters with clients was usually forced, but some women drank voluntarily. Social drinking took place in public locations such as bars and in private locations including deserted buildings, roads and inside autorickshaws (motorcycle taxis). Consequences of alcohol consumption included failure to use condoms and to collect payments from clients, violence, legal problems, gastrointestinal side effects, economic loss and interference with family responsibilities. Conclusion FSWs consume alcohol in multilevel contexts. Alcohol consumption during transactional sex is often forced and can lead to failure to use condoms. Social drinkers consume alcohol with other trusted FSWs for entertainment and to help cope with psychosocial stressors. There are multiple reasons for and consequences of alcohol consumption in this population and future interventions should target each specific aspect of alcohol use. PMID:22608567

Alcohol consumption patterns and sexual risk behavior among female sex workers in two South Indian communities.

PubMed

Heravian, Anisa; Solomon, Raja; Krishnan, Gopal; Vasudevan, C K; Krishnan, A K; Osmand, Thomas; Ekstrand, Maria L

2012-11-01

HIV transmission in India is primarily heterosexual and there is a concentrated HIV epidemic among female sex workers (FSWs). Earlier reports demonstrate that many FSWs consume alcohol regularly before sexual encounters. This qualitative study is part of a larger quantitative study designed to assess alcohol consumption patterns among female sex workers and their association with sexual risk taking. Here we investigate the environmental influence, reasons for and consequences of consuming alcohol in the FSW population. Trained staff from two Non-Governmental Organizations in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala conducted semi-structured interviews with 63 FSWs in Chirala, Andhra Pradesh (n = 35) and Calicut, Kerala (n = 28) following extensive formative research, including social mapping and key informant interviews, to assess drinking patterns and sexual risk behaviors. FSWs reported consuming alcohol in multiple contexts: sexual, social, mental health and self-medication. Alcohol consumption during sexual encounters with clients was usually forced, but some women drank voluntarily. Social drinking took place in public locations such as bars and in private locations including deserted buildings, roads and inside autorickshaws (motorcycle taxis). Consequences of alcohol consumption included failure to use condoms and to collect payments from clients, violence, legal problems, gastrointestinal side effects, economic loss and interference with family responsibilities. FSWs consume alcohol in multilevel contexts. Alcohol consumption during transactional sex is often forced and can lead to failure to use condoms. Social drinkers consume alcohol with other trusted FSWs for entertainment and to help cope with psychosocial stressors. There are multiple reasons for and consequences of alcohol consumption in this population and future interventions should target each specific aspect of alcohol use. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-Linear Pattern Formation in Bone Growth and Architecture

PubMed Central

Salmon, Phil

2014-01-01

The three-dimensional morphology of bone arises through adaptation to its required engineering performance. Genetically and adaptively bone travels along a complex spatiotemporal trajectory to acquire optimal architecture. On a cellular, micro-anatomical scale, what mechanisms coordinate the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts to produce complex and efficient bone architectures? One mechanism is examined here – chaotic non-linear pattern formation (NPF) – which underlies in a unifying way natural structures as disparate as trabecular bone, swarms of birds flying, island formation, fluid turbulence, and others. At the heart of NPF is the fact that simple rules operating between interacting elements, and Turing-like interaction between global and local signals, lead to complex and structured patterns. The study of “group intelligence” exhibited by swarming birds or shoaling fish has led to an embodiment of NPF called “particle swarm optimization” (PSO). This theoretical model could be applicable to the behavior of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, seeing them operating “socially” in response simultaneously to both global and local signals (endocrine, cytokine, mechanical), resulting in their clustered activity at formation and resorption sites. This represents problem-solving by social intelligence, and could potentially add further realism to in silico computer simulation of bone modeling. What insights has NPF provided to bone biology? One example concerns the genetic disorder juvenile Pagets disease or idiopathic hyperphosphatasia, where the anomalous parallel trabecular architecture characteristic of this pathology is consistent with an NPF paradigm by analogy with known experimental NPF systems. Here, coupling or “feedback” between osteoblasts and osteoclasts is the critical element. This NPF paradigm implies a profound link between bone regulation and its architecture: in bone the architecture is the regulation. The former is the emergent consequence of the latter. PMID:25653638

The rhetorical 'turn' in medical education: what have we learned and where are we going?

PubMed

Lingard, Lorelei

2007-05-01

This paper presents a critical reflection on the contributions and challenges associated with one rhetorical approach to studying teaching and learning communication in health professions education. A rhetorical approach treats language as a social act, and attends to the role of language in establishing professional identities and relationships. The research has produced insights into the use of standard communication formats to teach novices, the nature of socialization on clinical teams, and the relationship between communication patterns and patient safety. Challenges and emerging questions include the problem of accounting for the material dimensions of communication in a rhetorical model, grappling with the complexities of distributed teams, and difficulties bridging the epistemologies of rhetoric and psychometrics.

Social-Contextual Influences on Adolescent Romantic Involvement: The Constraints of Being a Numerical Minority

PubMed Central

Raley, R. Kelly; Sullivan, M. Kate

2009-01-01

This research explores white-black differences in adolescent heterosexual romantic involvement and how these differences are shaped by social context. We find that, parallel to patterns of marriage in adulthood, Non-Hispanic white girls are more likely to be in a romantic relationship than African American girls. This is particularly true when we focus on heterosexual romantic relationships formed with schoolmates. Among boys, African Americans are more likely to be romantically involved than Non-Hispanic whites. We investigate the contribution of two broad types of social-demographic factors to these race-ethnic differences, population composition and normative climate. We develop theory about why being a numerical minority should lead to lower levels of relationship formation, especially when interracial relationships are rare. Results support the population composition hypotheses but not the idea that race-ethnic differences arise because of differences in normative climate. PMID:20161469

“Where Have All the Good Men Gone?” Gendered Interactions in Online Dating

PubMed Central

Kreager, Derek A.; Cavanagh, Shannon E.; Yen, John; Yu, Mo

2013-01-01

This article explores gendered patterns of online dating and their implications for heterosexual union formation. The authors hypothesized that traditional gender norms combine with preferences for more socially desirable partners to benefit men and disadvantage women in the earliest stages of dating. They tested this with 6 months of online dating data from a mid-sized southwestern city (N = 8,259 men and 6,274 women). They found that both men and women tend to send messages to the most socially desirable alters in the dating market, regardless of their own social desirability. They also found that women who initiate contacts connect with more desirable partners than those who wait to be contacted, but women are 4 times less likely to send messages than men. They concluded that socioeconomic similarities in longer term unions result, in part, from relationship termination (i.e., nonreciprocity) rather than initial preferences for similar partners. PMID:24910472

Babyfacedness, sex of face stimulus, and social context in face perception and person evaluation.

PubMed

Lee, Yu-Kang

2013-06-01

This research investigated whether the well-documented babyface stereotypical effects are moderated by sex of face stimuli and social context. 'Medical doctor' and 'political candidate' were selected as two social contexts which differ at the private/public level. An experiment was conducted with 245 adults (M age = 38.5 yr., SD = 8.6, range = 23 to 64). Babyface effects were stronger for the babyfaced female in the political context, but greater for the babyfaced male in the doctor-patient context. Babyfacedness could be a disadvantage to men in political contexts if political sophistication is judged by their facial characteristics. The results of overall impressions are similar to the patterns of the likeability rating. Individual differences (political sophistication and health consciousness) account for little variance in inference-making or impression formation. Implications of the current findings are discussed, as are directions for future research.

Optical Pattern Formation in Cold Atoms: Explaining the Red-Blue Asymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmittberger, Bonnie; Gauthier, Daniel

2013-05-01

The study of pattern formation in atomic systems has provided new insight into fundamental many-body physics and low-light-level nonlinear optics. Pattern formation in cold atoms in particular is of great interest in condensed matter physics and quantum information science because atoms undergo self-organization at ultralow input powers. We recently reported the first observation of pattern formation in cold atoms but found that our results were not accurately described by any existing theoretical model of pattern formation. Previous models describing pattern formation in cold atoms predict that pattern formation should occur using both red and blue-detuned pump beams, favoring a lower threshold for blue detunings. This disagrees with our recent work, in which we only observed pattern formation with red-detuned pump beams. Previous models also assume a two-level atom, which cannot account for the cooling processes that arise when beams counterpropagate through a cold atomic vapor. We describe a new model for pattern formation that accounts for Sisyphus cooling in multi-level atoms, which gives rise to a new nonlinearity via spatial organization of the atoms. This spatial organization causes a sharp red-blue detuning asymmetry, which agrees well with our experimental observations. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the NSF through Grant #PHY-1206040.

Interaction order and anxiety disorder: A 'Batesonian' heuristic of speaking patterns during psychotherapy.

PubMed

Streeck, Jürgen

2011-01-01

This paper describes speaking practices enacted by young female in-patients during psychotherapy sessions. The patients are in treatment for anxiety and panic disorders (social phobias). The practices involve prosodic, lexical and pragmatic aspects of utterance construction. An effect that they share is that the speaker's embodied presence in her talk and her epistemic commitment to it are reduced as the utterance progresses. The practices are interpreted in light of Bateson's interactional theory of character formation: as elements of a self-sustaining system Angst (anxiety). The study has grown out of an interdisciplinary effort to explore possible relationships between types of anxiety and the communicative and linguistic patterns by which patients describe panic attacks and other highly emotional experiences.

The impact of alcohol consumption on patterns of union formation in Russia 1998–2010: An assessment using longitudinal data

PubMed Central

Keenan, Katherine; Kenward, Michael G.; Grundy, Emily; Leon, David A.

2014-01-01

Using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey, 1998–2010, we investigated the extent to which patterns of alcohol consumption in Russia are associated with the subsequent likelihood of entry into cohabitation and marriage. Using discrete-time event history analysis we estimated for 16–50 year olds the extent to which the probabilities of entry into the two types of union were affected by the amount of alcohol drunk and the pattern of drinking, adjusted to allow for social and demographic factors including income, employment, and health. The results show that individuals who did not drink alcohol were less likely to embark on either cohabitation or marriage, that frequent consumption of alcohol was associated with a greater chance of entering unmarried cohabitation than of entering into a marriage, and that heavy drinkers were less likely to convert their relationship from cohabitation to marriage. PMID:25320843

Reproductive pair correlations and the clustering of organisms.

PubMed

Young, W R; Roberts, A J; Stuhne, G

2001-07-19

Clustering of organisms can be a consequence of social behaviour, or of the response of individuals to chemical and physical cues. Environmental variability can also cause clustering: for example, marine turbulence transports plankton and produces chlorophyll concentration patterns in the upper ocean. Even in a homogeneous environment, nonlinear interactions between species can result in spontaneous pattern formation. Here we show that a population of independent, random-walking organisms ('brownian bugs'), reproducing by binary division and dying at constant rates, spontaneously aggregates. Using an individual-based model, we show that clusters form out of spatially homogeneous initial conditions without environmental variability, predator-prey interactions, kinesis or taxis. The clustering mechanism is reproductively driven-birth must always be adjacent to a living organism. This clustering can overwhelm diffusion and create non-poissonian correlations between pairs (parent and offspring) or organisms, leading to the emergence of patterns.

A sampling model of social judgment.

PubMed

Galesic, Mirta; Olsson, Henrik; Rieskamp, Jörg

2018-04-01

Studies of social judgments have demonstrated a number of diverse phenomena that were so far difficult to explain within a single theoretical framework. Prominent examples are false consensus and false uniqueness, as well as self-enhancement and self-depreciation. Here we show that these seemingly complex phenomena can be a product of an interplay between basic cognitive processes and the structure of social and task environments. We propose and test a new process model of social judgment, the social sampling model (SSM), which provides a parsimonious quantitative account of different types of social judgments. In the SSM, judgments about characteristics of broader social environments are based on sampling of social instances from memory, where instances receive activation if they belong to a target reference class and have a particular characteristic. These sampling processes interact with the properties of social and task environments, including homophily, shapes of frequency distributions, and question formats. For example, in line with the model's predictions we found that whether false consensus or false uniqueness will occur depends on the level of homophily in people's social circles and on the way questions are asked. The model also explains some previously unaccounted-for patterns of self-enhancement and self-depreciation. People seem to be well informed about many characteristics of their immediate social circles, which in turn influence how they evaluate broader social environments and their position within them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Sex work in Tallinn, Estonia: the sociospatial penetration of sex work into society.

PubMed

Aral, S O; St Lawrence, J S; Uusküla, A

2006-10-01

It is important to describe and understand the underlying patterns and dynamics that govern sex work in societies undergoing rapid political and social changes, its heterogeneity across populations, and its evolution through time in order to inform future research, sound policy formation, and programme delivery. To describe the socioeconomic and cultural determinants, organisational structure, distinct categories, and spatial patterning of sex work in Tallinn, Estonia, and identify recent temporal changes in sex work patterns. In-depth interviews with key informants; naturalistic observations of sex work and drug use venues, geo-mapping of sex work sites, review of media, public policy, and commissioned reports, and analyses of existing data. Sex work takes place in a hierarchy of locations in Tallinn ranging from elite brothels and "love flats" to truck stops. These sites vary in terms of their public health importance and social organisation. There are full time, part time, and intermittent male and female sex workers. Among others, the taxi driver, madam and the bartender are central roles in the organisation of sex work in Tallinn. Cell phone and internet technology enable sex work to be highly dispersed and spatially mobile. Future research and programmatic service delivery or outreach efforts should respond to the changing profile of sex work in Tallinn and its implications for STD/HIV epidemiology.

Birds choose long-term partners years before breeding

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teitelbaum, Claire S.; Converse, Sarah J.; Mueller, Thomas

2017-01-01

Pair bonds can provide social benefits to long-term monogamous species alongside their benefits for reproduction. However, little is known about when these bonds form, in particular how long they are present before breeding. Previous studies of pair formation in long-term monogamous birds have been rather data-limited, but for many migratory birds they report pair formation on the wintering grounds. We provide the first systematic investigation of prebreeding association patterns of long-term monogamous pairs by examining entire life histories based on tracking data of migratory whooping cranes, Grus americana. We found that a substantial portion (62%) of breeding pairs started associating at least 12 months before first breeding, with 16 of 58 breeding pairs beginning to associate over 2 years before first breeding. For most pairs, these associations with future breeding partners also became unique and distinguishable from association patterns with nonpartner individuals 12 months before first breeding. In addition, 60% of pair associations began before at least one partner had reached nominal sexual maturity. Most pairs began associating in the late spring upon arrival at the summer grounds, while associations beginning at other times of the year were rare. Patterns in the associations of pairs prior to breeding can point to the potential benefits of prebreeding relationships, for instance providing support in competitive interactions or increasing partner familiarity.

Characteristics of pattern formation and evolution in approximations of Physarum transport networks.

PubMed

Jones, Jeff

2010-01-01

Most studies of pattern formation place particular emphasis on its role in the development of complex multicellular body plans. In simpler organisms, however, pattern formation is intrinsic to growth and behavior. Inspired by one such organism, the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum, we present examples of complex emergent pattern formation and evolution formed by a population of simple particle-like agents. Using simple local behaviors based on chemotaxis, the mobile agent population spontaneously forms complex and dynamic transport networks. By adjusting simple model parameters, maps of characteristic patterning are obtained. Certain areas of the parameter mapping yield particularly complex long term behaviors, including the circular contraction of network lacunae and bifurcation of network paths to maintain network connectivity. We demonstrate the formation of irregular spots and labyrinthine and reticulated patterns by chemoattraction. Other Turing-like patterning schemes were obtained by using chemorepulsion behaviors, including the self-organization of regular periodic arrays of spots, and striped patterns. We show that complex pattern types can be produced without resorting to the hierarchical coupling of reaction-diffusion mechanisms. We also present network behaviors arising from simple pre-patterning cues, giving simple examples of how the emergent pattern formation processes evolve into networks with functional and quasi-physical properties including tensionlike effects, network minimization behavior, and repair to network damage. The results are interpreted in relation to classical theories of biological pattern formation in natural systems, and we suggest mechanisms by which emergent pattern formation processes may be used as a method for spatially represented unconventional computation.

Unravelling variation in feeding, social interaction and growth patterns among pigs using an agent-based model.

PubMed

Boumans, Iris J M M; de Boer, Imke J M; Hofstede, Gert Jan; Bokkers, Eddie A M

2018-07-01

Domesticated pigs, Sus scrofa, vary considerably in feeding, social interaction and growth patterns. This variation originates partly from genetic variation that affects physiological factors and partly from behavioural strategies (avoid or approach) in competitive food resource situations. Currently, it is unknown how variation in physiological factors and in behavioural strategies among animals contributes to variation in feeding, social interaction and growth patterns in animals. The aim of this study was to unravel causation of variation in these patterns among pigs. We used an agent-based model to explore the effects of physiological factors and behavioural strategies in pigs on variation in feeding, social interaction and growth patterns. Model results show that variation in feeding, social interaction and growth patterns are caused partly by chance, such as time effects and coincidence of conflicts. Furthermore, results show that seemingly contradictory empirical findings in literature can be explained by variation in pig characteristics (i.e. growth potential, positive feedback, dominance, and coping style). Growth potential mainly affected feeding and growth patterns, whereas positive feedback, dominance and coping style affected feeding patterns, social interaction patterns, as well as growth patterns. Variation in behavioural strategies among pigs can reduce aggression at group level, but also make some pigs more susceptible to social constraints inhibiting them from feeding when they want to, especially low-ranking pigs and pigs with a passive coping style. Variation in feeding patterns, such as feeding rate or meal frequency, can indicate social constraints. Feeding patterns, however, can say something different about social constraints at group versus individual level. A combination of feeding patterns, such as a decreased feed intake, an increased feeding rate, and an increased meal frequency might, therefore, be needed to measure social constraints at individual level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC): A Psychometric and Equivalence Study of an Alternate Form

PubMed Central

Johannesen, Jason K.; Lurie, Jessica B.; Fiszdon, Joanna M.; Bell, Morris D.

2013-01-01

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) uses a 64-second video of geometric shapes set in motion to portray themes of social relatedness and intentions. Considered a test of “Theory of Mind,” the SAT-MC assesses implicit social attribution formation while reducing verbal and basic cognitive demands required of other common measures. We present a comparability analysis of the SAT-MC and the new SAT-MC-II, an alternate form created for repeat testing, in a university sample (n = 92). Score distributions and patterns of association with external validation measures were nearly identical between the two forms, with convergent and discriminant validity supported by association with affect recognition ability and lack of association with basic visual reasoning. Internal consistency of the SAT-MC-II was superior (alpha = .81) to the SAT-MC (alpha = .56). Results support the use of SAT-MC and new SAT-MC-II as equivalent test forms. Demonstrating relatively higher association to social cognitive than basic cognitive abilities, the SAT-MC may provide enhanced sensitivity as an outcome measure of social cognitive intervention trials. PMID:23864984

Cross-cultural differences in psychosocial adaptation to isolated and confined environments.

PubMed

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Johnson, Jeffrey C; Boster, James S; Rakusa-Suszczewski, Stanislaw; Klopov, Valeri P; Fu, Xue Quan; Sachdeva, Usha

2004-11-01

Differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation under conditions of prolonged isolation and confinement in Antarctica were examined to determine the extent to which they were influenced by national culture in general and the individualist-collectivist orientation of national cultures in particular. The Profile of Mood States and measures of structural and functional social support were administered over an 8-mo period (March through October) to 13 winter-over crews from 5 nations operating research stations in the Antarctic: United States (3 crews, n = 77), Poland (3 crews, n = 40), Russia (3 crews, n = 34), China (3 crews, n = 40), and India (1 crew, n = 26). Americans at South Pole Station reported significant increases in fatigue and anxiety and a significant decrease in vigor over the winter. During the same period, Russians at Vostok Station reported significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and confusion, and Indians at Maitri Station reported a significant decrease in anger. A significant decrease in social interaction with fellow crewmembers occurred at South Pole Station, Vostok Station, and Poland's Arctowski Station. Several differences were also observed between the five stations in correlations between mood scores and measures of structural and functional social support. An individualistic cultural orientation was significantly associated with low social support and low negative mood. Cultural background is associated with mood and social support as well as changes in these measures during the austral winter. Cultural differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation must be considered in the formation and training of multinational crews for long duration missions in space.

The effects of single versus mixed gender treatment for adolescent girls with ADHD.

PubMed

Babinski, Dara E; Sibley, Margaret H; Ross, J Megan; Pelham, William E

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the social behavior of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in single and mixed gender treatment settings. We collected ratings of social behavior (i.e., prosocial peer interactions, assertiveness, self-management, compliance, physical aggression, relational aggression) during single and mixed gender games within the Summer Treatment Program-Adolescent for 10 girls (M age = 13.17, 80% Hispanic) and 11 boys (M age = 12.89, 54.55% Hispanic). Counselors completed ratings immediately following 10 recreational periods for each adolescent they supervised (5 single gender games, 5 mixed gender games). Gender (female vs. male) × Setting (single vs. mixed gender) ANOVAs were conducted. If a significant interaction emerged, post hoc tests were also conducted. Several Gender × Setting interactions emerged, suggesting that girls benefit more from single gender formats than mixed gender formats. Girls showed more assertiveness, self-management, and compliance in single compared to mixed gender settings. A somewhat different pattern of results emerged for boys, which showed more appropriate social behavior (i.e., self-management, compliance) and less inappropriate social behavior (i.e., physical and relational aggression) in mixed gender settings compared to single gender settings. In contrast to previous ADHD treatment studies, these findings suggest that gender may impact treatment response for adolescents. Therefore, it is important that future studies evaluate whether current treatments for ADHD are appropriate for girls with ADHD and whether gender-specific treatments are necessary to address the unique difficulties of adolescent girls with ADHD.

The effects of single versus mixed gender treatment for adolescent girls with ADHD

PubMed Central

Babinski, Dara E.; Sibley, Margaret H.; Ross, J. Megan; Pelham, William E.

2013-01-01

Objective This study evaluated the social behavior of adolescents with ADHD in single and mixed gender treatment settings. Method We collected ratings of social behavior (i.e., prosocial peer interactions, assertiveness, self-management, compliance, physical aggression, relational aggression) during single and mixed gender games within the Summer Treatment Program-Adolescent (STP-A) for 10 girls (mean age 13.17, 80% Hispanic) and 11 boys (mean age 12.89, 54.55% Hispanic). Counselors completed ratings immediately following 10 recreational periods for each adolescent they supervised (5 single gender games, 5 mixed gender games). Gender (female versus male) x setting (single versus mixed gender) ANOVAs were conducted. If a significant interaction emerged, post hoc tests were also conducted. Results Several gender by setting interactions emerged, suggesting that girls benefit more from single gender formats than mixed gender formats. Girls showed more assertiveness, self-management, and compliance in single compared to mixed gender settings. A somewhat different pattern of results emerged for boys, which showed more appropriate social behavior (i.e., self-management, compliance) and less inappropriate social behavior (i.e., physical and relational aggression) in mixed gender settings compared to single gender settings. Conclusions In contrast to previous ADHD treatment studies, these findings suggest that gender may impact treatment response for adolescents. Therefore, it is important that future studies evaluate whether current treatments for ADHD are appropriate for girls with ADHD, and if gender-specific treatments are necessary to address the unique difficulties of adolescent girls with ADHD. PMID:23330787

The Dynamics of Visual Experience, an EEG Study of Subjective Pattern Formation

PubMed Central

Elliott, Mark A.; Twomey, Deirdre; Glennon, Mark

2012-01-01

Background Since the origin of psychological science a number of studies have reported visual pattern formation in the absence of either physiological stimulation or direct visual-spatial references. Subjective patterns range from simple phosphenes to complex patterns but are highly specific and reported reliably across studies. Methodology/Principal Findings Using independent-component analysis (ICA) we report a reduction in amplitude variance consistent with subjective-pattern formation in ventral posterior areas of the electroencephalogram (EEG). The EEG exhibits significantly increased power at delta/theta and gamma-frequencies (point and circle patterns) or a series of high-frequency harmonics of a delta oscillation (spiral patterns). Conclusions/Significance Subjective-pattern formation may be described in a way entirely consistent with identical pattern formation in fluids or granular flows. In this manner, we propose subjective-pattern structure to be represented within a spatio-temporal lattice of harmonic oscillations which bind topographically organized visual-neuronal assemblies by virtue of low frequency modulation. PMID:22292053

Thizzin’—Ecstasy use contexts and emergent social meanings

PubMed Central

Battle, Robynn S.; Soller, Brian; Brandes, Naomi

2011-01-01

The drug “Ecstasy” has been most commonly associated with raves, or electronic music dance events, and attributed with sexual disinhibition. In an ethnographic investigation of drug use among second-generation Southeast Asian youth in Northern California (2003), respondents described little use of or interest in using Ecstasy; yet in a second study, Ecstasy was the fourth most commonly-used substance. This paper investigates the social contexts for this change in use patterns. Respondents were second-generation Southeast Asian youths and young adults between the ages of 15 and 26 who were currently or recently drug-involved. We compared qualitative data from the two studies and found emerging patterns of meaning and context related to the observed change in use patterns. Ecstasy use among co-resident African American youth within the context of the local “hyphy” hip-hop music subculture had influenced Southeast Asian youths’ uptake of the drug, known as “thizz.” Respondents referred to the effects of the drug as “thizzin’,” described as energizing, disinhibiting, numbing, and emotion enhancing. Reported consequences of “thizzin’” included violence and aggression as well as fun, while sexual disinhibition was rarely mentioned. The meanings assigned to drugs, including the effects ascribed to them, may be relative to the social contexts within which users are exposed to and consume drugs. The findings indicate the susceptibility of youths to local trends in drug use, particularly associated with popular cultural movements and music. Second-generation youths may be particularly susceptible relative to the conditions of their immigration and processes of identity formation unique to them. PMID:22025908

Thizzin'-Ecstasy use contexts and emergent social meanings.

PubMed

Lee, Juliet P; Battle, Robynn S; Soller, Brian; Brandes, Naomi

2011-01-01

The drug "Ecstasy" has been most commonly associated with raves, or electronic music dance events, and attributed with sexual disinhibition. In an ethnographic investigation of drug use among second-generation Southeast Asian youth in Northern California (2003), respondents described little use of or interest in using Ecstasy; yet in a second study, Ecstasy was the fourth most commonly-used substance. This paper investigates the social contexts for this change in use patterns. Respondents were second-generation Southeast Asian youths and young adults between the ages of 15 and 26 who were currently or recently drug-involved. We compared qualitative data from the two studies and found emerging patterns of meaning and context related to the observed change in use patterns. Ecstasy use among co-resident African American youth within the context of the local "hyphy" hip-hop music subculture had influenced Southeast Asian youths' uptake of the drug, known as "thizz." Respondents referred to the effects of the drug as "thizzin'," described as energizing, disinhibiting, numbing, and emotion enhancing. Reported consequences of "thizzin'" included violence and aggression as well as fun, while sexual disinhibition was rarely mentioned. The meanings assigned to drugs, including the effects ascribed to them, may be relative to the social contexts within which users are exposed to and consume drugs. The findings indicate the susceptibility of youths to local trends in drug use, particularly associated with popular cultural movements and music. Second-generation youths may be particularly susceptible relative to the conditions of their immigration and processes of identity formation unique to them.

Person-like intelligent systems architectures for robotic shared control and automated operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, Jon D.; Aucoin, Paschal J., Jr.; Ossorio, Peter G.

1992-01-01

An approach to rendering robotic systems as 'personlike' as possible to achieve needed capabilities is outlined. Human characteristics such as knowledge, motivation, know-how, performance, achievement and individual differences corresponding to propensities and abilities can be supplied, within limits, with computing software and hardware to robotic systems provided with sufficiently rich sensory configurations. Pushing these limits is the developmental path for more and more personlike robotic systems. The portions of the Person Concept that appear to be most directly relevant to this effort are described in the following topics: reality concepts (the state-of-affairs system and descriptive formats, behavior as intentional action, individual persons (person characteristics), social patterns of behavior (social practices), and boundary conditions (status maxims). Personlike robotic themes and considerations for a technical development plan are also discussed.

Myxobacteria Fruiting Body Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yi

2006-03-01

Myxobacteria are social bacteria that swarm and glide on surfaces, and feed cooperatively. When starved, tens of thousands of cells change their movement pattern from outward spreading to inward concentration; they form aggregates that become fruiting bodies, inside which cells differentiate into nonmotile, environmentally resistant spores. Traditionally, cell aggregation has been considered to imply chemotaxis, a long-range cell interaction mediated by diffusing chemicals. However, myxobacteria aggregation is the consequence of direct cell-contact interactions. I will review our recent efforts in modeling the fruiting body formation of Myxobacteria, using lattice gas cellular automata models that are based on local cell-cell contact signaling. These models have reproduced the individual phases in Myxobacteria development such as the rippling, streaming, early aggregation and the final sporulation; the models can be unified to simulate the whole developmental process of Myxobacteria.

Self-organization principles of intracellular pattern formation.

PubMed

Halatek, J; Brauns, F; Frey, E

2018-05-26

Dynamic patterning of specific proteins is essential for the spatio-temporal regulation of many important intracellular processes in prokaryotes, eukaryotes and multicellular organisms. The emergence of patterns generated by interactions of diffusing proteins is a paradigmatic example for self-organization. In this article, we review quantitative models for intracellular Min protein patterns in Escherichia coli , Cdc42 polarization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the bipolar PAR protein patterns found in Caenorhabditis elegans By analysing the molecular processes driving these systems we derive a theoretical perspective on general principles underlying self-organized pattern formation. We argue that intracellular pattern formation is not captured by concepts such as 'activators', 'inhibitors' or 'substrate depletion'. Instead, intracellular pattern formation is based on the redistribution of proteins by cytosolic diffusion, and the cycling of proteins between distinct conformational states. Therefore, mass-conserving reaction-diffusion equations provide the most appropriate framework to study intracellular pattern formation. We conclude that directed transport, e.g. cytosolic diffusion along an actively maintained cytosolic gradient, is the key process underlying pattern formation. Thus the basic principle of self-organization is the establishment and maintenance of directed transport by intracellular protein dynamics.This article is part of the theme issue 'Self-organization in cell biology'. © 2018 The Authors.

Converging Work-Talk Patterns in Online Task-Oriented Communities.

PubMed

Xuan, Qi; Devanbu, Premkumar; Filkov, Vladimir

2016-01-01

Much of what we do is accomplished by working collaboratively with others, and a large portion of our lives are spent working and talking; the patterns embodied in the alternation of working and talking can provide much useful insight into task-oriented social behaviors. The available electronic traces of the different kinds of human activities in online communities are an empirical goldmine that can enable the holistic study and understanding of these social systems. Open Source Software (OSS) projects are prototypical examples of collaborative, task-oriented communities, depending on volunteers for high-quality work. Here, we use sequence analysis methods to identify the work-talk patterns of software developers in online communities of Open Source Software projects. We find that software developers prefer to persist in same kinds of activities, i.e., a string of work activities followed by a string of talk activities and so forth, rather than switch them frequently; this tendency strengthens with time, suggesting that developers become more efficient, and can work longer with fewer interruptions. This process is accompanied by the formation of community culture: developers' patterns in the same communities get closer with time while different communities get relatively more different. The emergence of community culture is apparently driven by both "talk" and "work". Finally, we also find that workers with good balance between "work" and "talk" tend to produce just as much work as those that focus strongly on "work"; however, the former appear to be more likely to continue to be active contributors in the communities.

Spatial and temporal patterns of deforestation in Rio Cajarí Extrative Reserve, Amapá, Brazil.

PubMed

Funi, Claudia; Paese, Adriana

2012-01-01

The Rio Cajarí Extractive Reserve (RCER) is a sustainable use protected area located in Southern Amapá state, Brazil. This protected area is home to traditional agro-extractive families, but has been increasingly invaded by commercial agriculture producers. In this work, we test the hypothesis that the RCER implementation has distinctly affected spatial patterns of deforestation and rates of bare soil and secondary forest formation by the social groups occupying the protected area and its surrounding area. Detailed maps of vegetation cover and deforestation were elaborated, based on Landsat TM images from 1991, 1998, 2007 and 2008 and Linear Spectral Mixture Models. Based on an extensive fieldwork, patches were classified according to the agents causing deforestation and characterized with ten explanatory variables. A discriminant function analysis was used to identify homogeneous groups based on the data. Results show increased rates and distinct spatial patterns of deforestation by three groups: extractivists, non traditional commercial agriculture producers, and a less representative group constituted of miners, cattle and timber producers. In all analyzed dates, clearings by the extrativist community presented the highest total area and smaller average sizes and were located in close proximity to villages. Deforestation patches by the non-traditional group were exclusively associated with ombrophilous forests; these presented higher average sizes and proximity indexes, and showed increased aggregation and large cluster formation. No significant differences were observed in deforestation patterns by the three groups inside or outside the reserve.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Deforestation in Rio Cajarí Extrative Reserve, Amapá, Brazil

PubMed Central

Funi, Claudia; Paese, Adriana

2012-01-01

The Rio Cajarí Extractive Reserve (RCER) is a sustainable use protected area located in Southern Amapá state, Brazil. This protected area is home to traditional agro-extractive families, but has been increasingly invaded by commercial agriculture producers. In this work, we test the hypothesis that the RCER implementation has distinctly affected spatial patterns of deforestation and rates of bare soil and secondary forest formation by the social groups occupying the protected area and its surrounding area. Detailed maps of vegetation cover and deforestation were elaborated, based on Landsat TM images from 1991, 1998, 2007 and 2008 and Linear Spectral Mixture Models. Based on an extensive fieldwork, patches were classified according to the agents causing deforestation and characterized with ten explanatory variables. A discriminant function analysis was used to identify homogeneous groups based on the data. Results show increased rates and distinct spatial patterns of deforestation by three groups: extractivists, non traditional commercial agriculture producers, and a less representative group constituted of miners, cattle and timber producers. In all analyzed dates, clearings by the extrativist community presented the highest total area and smaller average sizes and were located in close proximity to villages. Deforestation patches by the non-traditional group were exclusively associated with ombrophilous forests; these presented higher average sizes and proximity indexes, and showed increased aggregation and large cluster formation. No significant differences were observed in deforestation patterns by the three groups inside or outside the reserve. PMID:23284806

Cognitive and neural correlates of depression-like behaviour in socially defeated mice: an animal model of depression with cognitive dysfunction.

PubMed

Yu, Tao; Guo, Ming; Garza, Jacob; Rendon, Samantha; Sun, Xue-Li; Zhang, Wei; Lu, Xin-Yun

2011-04-01

Human depression is associated with cognitive deficits. It is critical to have valid animal models in order to investigate mechanisms and treatment strategies for these associated conditions. The goal of this study was to determine the association of cognitive dysfunction with depression-like behaviour in an animal model of depression and investigate the neural circuits underlying the behaviour. Mice that were exposed to social defeat for 14 d developed depression-like behaviour, i.e. anhedonia and social avoidance as indicated by reduced sucrose preference and decreased social interaction. The assessment of cognitive performance of defeated mice demonstrated impaired working memory in the T-maze continuous alternation task and enhanced fear memory in the contextual and cued fear-conditioning tests. In contrast, reference learning and memory in the Morris water maze test were intact in defeated mice. Neuronal activation following chronic social defeat was investigated by c-fosin-situ hybridization. Defeated mice exhibited preferential neural activity in the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, hippocampal formation, septum, amygdala, and hypothalamic nuclei. Taken together, our results suggest that the chronic social defeat mouse model could serve as a valid animal model to study depression with cognitive impairments. The patterns of neuronal activation provide a neural basis for social defeat-induced changes in behaviour.

Finger-like pattern formation in dilute surfactant pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether solutions.

PubMed

Kubo, Yoshihide; Yokoyama, Yasuhiro; Tanaka, Shinpei

2013-04-07

We report here peculiar finger-like patterns observed during the phase separation process of dilute micellar pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether solutions. The patterns were composed of parallel and periodic threads of micelle-rich domains. Prior to this pattern formation, the phase separation always started with the appearance of water-rich domains rimmed by the micelle-rich domains. It was found that these rims played a significant role in the pattern formation. We explain this pattern formation using a simple simulation model with disconnectable springs. The simulation results suggested that the spatially inhomogeneous elasticity or connectivity of a transient gel of worm-like micelles was responsible for the rim formation. The rims thus formed lead rim-induced nucleation, growth, and elongation of the domains owing to their small mobility and the elastic frustration around them. These rim-induced processes eventually produce the observed finger-like patterns.

Bioconvective patterns, synchrony, and survival. [in light-limited growth model of motile algae culture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noever, David A.

1990-01-01

With and without bioconvective pattern formation, a theoretical model predicts growth in light-limited cultures of motile algae. At the critical density for pattern formation, the resulting doubly exponential population curves show an inflection. Such growth corresponds quantitatively to experiments in mechanically unstirred cultures. This attaches survival value to synchronized pattern formation.

A formative evaluation of social media campaign to reduce adolescent dating violence.

PubMed

Lambert, Danielle N; Bishop, Lauren E; Guetig, Stephanie; Frew, Paula M

2014-11-12

The Emory Jane Fonda Center implemented the Start Strong Atlanta social marketing campaign, "Keep It Strong ATL", in 2007 to promote the development of healthy adolescent relationships and to foster the prevention of adolescent dating abuse among 11-14 year olds. A formative evaluation was conducted to understand whether messages directed at the target audience were relevant to the program's relationship promotion and violence prevention goals, and whether the "Web 2.0" social media channels of communication (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, and Pinterest) were reaching the intended audience. Mixed methodologies included qualitative interviews and a key informant focus group, a cross-sectional survey, and web analytics. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative methodology informed by grounded theory. Descriptive statistics were generated from survey data, and web analytics provided user information and traffic patterns. Results indicated that the Keep It Strong ATL social marketing campaign was a valuable community resource that had potential for broader scope and greater reach. The evaluation team learned the importance of reaching adolescents through Web 2.0 platforms, and the need for message dissemination via peers. Survey results indicated that Facebook (ranked 6.5 out of 8) was the highest rated social media outlet overall, and exhibited greatest appeal and most frequent visits, yet analytics revealed that only 3.5% of "likes" were from the target audience. These results indicate that the social media campaign is reaching predominantly women (76.5% of viewership) who are outside of the target age range of 11-14 years. While the social media campaign was successfully launched, the findings indicate the need for a more focused selection of communication channels, timing of media updates to maximize visibility, balancing message tone and delivery, and incorporating differentiated messaging for the target audiences. Collaboration with parents and community partners is also emphasized in order to expand the campaign's reach and create more channels to disseminate relationship promotion and dating violence prevention messaging to the intended audience.

Social Collaborative Filtering by Trust.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Lei, Yu; Liu, Jiming; Li, Wenjie

2017-08-01

Recommender systems are used to accurately and actively provide users with potentially interesting information or services. Collaborative filtering is a widely adopted approach to recommendation, but sparse data and cold-start users are often barriers to providing high quality recommendations. To address such issues, we propose a novel method that works to improve the performance of collaborative filtering recommendations by integrating sparse rating data given by users and sparse social trust network among these same users. This is a model-based method that adopts matrix factorization technique that maps users into low-dimensional latent feature spaces in terms of their trust relationship, and aims to more accurately reflect the users reciprocal influence on the formation of their own opinions and to learn better preferential patterns of users for high-quality recommendations. We use four large-scale datasets to show that the proposed method performs much better, especially for cold start users, than state-of-the-art recommendation algorithms for social collaborative filtering based on trust.

Social inequalities in the impact of flexible employment on different domains of psychosocial health.

PubMed

Artazcoz, Lucía; Benach, Joan; Borrell, Carme; Cortès, Imma

2005-09-01

(1) To analyse the impact of flexible employment on mental health and job dissatisfaction; and (2) to examine the constraints imposed by flexible employment on men's and women's partnership formation and people's decision to become parents. For the two objectives the potentially different patterns by sex and social class are explored. Cross sectional health survey. Multiple logistic regression models separated for sex and social class (manual and non-manual workers) and controlling for age were fitted. Four types of contractual arrangements have been considered: permanent, fixed term temporary contract, non-fixed term temporary contract, and no contract. Catalonia (a region in the north east of Spain). Salaried workers interviewed in the 2002 Catalonian health survey with no longstanding limiting illness, aged 16-64 (1474 men and 998 women). Fixed term temporary contracts were not associated with poor mental health status. The impact of other forms of flexible employment on mental health depended on the type of contractual arrangement, sex, and social class and it was restricted to less privileged workers, women, and manual male workers. The impact of flexible employment on living arrangements was higher in men. Among both manual and non-manual male workers, those with fixed term temporary contracts were less likely to have children when married or cohabiting and, additionally, among non-manual male workers they also were more likely to remain single (aOR = 2.35; 95%CI = 1.13 to 4.90). Some forms of temporary contracts are related to adverse health and psychosocial outcomes with different patterns depending on the outcome analysed and on sex and social class. Future research should incorporate variables to capture situations of precariousness associated with flexible employment.

Pattern formation in rotating Bénard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fantz, M.; Friedrich, R.; Bestehorn, M.; Haken, H.

1992-12-01

Using an extension of the Swift-Hohenberg equation we study pattern formation in the Bénard experiment close to the onset of convection in the case of rotating cylindrical fluid containers. For small Taylor numbers we emphasize the existence of slowly rotating patterns and describe behaviour exhibiting defect motion. Finally, we study pattern formation close to the Küppers-Lortz instability. The instability is nucleated at defects and proceeds through front propagation into the bulk patterns.

Sex work in Tallinn, Estonia: the sociospatial penetration of sex work into society

PubMed Central

Aral, S O; Lawrence, J S St; Uusküla, A

2006-01-01

Background It is important to describe and understand the underlying patterns and dynamics that govern sex work in societies undergoing rapid political and social changes, its heterogeneity across populations, and its evolution through time in order to inform future research, sound policy formation, and programme delivery. Objectives To describe the socioeconomic and cultural determinants, organisational structure, distinct categories, and spatial patterning of sex work in Tallinn, Estonia, and identify recent temporal changes in sex work patterns. Methods In‐depth interviews with key informants; naturalistic observations of sex work and drug use venues, geo‐mapping of sex work sites, review of media, public policy, and commissioned reports, and analyses of existing data. Results Sex work takes place in a hierarchy of locations in Tallinn ranging from elite brothels and “love flats” to truck stops. These sites vary in terms of their public health importance and social organisation. There are full time, part time, and intermittent male and female sex workers. Among others, the taxi driver, madam and the bartender are central roles in the organisation of sex work in Tallinn. Cell phone and internet technology enable sex work to be highly dispersed and spatially mobile. Conclusion Future research and programmatic service delivery or outreach efforts should respond to the changing profile of sex work in Tallinn and its implications for STD/HIV epidemiology. PMID:16807288

Continuity and Variation in Chinese Patterns of Socialization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, David Y. F.

1989-01-01

Reviews literature on Chinese patterns of socialization. Discusses methodological issues with respect to continuity versus change through time, and variation across geographical locations, systematically considering variables of gender, age, and social class. Concludes that departures from traditional pattern in different locations are evident,…

Social bonds and rank acquisition in raven nonbreeder aggregations

PubMed Central

Braun, Anna; Bugnyar, Thomas

2012-01-01

Complex social life has been characterized as cognitively challenging and recently, social relationships such as long-term social bonds and alliances have been identified as key elements for brain evolution. Whereas good evidence is available to support the link between social relations and cognition in mammals, it remains unsatisfying for birds. Here we investigated the role of avian social bonds in a nonbreeder aggregation of ravens, Corvus corax, in the Austrian Alps. We individually marked 138 wild ravens, representing approximately half of a population that uses the area of a local zoo for foraging. For 2 years, we observed the dynamics of group composition and the birds' agonistic and affiliative interactions. We identified two levels of organization: the formation of an unrelated local group and the individuals' engagement in social bonds of different length and reciprocity pattern. Whereas belonging to the local group had no significant effect on conflicts won during foraging, the individual bonding type did. Birds that engaged in affiliative relationships were more successful when competing for food than those without such bonds. Bonded birds did suffer from aggression by other bonded birds and, probably as a consequence, most of the ravens' social relations were not stable over time. These results support the idea that social bonding and selective cooperation and competition are prominent features in nonbreeding ravens. Proximately, bonding may qualify as a social manoeuvre that facilitates access to resources; ultimately it might function to assess the quality of a partner in these long-term monogamous birds. PMID:23264693

[The Frankfurt concept for health counseling for men].

PubMed

Bickeböller, R; Busch, O; Peters, M; Jonas, D; Binder, J

2002-01-01

The discussion on the difference between the sexes received significant impulses from the formation of feminist theory. Masculinity was interpreted in a rather morally negative manner. Masculinity continuously endeavors to achieve reproduction and self-confirmation. Competitive pursuit of hegemony is the preeminent pattern by which masculine identity is formed. Male socialization leads to externalization, which impedes the development of communicative skills. Males tend to lead a high-risk life-style, which instrumentalizes their body. Symptoms are less often interpreted as warning signals, reflected in a significantly reduced life expectancy in comparison to females. In view of the specific male socialization, the Frankfurt concept of "men's health counseling" attempts to create a professional atmosphere in which men seeking advice are offered the opportunity to consult a specialist on all topics of men's health anonymously and, for the moment, free of charge.

Automated numerical simulation of biological pattern formation based on visual feedback simulation framework

PubMed Central

Sun, Mingzhu; Xu, Hui; Zeng, Xingjuan; Zhao, Xin

2017-01-01

There are various fantastic biological phenomena in biological pattern formation. Mathematical modeling using reaction-diffusion partial differential equation systems is employed to study the mechanism of pattern formation. However, model parameter selection is both difficult and time consuming. In this paper, a visual feedback simulation framework is proposed to calculate the parameters of a mathematical model automatically based on the basic principle of feedback control. In the simulation framework, the simulation results are visualized, and the image features are extracted as the system feedback. Then, the unknown model parameters are obtained by comparing the image features of the simulation image and the target biological pattern. Considering two typical applications, the visual feedback simulation framework is applied to fulfill pattern formation simulations for vascular mesenchymal cells and lung development. In the simulation framework, the spot, stripe, labyrinthine patterns of vascular mesenchymal cells, the normal branching pattern and the branching pattern lacking side branching for lung branching are obtained in a finite number of iterations. The simulation results indicate that it is easy to achieve the simulation targets, especially when the simulation patterns are sensitive to the model parameters. Moreover, this simulation framework can expand to other types of biological pattern formation. PMID:28225811

Automated numerical simulation of biological pattern formation based on visual feedback simulation framework.

PubMed

Sun, Mingzhu; Xu, Hui; Zeng, Xingjuan; Zhao, Xin

2017-01-01

There are various fantastic biological phenomena in biological pattern formation. Mathematical modeling using reaction-diffusion partial differential equation systems is employed to study the mechanism of pattern formation. However, model parameter selection is both difficult and time consuming. In this paper, a visual feedback simulation framework is proposed to calculate the parameters of a mathematical model automatically based on the basic principle of feedback control. In the simulation framework, the simulation results are visualized, and the image features are extracted as the system feedback. Then, the unknown model parameters are obtained by comparing the image features of the simulation image and the target biological pattern. Considering two typical applications, the visual feedback simulation framework is applied to fulfill pattern formation simulations for vascular mesenchymal cells and lung development. In the simulation framework, the spot, stripe, labyrinthine patterns of vascular mesenchymal cells, the normal branching pattern and the branching pattern lacking side branching for lung branching are obtained in a finite number of iterations. The simulation results indicate that it is easy to achieve the simulation targets, especially when the simulation patterns are sensitive to the model parameters. Moreover, this simulation framework can expand to other types of biological pattern formation.

Mind-to-mind heteroclinic coordination: Model of sequential episodic memory initiation.

PubMed

Afraimovich, V S; Zaks, M A; Rabinovich, M I

2018-05-01

Retrieval of episodic memory is a dynamical process in the large scale brain networks. In social groups, the neural patterns, associated with specific events directly experienced by single members, are encoded, recalled, and shared by all participants. Here, we construct and study the dynamical model for the formation and maintaining of episodic memory in small ensembles of interacting minds. We prove that the unconventional dynamical attractor of this process-the nonsmooth heteroclinic torus-is structurally stable within the Lotka-Volterra-like sets of equations. Dynamics on this torus combines the absence of chaos with asymptotic instability of every separate trajectory; its adequate quantitative characteristics are length-related Lyapunov exponents. Variation of the coupling strength between the participants results in different types of sequential switching between metastable states; we interpret them as stages in formation and modification of the episodic memory.

Mind-to-mind heteroclinic coordination: Model of sequential episodic memory initiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afraimovich, V. S.; Zaks, M. A.; Rabinovich, M. I.

2018-05-01

Retrieval of episodic memory is a dynamical process in the large scale brain networks. In social groups, the neural patterns, associated with specific events directly experienced by single members, are encoded, recalled, and shared by all participants. Here, we construct and study the dynamical model for the formation and maintaining of episodic memory in small ensembles of interacting minds. We prove that the unconventional dynamical attractor of this process—the nonsmooth heteroclinic torus—is structurally stable within the Lotka-Volterra-like sets of equations. Dynamics on this torus combines the absence of chaos with asymptotic instability of every separate trajectory; its adequate quantitative characteristics are length-related Lyapunov exponents. Variation of the coupling strength between the participants results in different types of sequential switching between metastable states; we interpret them as stages in formation and modification of the episodic memory.

Smoking Behavior and Friendship Formation: The Importance of Time Heterogeneity in Studying Social Network Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Smoking Behavior and Friendship Formation: The Importance of Time Heterogeneity in Studying Social Network Dynamics Joshua A. Lospinoso Department of...djsatchell@gmail.com Abstract—This study illustrates the importance of assessing and accounting for time heterogeneity in longitudinal social net- work...analysis. We apply the time heterogeneity model selection procedure of [1] to a dataset collected on social tie formation for university freshman in the

Electrical Field Guided Electrospray Deposition for Production of Gradient Particle Patterns.

PubMed

Yan, Wei-Cheng; Xie, Jingwei; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2018-06-06

Our previous work demonstrated the uniform particle pattern formation on the substrates using electrical field guided electrospray deposition. In this work, we reported for the first time the fabrication of gradient particle patterns on glass slides using an additional point, line, or bar electrode based on our previous electrospray deposition configuration. We also demonstrated that the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating could result in the formation of uniform particle patterns instead of gradient particle patterns on glass slides using the same experimental setup. Meanwhile, we investigated the effect of experimental configurations on the gradient particle pattern formation by computational simulation. The simulation results are in line with experimental observations. The formation of gradient particle patterns was ascribed to the gradient of electric field and the corresponding focusing effect. Cell patterns can be formed on the particle patterns deposited on PDMS-coated glass slides. The formed particle patterns hold great promise for high-throughput screening of biomaterial-cell interactions and sensing.

Social support patterns of collegiate athletes before and after injury.

PubMed

Yang, Jingzhen; Peek-Asa, Corinne; Lowe, John B; Heiden, Erin; Foster, Danny T

2010-01-01

Social support has been identified as an important factor in facilitating recovery from injury. However, no previous authors have prospectively assessed the change in social support patterns before and after injury. To examine the preinjury and postinjury social support patterns among male and female collegiate athletes. Prospective observational study. A Big Ten Conference university. A total of 256 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I male and female collegiate athletes aged 18 or older from 13 sports teams. Injury incidence was identified using the Sports Injury Monitoring System. Social support was measured using the 6-item Social Support Questionnaire. Data on preinjury and postinjury social support patterns were compared. Male athletes reported more sources of social support than female athletes, whereas female athletes had greater satisfaction with the support they received. Athletes' social support patterns changed after they became injured. Injured athletes reported relying more on coaches (P = .003), athletic trainers (P < .0001), and physicians (P = .003) for social support after they became injured. Athletes also reported greater postinjury satisfaction with social support received from friends (P = .019), coaches (P = .001), athletic trainers (P < .0001), and physicians (P = .003). Our findings identify an urgent need to better define the psychosocial needs of injured athletes and also strongly suggest that athletic trainers have a critical role in meeting these needs.

The socio-genetics of a complex society: female gelada relatedness patterns mirror association patterns in a multilevel society.

PubMed

Snyder-Mackler, Noah; Alberts, Susan C; Bergman, Thore J

2014-12-01

Multilevel societies with fission-fusion dynamics--arguably the most complex animal societies--are defined by two or more nested levels of organization. The core of these societies are modular social units that regularly fission and fuse with one another. Despite convergent evolution in disparate taxa, we know strikingly little about how such societies form and how fitness benefits operate. Understanding the kinship structure of complex societies could inform us about the origins of the social structure as well as about the potential for individuals in these societies to accrue indirect fitness benefits. Here, we combined genetic and behavioural data on geladas (Theropithecus gelada), an Old World Monkey, to complete the most comprehensive socio-genetic analysis of a multilevel society to date. In geladas, individuals in the core social 'units', associate at different frequencies to form 'teams', 'bands' and, the largest aggregations, 'communities'. Units were composed of closely related females, and females remained with their close kin during permanent fissions of units. Interestingly, female-female relatedness also significantly predicted between-unit, between-team and between-band association patterns, while male-male relatedness did not. Thus, it is likely that the socio-genetic structure of gelada society results from females maintaining associations with their female relatives during successive unit fissions--possibly in an attempt to balance the direct and indirect fitness benefits of group living. Overall, the persistence of associations among related females across generations appears to drive the formation of higher levels of gelada society, suggesting that females seek kin for inclusive fitness benefits at multiple levels of gelada society. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is social cognition embodied?

PubMed

Goldman, Alvin; de Vignemont, Frederique

2009-04-01

Theories of embodied cognition abound in the literature, but it is often unclear how to understand them. We offer several interpretations of embodiment, the most interesting being the thesis that mental representations in bodily formats (B-formats) have an important role in cognition. Potential B-formats include motoric, somatosensory, affective and interoceptive formats. The literature on mirroring and related phenomena provides support for a limited-scope version of embodied social cognition under the B-format interpretation. It is questionable, however, whether such a thesis can be extended. We show the limits of embodiment in social cognition.

Morphology-Induced Collective Behaviors: Dynamic Pattern Formation in Water-Floating Elements

PubMed Central

Nakajima, Kohei; Ngouabeu, Aubery Marchel Tientcheu; Miyashita, Shuhei; Göldi, Maurice; Füchslin, Rudolf Marcel; Pfeifer, Rolf

2012-01-01

Complex systems involving many interacting elements often organize into patterns. Two types of pattern formation can be distinguished, static and dynamic. Static pattern formation means that the resulting structure constitutes a thermodynamic equilibrium whose pattern formation can be understood in terms of the minimization of free energy, while dynamic pattern formation indicates that the system is permanently dissipating energy and not in equilibrium. In this paper, we report experimental results showing that the morphology of elements plays a significant role in dynamic pattern formation. We prepared three different shapes of elements (circles, squares, and triangles) floating in a water-filled container, in which each of the shapes has two types: active elements that were capable of self-agitation with vibration motors, and passive elements that were mere floating tiles. The system was purely decentralized: that is, elements interacted locally, and subsequently elicited global patterns in a process called self-organized segregation. We showed that, according to the morphology of the selected elements, a different type of segregation occurs. Also, we quantitatively characterized both the local interaction regime and the resulting global behavior for each type of segregation by means of information theoretic quantities, and showed the difference for each case in detail, while offering speculation on the mechanism causing this phenomenon. PMID:22715370

Mathematical study on robust tissue pattern formation in growing epididymal tubule.

PubMed

Hirashima, Tsuyoshi

2016-10-21

Tissue pattern formation during development is a reproducible morphogenetic process organized by a series of kinetic cellular activities, leading to the building of functional and stable organs. Recent studies focusing on mechanical aspects have revealed physical mechanisms on how the cellular activities contribute to the formation of reproducible tissue patterns; however, the understanding for what factors achieve the reproducibility of such patterning and how it occurs is far from complete. Here, I focus on a tube pattern formation during murine epididymal development, and show that two factors influencing physical design for the patterning, the proliferative zone within the tubule and the viscosity of tissues surrounding to the tubule, control the reproducibility of epididymal tubule pattern, using a mathematical model based on experimental data. Extensive numerical simulation of the simple mathematical model revealed that a spatially localized proliferative zone within the tubule, observed in experiments, results in more reproducible tubule pattern. Moreover, I found that the viscosity of tissues surrounding to the tubule imposes a trade-off regarding pattern reproducibility and spatial accuracy relating to the region where the tubule pattern is formed. This indicates an existence of optimality in material properties of tissues for the robust patterning of epididymal tubule. The results obtained by numerical analysis based on experimental observations provide a general insight on how physical design realizes robust tissue pattern formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pattern of brain activation during social cognitive tasks is related to social competence in siblings discordant for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Villarreal, Mirta F; Drucaroff, Lucas J; Goldschmidt, Micaela G; de Achával, Delfina; Costanzo, Elsa Y; Castro, Mariana N; Ladrón-de-Guevara, M Soledad; Busatto Filho, Geraldo; Nemeroff, Charles B; Guinjoan, Salvador M

2014-09-01

Measures of social competence are closely related to actual community functioning in patients with schizophrenia. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying competence in schizophrenia are not fully understood. We hypothesized that social deficits in schizophrenia are explained, at least in part, by abnormally lateralized patterns of brain activation in response to tasks engaging social cognition, as compared to healthy individuals. We predicted such patterns would be partly heritable, and therefore affected in patients' nonpsychotic siblings as well. We used a functional magnetic resonance image paradigm to characterize brain activation induced by theory of mind tasks, and two tests of social competence, the Test of Adaptive Behavior in Schizophrenia (TABS), and the Social Skills Performance Assessment (SSPA) in siblings discordant for schizophrenia and comparable healthy controls (n = 14 per group). Healthy individuals showed the strongest correlation between social competence and activation of right hemisphere structures involved in social cognitive processing, whereas in patients, the correlation pattern was lateralized to left hemisphere areas. Unaffected siblings of patients exhibited a pattern intermediate between the other groups. These results support the hypothesis that schizophrenia may be characterized by an abnormal functioning of nondominant hemisphere structures involved in the processing of socially salient information. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress coping style does not determine social status, but influences the consequences of social subordination stress.

PubMed

Boersma, Gretha J; Smeltzer, Michael D; Scott, Karen A; Scheurink, Anton J; Tamashiro, Kellie L; Sakai, Randall R

2017-09-01

Chronic stress exposure may have negative consequences for health. One of the most common sources of chronic stress is stress associated with social interaction. In rodents, the effects of social stress can be studied in a naturalistic way using the visual burrow system (VBS). The way an individual copes with stress, their "stress coping style", may influence the consequences of social stress. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that stress coping style may modulate social status and influence the consequences of having a lower social status. We formed 7 VBS colonies, with 1 proactive coping male, 1 passive coping male, and 4 female rats per colony to assess whether a rat's coping style prior to colony formation could predict whether that individual is more likely to become socially dominant. The rats remained in their respective colonies for 14days and the physiological and behavioral consequences of social stress were assessed. Our study shows that stress coping style does not predict social status. However, stress coping style may influence the consequences of having a lower social status. Subordinate passive and proactive rats had distinctly different wound patterns; proactive rats had more wounds on the front of their bodies. Behavioral analysis confirmed that proactive subordinate rats engaged in more offensive interactions. Furthermore, subordinate rats with a proactive stress coping style had larger adrenals, and increased stress responsivity to a novel acute stressor (restraint stress) compared to passive subordinate rats or dominant rats, suggesting that the allostatic load may have been larger in this group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social conflict and the formation of emergent groups in a technological disaster: The Exxon Valdez oil spill and the response of residents in the area of Homer, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Button, G.V.

1993-01-01

To date there has been a paucity of research on the formation of emergent groups in the wake of technological disasters. A majority of researchers have contended that whereas natural disasters engender social cohesion and stimulate the formation of emergent groups, technological disasters have the tendency to constrain such formation because of the social conflict which follows in the wake of a technological disaster. This thesis challenges that assumption and examines both the nature of the social conflict and the formation of emergent groups that occurred in the aftermath of this country's largest environmental disaster: the Exxon Valdez oil spill.more » An anthropological perspective is employed. The investigator examines the formation of such groups in the area of Homer, Alaska. The differential response to the disaster and the ensuing social conflict is examined by a combination of participant-observation methods, formal and informal, in-depth interviews, and archival records. This investigation reveals that although there was considerable social conflict, there was also sufficient social cohesion to promote the formation of emergent group responses to the oil spill and the cleanup that followed. Moreover, it finds that the resultant conflict and the formation of such groups was attributable in part to a widely reported sense of a loss of control' and considerable uncertainty about many of the facts' surrounding the spill. This included uncertainty about who was ultimately in control of the cleanup and which clean-up technologies and remediation efforts were most urgent and useful. This thesis concludes that, contrary to the expectations of most social scientists, emergent groups can form in the wake of a technological disaster. Moreover, given the sense of urgency and the common perception of disaster victims that authorities are both unable and unwilling to respond to disasters, the formation of such groups is inevitable.« less

Large-Scale Constraint-Based Pattern Mining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Feida

2009-01-01

We studied the problem of constraint-based pattern mining for three different data formats, item-set, sequence and graph, and focused on mining patterns of large sizes. Colossal patterns in each data formats are studied to discover pruning properties that are useful for direct mining of these patterns. For item-set data, we observed robustness of…

Do attachment patterns predict aggression in a context of social rejection? An executive functioning account.

PubMed

Ma, Yuanxiao; Ma, Haijing; Chen, Xu; Ran, Guangming; Zhang, Xing

2017-07-01

People tend to respond to rejection and attack with aggression. The present research examined the modulation role of attachment patterns on provoked aggression following punishment and proposed an executive functioning account of attachment patterns' modulating influence based on the General Aggression Model. Attachment style was measured using the Experiences in Close Relationships inventory. Experiments 1a and b and 2 adopted a social rejection task and assessed subsequent unprovoked and provoked aggression with different attachment patterns. Moreover, Experiment 1b and 2 used a Stroop task to examine whether differences in provoked aggression by attachment patterns are due to the amount of executive functioning following social rejection, or after unprovoked punishment, or even before social rejection. Anxiously attached participants displayed significant more provoked aggression than securely and avoidantly attached participants in provoked aggression following unprovoked punishment in Experiments 1 and 2. Meanwhile, subsequent Stroop tests indicated anxiously attached participants experienced more executive functioning depletion after social rejection and unprovoked aggression. The present findings support the General Aggression Model and suggest that provoked aggression is predicted by attachment patterns in the context of social rejection; different provoked aggression may depend on the degree of executive functioning that individuals preserved in aggressive situations. The current study contributes to our understanding of the importance of the role of attachment patterns in modulating aggressive behavior accompanying unfair social encounters. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Control Theoretic Modeling for Uncertain Cultural Attitudes and Unknown Adversarial Intent

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

Constructive computational tools. 15. SUBJECT TERMS social learning, social networks , multiagent systems, game theory 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a...over- reactionary behaviors; 3) analysis of rational social learning in networks : analysis of belief propagation in social networks in various...general methodology as a predictive device for social network formation and for communication network formation with constraints on the lengths of

Social Network Concordance in Food Choice Among Spouses, Friends, and Siblings

PubMed Central

Jacques, Paul F.; Christakis, Nicholas A.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We investigated whether eating behaviors were concordant among diverse sets of social ties. Methods. We analyzed the socioeconomic and demographic distribution of eating among 3418 members of the Framingham Heart Study observed from 1991 to 2001. We used a data-classification procedure to simplify choices into 7 nonoverlapping patterns that we matched with information on social network ties. We used correlation analysis to examine eating associations among 4 types of peers (spouses, friends, brothers, and sisters). Longitudinal multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate evidence for peer influences on eating. Results. Of all peer types, spouses showed the strongest concordances in eating patterns over time after adjustment for social contextual factors. Across all peers, the eating pattern most likely to be shared by socially connected individuals was “alcohol and snacks.” Models estimating one's current eating pattern on the basis of a peer's prior eating provided supportive evidence of a social influence process. Conclusions. Certain eating patterns appeared to be socially transmissible across different kinds of relationships. These findings represent an important step in specifying the relevant social environment in the study of health behaviors to include eating. PMID:21940920

Schoolwide Social-Behavioral Climate, Student Problem Behavior, and Related Administrative Decisions: Empirical Patterns from 1,510 Schools Nationwide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaulding, Scott A.; Irvin, Larry K.; Horner, Robert H.; May, Seth L.; Emeldi, Monica; Tobin, Tary J.; Sugai, George

2010-01-01

Office discipline referral (ODR) data provide useful information about problem behavior and consequence patterns, social-behavioral climates, and effects of social-behavioral interventions in schools. The authors report patterns of ODRs and subsequent administrative decisions from 1,510 schools nationwide that used the School-Wide Information…

Patterns of Racial Socialization and Psychological Adjustment: Can Parental Communications about Race Reduce the Impact of Racial Discrimination?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neblett, Enrique W., Jr.; White, Rhonda L.; Ford, Kahlil R.; Philip, Cheri L.; Nguye-N, Hoa X.; Sellers, Robert M.

2008-01-01

This study uses two waves of data to examine the relations among racial discrimination experiences, patterns of racial socialization practices, and psychological adjustment in a sample of 361 African American adolescents. Using latent class analyses, we identified four patterns of child-reported racial socialization experiences: Moderate Positive,…

Pattern formation in the iodate-sulfite-thiosulfate reaction-diffusion system.

PubMed

Liu, Haimiao; Pojman, John A; Zhao, Yuemin; Pan, Changwei; Zheng, Juhua; Yuan, Ling; Horváth, Attila K; Gao, Qingyu

2012-01-07

Sodium polyacrylate-induced pH pattern formation and starch-induced iodine pattern formation were investigated in the iodate-sulfite-thiosulfate (IST) reaction in a one-side fed disc gel reactor (OSFR). As binding agents of the autocatalyst of hydrogen ions or iodide ions, different content of sodium polyacrylate or starch has induced various types of pattern formation. We observed pH pulses, striped patterns, mixed spots and stripes, and hexagonal spots upon increasing the content of sodium polyacrylate and observed iodine pulses, branched patterns, and labyrinthine patterns upon increasing the starch content in the system. Coexistence of a pH front and an iodine front was also studied in a batch IST reaction-diffusion system. Both pH and iodine front instabilities were observed in the presence of sodium polyacrylate, i.e., cellular fronts and transient Turing structures resulting from the decrease in diffusion coefficients of activators. The mechanism of multiple feedback may explain the different patterns in the IST reaction-diffusion system.

Comprehensive behavioral analysis of RNG105 (Caprin1) heterozygous mice: Reduced social interaction and attenuated response to novelty

PubMed Central

Ohashi, Rie; Takao, Keizo; Miyakawa, Tsuyoshi; Shiina, Nobuyuki

2016-01-01

RNG105 (also known as Caprin1) is a major RNA-binding protein in neuronal RNA granules, and is responsible for mRNA transport to dendrites and neuronal network formation. A recent study reported that a heterozygous mutation in the Rng105 gene was found in an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patient, but it remains unclear whether there is a causal relation between RNG105 deficiency and ASD. Here, we subjected Rng105+/− mice to a comprehensive behavioral test battery, and revealed the influence of RNG105 deficiency on mouse behavior. Rng105+/− mice exhibited a reduced sociality in a home cage and a weak preference for social novelty. Consistently, the Rng105+/− mice also showed a weak preference for novel objects and novel place patterns. Furthermore, although the Rng105+/− mice exhibited normal memory acquisition, they tended to have relative difficulty in reversal learning in the spatial reference tasks. These findings suggest that the RNG105 heterozygous knockout leads to a reduction in sociality, response to novelty and flexibility in learning, which are implicated in ASD-like behavior. PMID:26865403

Pattern formation and self-organization in plasmas interacting with surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trelles, Juan Pablo

2016-10-01

Pattern formation and self-organization are fascinating phenomena commonly observed in diverse types of biological, chemical and physical systems, including plasmas. These phenomena are often responsible for the occurrence of coherent structures found in nature, such as recirculation cells and spot arrangements; and their understanding and control can have important implications in technology, e.g. from determining the uniformity of plasma surface treatments to electrode erosion rates. This review comprises theoretical, computational and experimental investigations of the formation of spatiotemporal patterns that result from self-organization events due to the interaction of low-temperature plasmas in contact with confining or intervening surfaces, particularly electrodes. The basic definitions associated to pattern formation and self-organization are provided, as well as some of the characteristics of these phenomena within natural and technological contexts, especially those specific to plasmas. Phenomenological aspects of pattern formation include the competition between production/forcing and dissipation/transport processes, as well as nonequilibrium, stability, bifurcation and nonlinear interactions. The mathematical modeling of pattern formation in plasmas has encompassed from theoretical approaches and canonical models, such as reaction-diffusion systems, to drift-diffusion and nonequilibrium fluid flow models. The computational simulation of pattern formation phenomena imposes distinct challenges to numerical methods, such as high sensitivity to numerical approximations and the occurrence of multiple solutions. Representative experimental and numerical investigations of pattern formation and self-organization in diverse types of low-temperature electrical discharges (low and high pressure glow, dielectric barrier and arc discharges, etc) in contact with solid and liquid electrodes are reviewed. Notably, plasmas in contact with liquids, found in diverse emerging applications ranging from nanomaterial synthesis to medicine, show marked sensitivity to pattern formation and a broadened range of controlling parameters. The results related to the characteristics of the patterns, such as their geometric configuration and static or dynamic nature; as well as their controlling factors, including gas composition, driving voltage and current, electrode cooling, and imposed gas flow, are summarized and discussed. The article finalizes with an outlook of the research area, including theoretical, computational, and experimental needs to advance the field.

Ring-shaped stain patterns driven by solute reactive mesogens in liquid crystal solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Tae Woon; Bulliard, Xavier; Choi, Sang Gun; Lee, Hyoung Sub; Kong, Hyang-Shik; Han, Sang Youn

2014-07-01

We report on the formation of ring-shaped stain patterns in a polymer-stabilized patterned vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display (LCD) during the cell filling process. Through the interpretation of the formation mechanism, an effective way to control its development is provided. Systematic trace of the reactive mesogens reveals that the formation of patterns is strongly related to the segregation of solute mesogens in the stain area. These undesirable patterns can be avoided or controlled by reducing the drop volume at each droplet using an inkjet printing technique, meaning that the printing technique could be a useful solution in display technology. For the formation of ring-shaped patterns, the dragging of reactive mesogens during the spreading of the liquid crystal solution plays a key role in the closed LCD cell.

Social and Non-Social Visual Attention Patterns and Associative Learning in Infants at Risk for Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhat, A. N.; Galloway, J. C.; Landa, R. J.

2010-01-01

Background: Social inattention is common in children with autism whereas associative learning capabilities are considered a relative strength. Identifying early precursors of impairment associated with autism could lead to earlier identification of this disorder. The present study compared social and non-social visual attention patterns as well as…

On the mechanochemical theory of biological pattern formation with application to vasculogenesis.

PubMed

Murray, James D

2003-02-01

We first describe the Murray-Oster mechanical theory of pattern formation, the biological basis of which is experimentally well documented. The model quantifies the interaction of cells and the extracellular matrix via the cell-generated forces. The model framework is described in quantitative detail. Vascular endothelial cells, when cultured on gelled basement membrane matrix, rapidly aggregate into clusters while deforming the matrix into a network of cord-like structures tessellating the planar culture. We apply the mechanical theory of pattern formation to this culture system and show that neither strain-biased anisotropic cell traction nor cell migration are necessary for pattern formation: isotropic, strain-stimulated cell traction is sufficient to form the observed patterns. Predictions from the model were confirmed experimentally.

Modelling and formation of spatiotemporal patterns of fractional predation system in subdiffusion and superdiffusion scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owolabi, Kolade M.; Atangana, Abdon

2018-02-01

This paper primarily focused on the question of how population diffusion can affect the formation of the spatial patterns in the spatial fraction predator-prey system by Turing mechanisms. Our numerical findings assert that modeling by fractional reaction-diffusion equations should be considered as an appropriate tool for studying the fundamental mechanisms of complex spatiotemporal dynamics. We observe that pure Hopf instability gives rise to the formation of spiral patterns in 2D and pure Turing instability destroys the spiral pattern and results to the formation of chaotic or spatiotemporal spatial patterns. Existence and permanence of the species is also guaranteed with the 3D simulations at some instances of time for subdiffusive and superdiffusive scenarios.

The Process of Pedagogical Culture Formation in the Future Social Worker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minzhanov, Nurlan A.; Ertysbaeva, Gaukhar N.

2016-01-01

The paper is aimed at studying the features of pedagogical culture formation in future social workers and developing methods to improve the professional and pedagogical preparation quality of students in the "Social work" specialty. In the study, a survey of students in the "Social work" specialty (n = 400), and a standardized…

Mission Possible: Teachers Serving as Agents of Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunkel-Pottebaum, Holly E.

2013-01-01

A case study was conducted to learn about the formation of social justice teachers, and the methods used by radical educators to engage students in social change. Interviews conducted with eight junior and senior high school social studies teachers identified several types of formative experiences inspiring teachers to become radical educators.…

Witchcraft beliefs and witch hunts: an interdisciplinary explanation.

PubMed

Koning, Niek

2013-06-01

This paper proposes an interdisciplinary explanation of the cross-cultural similarities and evolutionary patterns of witchcraft beliefs. It argues that human social dilemmas have led to the evolution of a fear system that is sensitive to signs of deceit and envy. This was adapted in the evolutionary environment of small foraging bands but became overstimulated by the consequences of the Agricultural Revolution, leading to witch paranoia. State formation, civilization, and economic development abated the fear of witches and replaced it in part with more collectivist forms of social paranoia. However, demographic-economic crises could rekindle fear of witches-resulting, for example, in the witch craze of early modern Europe. The Industrial Revolution broke the Malthusian shackles, but modern economic growth requires agricultural development as a starting point. In sub-Saharan Africa, witch paranoia has resurged because the conditions for agricultural development are lacking, leading to fighting for opportunities and an erosion of intergenerational reciprocity.

Perceptions of Healthy Eating and Influences on the Food Choices of Appalachian Youth

PubMed Central

Swanson, Mark; Schoenberg, Nancy E.; Davis, Rian; Wright, Sherry; Dollarhide, Kaye

2011-01-01

Objective Patterns of overweight and obesity are unequally distributed geographically, with elevated rates in Appalachia. Appalachian youth's perceptions toward healthy eating and influences on food choice were examined as part of formative research to address these disparities. Methods Eleven focus groups, averaging 6 youth (n=68) and moderated by experienced local residents, were conducted with participants aged 8–17. Session transcripts were coded for thematic analysis, using measures to enhance rigor and transferability. Results Participants discussed numerous internal and external factors affecting dietary choices. While expressing confidence in their own nutritional knowledge, they stressed the importance of taste preferences, cost, convenience, social influences, and advertising on diet. Conclusions and Implications Appalachian youths' awareness of the multiple influences on diet may create opportunities for multi-faceted, ecologically-based interventions. In particular, participants stressed the importance of social influences on diet and on successful nutrition programming. PMID:22269474

Atypical Categorization in Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Church, Barbara A.; Krauss, Maria S.; Lopata, Christopher; Toomey, Jennifer A.; Thomeer, Marcus L.; Coutinho, Mariana V.; Volker, Martin A.; Mercado, Eduardo

2010-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder process many perceptual and social events differently from typically developing children, suggesting that they may also form and recognize categories differently. We used a dot pattern categorization task and prototype comparison modeling to compare categorical processing in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder and matched typical controls. We were interested in whether there were differences in how children with autism use average similarity information about a category to make decisions. During testing, the group with autism spectrum disorder endorsed prototypes less and was seemingly less sensitive to differences between to-be-categorized items and the prototype. The findings suggest that individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder are less likely to use overall average similarity when forming categories or making categorical decisions. Such differences in category formation and use may negatively impact processing of socially relevant information, such as facial expressions. PMID:21169581

Movement Coordination during Conversation

PubMed Central

Latif, Nida; Barbosa, Adriano V.; Vatiokiotis-Bateson, Eric; Castelhano, Monica S.; Munhall, K. G.

2014-01-01

Behavioral coordination and synchrony contribute to a common biological mechanism that maintains communication, cooperation and bonding within many social species, such as primates and birds. Similarly, human language and social systems may also be attuned to coordination to facilitate communication and the formation of relationships. Gross similarities in movement patterns and convergence in the acoustic properties of speech have already been demonstrated between interacting individuals. In the present studies, we investigated how coordinated movements contribute to observers’ perception of affiliation (friends vs. strangers) between two conversing individuals. We used novel computational methods to quantify motor coordination and demonstrated that individuals familiar with each other coordinated their movements more frequently. Observers used coordination to judge affiliation between conversing pairs but only when the perceptual stimuli were restricted to head and face regions. These results suggest that observed movement coordination in humans might contribute to perceptual decisions based on availability of information to perceivers. PMID:25119189

Optimal interdependence between networks for the evolution of cooperation.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2013-01-01

Recent research has identified interactions between networks as crucial for the outcome of evolutionary games taking place on them. While the consensus is that interdependence does promote cooperation by means of organizational complexity and enhanced reciprocity that is out of reach on isolated networks, we here address the question just how much interdependence there should be. Intuitively, one might assume the more the better. However, we show that in fact only an intermediate density of sufficiently strong interactions between networks warrants an optimal resolution of social dilemmas. This is due to an intricate interplay between the heterogeneity that causes an asymmetric strategy flow because of the additional links between the networks, and the independent formation of cooperative patterns on each individual network. Presented results are robust to variations of the strategy updating rule, the topology of interdependent networks, and the governing social dilemma, thus suggesting a high degree of universality.

Optimal interdependence between networks for the evolution of cooperation

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhen; Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2013-01-01

Recent research has identified interactions between networks as crucial for the outcome of evolutionary games taking place on them. While the consensus is that interdependence does promote cooperation by means of organizational complexity and enhanced reciprocity that is out of reach on isolated networks, we here address the question just how much interdependence there should be. Intuitively, one might assume the more the better. However, we show that in fact only an intermediate density of sufficiently strong interactions between networks warrants an optimal resolution of social dilemmas. This is due to an intricate interplay between the heterogeneity that causes an asymmetric strategy flow because of the additional links between the networks, and the independent formation of cooperative patterns on each individual network. Presented results are robust to variations of the strategy updating rule, the topology of interdependent networks, and the governing social dilemma, thus suggesting a high degree of universality. PMID:23959086

Planned residential units: New development trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedchenko, Irina

2017-01-01

The paper summarizes the transformation patterns of functional, morphological, social, and administrative structures of planned residential units - district (Russia, Eastern Europe), neighborhood (USA), community (UK, Europe), as the smallest structural and planning elements of the settlements. The study is based on the author's own on-site survey of the existing and new planned residential units, as well as on the analysis of theoretical sources. The multidisciplinary analysis of the theoretical concepts and on-site survey results showed that planned residential units formed in the early twentieth century retain their social and planning importance and identity, evolve and acquire new features and forms. At the same time, according to the current regulatory and legal instruments they remain basic planning elements of urban structure in the early twenty-first century. This paper also includes experimental analysis of the theoretical concepts of planned residential units' transformation, their conceptual planning model and formation principles in the early twenty-first century.

Feedback as Dialogue: Exploring the Links between Formative Assessment and Social Software in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatzipanagos, Stylianos; Warburton, Steven

2009-01-01

The paper explores the relationship between formative assessment and social software. Formative assessment practices though beneficial for student learning become marginalised and constrained in open and distance learning environments in higher education. Feedback is a key factor in formative assessment and learners can benefit from the deployment…

Soliton interactions and the formation of solitonic patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sears, Suzanne M.

From the stripes of a zebra, to the spirals of cream in a hot cup of coffee, we are surrounded by patterns in the natural world. But why are there patterns? Why drives their formation? In this thesis we study some of the diverse ways patterns can arise due to the interactions between solitary waves in nonlinear systems, sometimes starting from nothing more than random noise. What follows is a set of three studies. In the first, we show how a nonlinear system that supports solitons can be driven to generate exact (regular) Cantor set fractals. As an example, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate the formation of Cantor set fractals by temporal optical solitons. This fractal formation occurs in a cascade of nonlinear optical fibers through the dynamical evolution of a single input soliton. In the second study, we investigate pattern formation initiated by modulation instability in nonlinear partially coherent wave fronts and show that anisotropic noise and/or anisotropic correlation statistics can lead to ordered patterns such as grids and stripes. For the final study, we demonstrate the spontaneous clustering of solitons in partially coherent wavefronts during the final stages of pattern formation initiated by modulation instability and noise. Experimental observations are in agreement with theoretical predictions and are confirmed using numerical simulations.

Argon ion beam induced surface pattern formation on Si

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hofsäss, H.; Bobes, O.; Zhang, K.

The development of self-organized surface patterns on Si due to noble gas ion irradiation has been studied extensively in the past. In particular, Ar ions are commonly used and the pattern formation was analyzed as function of ion incidence angle, ion fluence, and ion energies between 250 eV and 140 keV. Very few results exist for the energy regime between 1.5 keV and 10 keV and it appears that pattern formation is completely absent for these ion energies. In this work, we present experimental data on pattern formation for Ar ion irradiation between 1 keV and 10 keV and ion incidence angles between 50° and 75°.more » We confirm the absence of patterns at least for ion fluences up to 10{sup 18} ions/cm{sup 2}. Using the crater function formalism and Monte Carlo simulations, we calculate curvature coefficients of linear continuum models of pattern formation, taking into account contribution due to ion erosion and recoil redistribution. The calculations consider the recently introduced curvature dependence of the erosion crater function as well as the dynamic behavior of the thickness of the ion irradiated layer. Only when taking into account these additional contributions to the linear theory, our simulations clearly show that that pattern formation is strongly suppressed between about 1.5 keV and 10 keV, most pronounced at 3 keV. Furthermore, our simulations are now able to predict whether or not parallel oriented ripple patterns are formed, and in case of ripple formation the corresponding critical angles for the whole experimentally studied energies range between 250 eV and 140 keV.« less

Neuropsychological impairments on the NEPSY-II among children with FASD.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Carmen; Tamana, Sukhpreet; Baugh, Lauren; Andrew, Gail; Tough, Suzanne; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2013-01-01

We examined the pattern of neuropsychological impairments of children with FASD (compared to controls) on NEPSY-II measures of attention and executive functioning, language, memory, visuospatial processing, and social perception. Participants included 32 children with FASD and 30 typically developing control children, ranging in age from 6 to 16 years. Children were tested on the following subtests of the NEPSY-II: Attention and Executive Functioning (animal sorting, auditory attention/response set, and inhibition), Language (comprehension of instructions and speeded naming), Memory (memory for names/delayed memory for names), Visual-Spatial Processing (arrows), and Social Perception (theory of mind). Groups were compared using MANOVA. Children with FASD were impaired relative to controls on the following subtests: animal sorting, response set, inhibition (naming and switching conditions), comprehension of instructions, speeded naming, and memory for names total and delayed, but group differences were not significant on auditory attention, inhibition (inhibition condition), arrows, and theory of mind. Among the FASD group, IQ scores were not correlated with performance on the NEPSY-II subtests, and there were no significant differences between those with and without comorbid ADHD. The NEPSY-II is an effective and useful tool for measuring a variety of neuropsychological impairments among children with FASD. Children with FASD displayed a pattern of results with impairments (relative to controls) on measures of executive functioning (set shifting, concept formation, and inhibition), language, and memory, and relative strengths on measures of basic attention, visual spatial processing, and social perception.

Longitudinal trajectory patterns of social support: correlates and associated mental health in an Australian national cohort of young women.

PubMed

Holden, Libby; Dobson, Annette J; Ware, Robert S; Hockey, Richard; Lee, Christina

2015-09-01

Although social support is a significant contributor to health and well-being, little is known about patterns of perceived social support over time in young adulthood. It is also unclear which personal characteristics are associated with different patterns, and whether there is an association between social support and mental health over time. We explore these issues in a large national cohort of young women. We used six waves of longitudinal data spanning 16 years, from 10,369 women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, initially aged 18-23. We used group-based trajectory modelling to identify patterns of social support across Surveys 2-6; multinomial logistic regression to identify socio-demographic and health-behaviour predictors at Survey 1 and correlates at Survey 6 for each trajectory group; and generalised linear mixed modelling to estimate mean levels of mental health over the trajectory period for each group, adjusted for confounders. Four distinct trajectory groups of social support were identified: 'High' (58.5 %), 'Decreasing' (20.6 %), 'Low' (9.3 %), and 'Increasing' (11.6 %). Poor health and living outside metropolitan areas at both Surveys 1 and 6 were characteristics of women in all trajectory groups other than the 'High' group, as were early motherhood and being un-partnered at age 34-39. Other characteristics were specific to one or two trajectory groups. Patterns of mental health over time were consistent with patterns of social support. Longitudinal trajectory patterns of social support are associated with mental health, health behaviours, and demographic factors even in early adulthood.

Motives for using Facebook, patterns of Facebook activities, and late adolescents' social adjustment to college.

PubMed

Yang, Chia-chen; Brown, B Bradford

2013-03-01

Previous studies have confirmed that Facebook, the leading social networking site among young people, facilitates social connections among college students, but the specific activities and motives that foster social adjustment remain unclear. This study examined associations between patterns of Facebook activity, motives for using Facebook, and late adolescents' social adjustment to the college environment. Anonymous self-report survey data from 193 mostly European American students (M age = 20.32; 54 % female) attending a major Midwestern university indicated that motives and activity patterns were associated directly with social adjustment, but the association between one activity, status updating, and social adjustment also was moderated by the motive of relationship maintenance. Findings provide a more comprehensive portrait of how Facebook use may foster or inhibit social adjustment in college.

Evolutionary transition from biological to social systems via generation of reflexive models of externality.

PubMed

Igamberdiev, Abir U

2017-12-01

Evolutionary transition from biological to social systems corresponds to the emergence of the structure of subject that incorporates the internal image of the external world. This structure, established on the basis of referral of the subject (self) to its symbolic image, acquires a potential to rationally describe the external world through the semiotic structure of human language. It has been modelled in reflexive psychology using the algebra of simple relations (Lefebvre, V.A., J. Soc. Biol. Struct. 10, 129-175, 1987). The model introduces a substantial opposition of the two basic complementary types of reflexion defined as Western (W) and Eastern (E). These types generate opposite models of behavior and opposite organizations of societies. Development of human societies involves the interactions of W and E types not only between the societies but also within one society underlying its homeostasis and dynamics. Invention of new ideas and implementation of new technologies shift the probability pattern of reflexive choices, appearing as internal assessments of the individual agents within a society, and direct changes in the preference of reflexive types. The dynamics of societies and of interactions between societies is based on the interference of opposite reflexive structures and on the establishment of different patterns during such interference. At different times in the history of human civilization these changing patterns resulted in the formation and splitting of large empires, the development and spreading of new technologies, the consecutive periods of wellness and decline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-state Markov-chain Poisson nature of individual cellphone call statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhi-Qiang; Xie, Wen-Jie; Li, Ming-Xia; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Sornette, Didier

2016-07-01

Unfolding the burst patterns in human activities and social interactions is a very important issue especially for understanding the spreading of disease and information and the formation of groups and organizations. Here, we conduct an in-depth study of the temporal patterns of cellphone conversation activities of 73 339 anonymous cellphone users, whose inter-call durations are Weibull distributed. We find that the individual call events exhibit a pattern of bursts, that high activity periods are alternated with low activity periods. In both periods, the number of calls are exponentially distributed for individuals, but power-law distributed for the population. Together with the exponential distributions of inter-call durations within bursts and of the intervals between consecutive bursts, we demonstrate that the individual call activities are driven by two independent Poisson processes, which can be combined within a minimal model in terms of a two-state first-order Markov chain, giving significant fits for nearly half of the individuals. By measuring directly the distributions of call rates across the population, which exhibit power-law tails, we purport the existence of power-law distributions, via the ‘superposition of distributions’ mechanism. Our findings shed light on the origins of bursty patterns in other human activities.

Social-and-economic mechanism of formation of favorable investment attractiveness of the region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tereshkina, Tatiana; Mottaeva, Angela; Andreeva, Larisa; Larinina, Tatyana

2017-10-01

The article is devoted to the matters of investment attractiveness of regions. The factors making the regional investments possible. The authors argue, that social-and-economic development of regions is connected with the formation of the financial mechanism, representing the set of forms and methods of the organization, planning and stimulation of financial-and-economic activity in the certain social-and-economic space. The proper mechanism of formation of favorable investment attractiveness are offered. Besides, the ways of elimination of limiting factors in formation of favorable investment attractiveness are offered.

Using formative research to develop a worksite health promotion program for African American women.

PubMed

Zunker, Christie; Cox, Tiffany L; Wingo, Brooks C; Knight, Bern'Nadette; Jefferson, Wendy K; Ard, Jamy D

2008-01-01

To describe the development of a culturally appropriate worksite health promotion program (WHPP) designed to promote increased physical activity and improved nutrition in a high risk group of African American women. The program was based on EatRight, which is a lifestyle-oriented weight control program that focuses on food volume, rather than calories. Formative research included four nominal group technique (NGT) sessions conducted with 14 African American women from the selected worksite to gather input on job factors that affected their weight and daily life factors that affected their amount of physical activity. Their responses were used to adapt existing EatRight materials to target areas of special need for this unique group. Themes emerged from the NGT sessions that indicated stress at work and an environment of unhealthy eating, in addition to social eating and lack of social support for healthy eating added to unhealthy eating patterns at work. In response to physical activity, the primary themes included lack of time to exercise, stress of multiple family roles and responsibilities, and perceived physical barriers to physical activity. Based on the NGT themes, EatRight materials were adapted and additional topics (e.g., increasing social support, overcoming limitations, and time management) were included to develop a WHPP that addressed issues that the participants identified as relevant for their work and home lives. Conducting the NGT sessions and EatRight classes in the work environment, we were able to provide a convenient, familiar environment which fostered social support among participants. We believe that a culturally appropriate modification of EatRight holds great promise in addressing health disparities seen among African American women by offering education on lifestyle changes that will decrease weight through nutrition and physical activity.

Spongiosa Primary Development: A Biochemical Hypothesis by Turing Patterns Formations

PubMed Central

López-Vaca, Oscar Rodrigo; Garzón-Alvarado, Diego Alexander

2012-01-01

We propose a biochemical model describing the formation of primary spongiosa architecture through a bioregulatory model by metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It is assumed that MMP13 regulates cartilage degradation and the VEGF allows vascularization and advances in the ossification front through the presence of osteoblasts. The coupling of this set of molecules is represented by reaction-diffusion equations with parameters in the Turing space, creating a stable spatiotemporal pattern that leads to the formation of the trabeculae present in the spongy tissue. Experimental evidence has shown that the MMP13 regulates VEGF formation, and it is assumed that VEGF negatively regulates MMP13 formation. Thus, the patterns obtained by ossification may represent the primary spongiosa formation during endochondral ossification. Moreover, for the numerical solution, we used the finite element method with the Newton-Raphson method to approximate partial differential nonlinear equations. Ossification patterns obtained may represent the primary spongiosa formation during endochondral ossification. PMID:23193429

Collective iteration behavior for online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian-Guo; Li, Ren-De; Guo, Qiang; Zhang, Yi-Cheng

2018-06-01

Understanding the patterns of collective behavior in online social network (OSNs) is critical to expanding the knowledge of human behavior and tie relationship. In this paper, we investigate a specific pattern called social signature in Facebook and Wiki users' online communication behaviors, capturing the distribution of frequency of interactions between different alters over time in the ego network. The empirical results show that there are robust social signatures of interactions no matter how friends change over time, which indicates that a stable commutation pattern exists in online communication. By comparing a random null model, we find the that commutation pattern is heterogeneous between ego and alters. Furthermore, in order to regenerate the pattern of the social signature, we present a preferential interaction model, which assumes that new users intend to look for the old users with strong ties while old users have tendency to interact with new friends. The experimental results show that the presented model can reproduce the heterogeneity of social signature by adjusting 2 parameters, the number of communicating targets m and the max number of interactions n, for Facebook users, m = n = 5, for Wiki users, m = 2 and n = 8. This work helps in deeply understanding the regularity of social signature.

Near or far? It depends on my impression: moral information and spatial behavior in virtual interactions.

PubMed

Iachini, Tina; Pagliaro, Stefano; Ruggiero, Gennaro

2015-10-01

Near body distance is a key component of action and social interaction. Recent research has shown that peripersonal space (reachability-distance for acting with objects) and interpersonal space (comfort-distance for interacting with people) share common mechanisms and reflect the social valence of stimuli. The social psychological literature has demonstrated that information about morality is crucial because it affects impression formation and the intention to approach-avoid others. Here we explore whether peripersonal/interpersonal spaces are modulated by moral information. Thirty-six participants interacted with male/female virtual confederates described by moral/immoral/neutral sentences. The modulation of body space was measured by reachability-distance and comfort-distance while participants stood still or walked toward virtual confederates. Results showed that distance expanded with immorally described confederates and contracted with morally described confederates. This pattern was present in both spaces, although it was stronger in comfort-distance. Consistent with an embodied cognition approach, the findings suggest that high-level socio-cognitive processes are linked to sensorimotor-spatial processes. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variation in ancient Egyptian stature and body proportions.

PubMed

Zakrzewski, Sonia R

2003-07-01

Stature and the pattern of body proportions were investigated in a series of six time-successive Egyptian populations in order to investigate the biological effects on human growth of the development and intensification of agriculture, and the formation of state-level social organization. Univariate analyses of variance were performed to assess differences between the sexes and among various time periods. Significant differences were found both in stature and in raw long bone length measurements between the early semipastoral population and the later intensive agricultural population. The size differences were greater in males than in females. This disparity is suggested to be due to greater male response to poor nutrition in the earlier populations, and with the increasing development of social hierarchy, males were being provisioned preferentially over females. Little change in body shape was found through time, suggesting that all body segments were varying in size in response to environmental and social conditions. The change found in body plan is suggested to be the result of the later groups having a more tropical (Nilotic) form than the preceding populations. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Alcohol use and policy formation: an evolving social problem.

PubMed

Levine, Amir

2012-01-01

This article explores the evolutionary course that the social problem of alcohol use has taken in the United States since the Colonial Era. This article utilizes a range of theoretical models to analyze the evolving nature of alcohol use from an unrecognized to a perceived social problem. The models used include critical constructionism (Heiner, 2002), top-down policy model (Dye, 2001) and Mauss'(1975) understanding of social problems and movements. These theoretical constructs exhibit the relative nature of alcohol use as a social problem in regards to a specific time, place, and social context as well as the powerful and influential role that social elites have in defining alcohol asa social problem. Studies regarding the development of alcohol policy formation are discussed to illuminate the different powers, constituents, and factors that play a role in alcohol policy formation.Finally, implications for future study are discussed [corrected].

Impression formation and revision in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Haker, Ayala; Aderka, Idan M; Marom, Sofi; Hermesh, Haggai; Gilboa-Schechtman, Eva

2014-03-01

Interpersonal relations are markedly impaired in social anxiety. Yet, little is known about the ways social anxiety affects social cognition. We examined impression formation and impression revision among individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD, n = 26) and non-anxious individuals (n = 29). Participants read initial descriptions of protagonists depicted as dominant, neutral or submissive and rated them on social rank and affiliation dimensions. Next, participants were presented with behavioral acts that were either congruent, incongruent or irrelevant to the initial descriptions, and re-rated the protagonists. Individuals with SAD (a) rated others as more extreme on social rank dimension, (b) rated others as lower on the affiliation dimension, and (c) revised their impressions of others to a greater extent than did the non-anxious individuals. Understanding the ways social anxiety affects the formation and revision of perceptions of others can improve our understanding of maintaining processes in SAD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The social distribution of dietary patterns. Traditional, modern and healthy eating among women in a Latin American city.

PubMed

Bojorquez, Ietza; Unikel, Claudia; Cortez, Irene; Cerecero, Diego

2015-09-01

Popkin's nutrition transition model proposes that after the change from the traditional to the modern dietary pattern, another change toward "healthy eating" could occur. As health-related practices are associated with social position, with higher socioeconomic groups generally being the first to adopt public health recommendations, a gradient of traditional-modern-healthy dietary patterns should be observed between groups. The objectives of this article were: 1) to describe the dietary patterns of a representative sample of adult women; 2) to assess whether dietary patterns differentiate in traditional, modern and healthy; and 3) to evaluate the association of social position and dietary patterns. We conducted a survey in Tijuana, a Mexican city at the Mexico-United States (US) border. Women 18-65 years old (n = 2345) responded to a food frequency questionnaire, and questions about socioeconomic and demographic factors. We extracted dietary patterns through factor analysis, and employed indicators of economic and cultural capital, life course stage and migration to define social position. We evaluated the association of social position and dietary patterns with linear regression models. Three patterns were identified: "tortillas," "hamburgers" and "vegetables." Women in a middle position of economic and cultural capital scored higher in the "hamburgers" pattern, and women in upper positions scored higher in the "vegetables" pattern. Economic and cultural capitals and migration interacted, so that for women lower in economic capital, having lived in the US was associated with higher scores in the "hamburgers" pattern. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Social Skills for Adults with Intellectual Disability, Autism and PDD-NOS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Dempsey, Timothy; LoVullo, Santino V.

2009-01-01

Social skills deficits and excesses are defining characteristics of intellectual disability (ID). Despite this, there is an unfortunate lack of research on the patterns and profiles of social behavior, particularly with adults who are severely intellectually disabled. This paper provides an analysis of social skill patterns for adults living in…

Nature and Content of L2 Socialization Patterns and Attainment of a Turkish Accent by Kurds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Nihat

2011-01-01

Studies have shown that learners with high degrees of socialization with the target language community acquire the target language better (Lybeck, 2002; Schumann, 1978). Milroy's (1987) use of social network theory in sociolinguistics indicates that socialization patterns are constituted by structural relationships of different types and…

Motives for Using Facebook, Patterns of Facebook Activities, and Late Adolescents' Social Adjustment to College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Chia-chen; Brown, B. Bradford

2013-01-01

Previous studies have confirmed that Facebook, the leading social networking site among young people, facilitates social connections among college students, but the specific activities and motives that foster social adjustment remain unclear. This study examined associations between patterns of Facebook activity, motives for using Facebook, and…

Visual analytics of geo-social interaction patterns for epidemic control.

PubMed

Luo, Wei

2016-08-10

Human interaction and population mobility determine the spatio-temporal course of the spread of an airborne disease. This research views such spreads as geo-social interaction problems, because population mobility connects different groups of people over geographical locations via which the viruses transmit. Previous research argued that geo-social interaction patterns identified from population movement data can provide great potential in designing effective pandemic mitigation. However, little work has been done to examine the effectiveness of designing control strategies taking into account geo-social interaction patterns. To address this gap, this research proposes a new framework for effective disease control; specifically this framework proposes that disease control strategies should start from identifying geo-social interaction patterns, designing effective control measures accordingly, and evaluating the efficacy of different control measures. This framework is used to structure design of a new visual analytic tool that consists of three components: a reorderable matrix for geo-social mixing patterns, agent-based epidemic models, and combined visualization methods. With real world human interaction data in a French primary school as a proof of concept, this research compares the efficacy of vaccination strategies between the spatial-social interaction patterns and the whole areas. The simulation results show that locally targeted vaccination has the potential to keep infection to a small number and prevent spread to other regions. At some small probability, the local control strategies will fail; in these cases other control strategies will be needed. This research further explores the impact of varying spatial-social scales on the success of local vaccination strategies. The results show that a proper spatial-social scale can help achieve the best control efficacy with a limited number of vaccines. The case study shows how GS-EpiViz does support the design and testing of advanced control scenarios in airborne disease (e.g., influenza). The geo-social patterns identified through exploring human interaction data can help target critical individuals, locations, and clusters of locations for disease control purposes. The varying spatial-social scales can help geographically and socially prioritize limited resources (e.g., vaccines).

A Formative Evaluation of a Social Media Campaign to Reduce Adolescent Dating Violence

PubMed Central

Lambert, Danielle N; Bishop, Lauren E; Guetig, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Background The Emory Jane Fonda Center implemented the Start Strong Atlanta social marketing campaign, “Keep It Strong ATL”, in 2007 to promote the development of healthy adolescent relationships and to foster the prevention of adolescent dating abuse among 11-14 year olds. Objective A formative evaluation was conducted to understand whether messages directed at the target audience were relevant to the program’s relationship promotion and violence prevention goals, and whether the “Web 2.0” social media channels of communication (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, and Pinterest) were reaching the intended audience. Methods Mixed methodologies included qualitative interviews and a key informant focus group, a cross-sectional survey, and web analytics. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative methodology informed by grounded theory. Descriptive statistics were generated from survey data, and web analytics provided user information and traffic patterns. Results Results indicated that the Keep It Strong ATL social marketing campaign was a valuable community resource that had potential for broader scope and greater reach. The evaluation team learned the importance of reaching adolescents through Web 2.0 platforms, and the need for message dissemination via peers. Survey results indicated that Facebook (ranked 6.5 out of 8) was the highest rated social media outlet overall, and exhibited greatest appeal and most frequent visits, yet analytics revealed that only 3.5% of “likes” were from the target audience. These results indicate that the social media campaign is reaching predominantly women (76.5% of viewership) who are outside of the target age range of 11-14 years. Conclusions While the social media campaign was successfully launched, the findings indicate the need for a more focused selection of communication channels, timing of media updates to maximize visibility, balancing message tone and delivery, and incorporating differentiated messaging for the target audiences. Collaboration with parents and community partners is also emphasized in order to expand the campaign’s reach and create more channels to disseminate relationship promotion and dating violence prevention messaging to the intended audience. PMID:25405494

A natural experiment of social network formation and dynamics.

PubMed

Phan, Tuan Q; Airoldi, Edoardo M

2015-05-26

Social networks affect many aspects of life, including the spread of diseases, the diffusion of information, the workers' productivity, and consumers' behavior. Little is known, however, about how these networks form and change. Estimating causal effects and mechanisms that drive social network formation and dynamics is challenging because of the complexity of engineering social relations in a controlled environment, endogeneity between network structure and individual characteristics, and the lack of time-resolved data about individuals' behavior. We leverage data from a sample of 1.5 million college students on Facebook, who wrote more than 630 million messages and 590 million posts over 4 years, to design a long-term natural experiment of friendship formation and social dynamics in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The analysis shows that affected individuals are more likely to strengthen interactions, while maintaining the same number of friends as unaffected individuals. Our findings suggest that the formation of social relationships may serve as a coping mechanism to deal with high-stress situations and build resilience in communities.

A natural experiment of social network formation and dynamics

PubMed Central

Phan, Tuan Q.; Airoldi, Edoardo M.

2015-01-01

Social networks affect many aspects of life, including the spread of diseases, the diffusion of information, the workers' productivity, and consumers' behavior. Little is known, however, about how these networks form and change. Estimating causal effects and mechanisms that drive social network formation and dynamics is challenging because of the complexity of engineering social relations in a controlled environment, endogeneity between network structure and individual characteristics, and the lack of time-resolved data about individuals' behavior. We leverage data from a sample of 1.5 million college students on Facebook, who wrote more than 630 million messages and 590 million posts over 4 years, to design a long-term natural experiment of friendship formation and social dynamics in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The analysis shows that affected individuals are more likely to strengthen interactions, while maintaining the same number of friends as unaffected individuals. Our findings suggest that the formation of social relationships may serve as a coping mechanism to deal with high-stress situations and build resilience in communities. PMID:25964337

Patterns and Perceptions of Asynchronous Video Discussion in a Graduate Health Sciences Course.

PubMed

Cummins, Mollie; Rajan, Naresh Sundar; Hodge, Chad; Gouripeddi, Ramkiran

2016-12-01

Studies of graduate online education indicate a need for increased interaction among students and faculty. However, it can be challenging to foster a high level of scholarly interaction and engagement in fully online courses. The objective of this study was to evaluate student perceptions and participation patterns related to online, asynchronous video discussion in a graduate health sciences course. An asynchronous video discussion was piloted in a 2014 interprofessional informatics course and students were subsequently surveyed to determine their perceptions of this approach. Participation patterns were analyzed using descriptive statistics and social network analysis. The results indicate broad and inclusive interaction among students and faculty, with discussion characteristics perceived as equivalent to, or better than, traditional classroom discussion. The quality of student participation was high, and students spent additional time researching and preparing their contributions. This format for a seminar-style discussion holds good potential for effective teaching and learning in online graduate-level health courses and supports the development of students' critical thinking and scholarly communication skills. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(12):706-710.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

The social patterning of relative body weight and obesity in Denmark and Finland.

PubMed

Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, Sirpa; Lissau, Inge; Lahelma, Eero

2006-02-01

Relative body weight is typically inversely associated with social status in affluent societies but studies comparing the social patterning of relative body weight and obesity in different countries have only seldom been conducted. The aim of this study was to analyse and compare the social patterning of relative weight and obesity by occupational status, educational attainment and marital status between Danish and Finnish women and men. Data from the Finnish Survey on Living Conditions and the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey, both collected in 1994, were compared. Relative weight was studied by using body mass index (BMI), and those with BMI > or =30 kg/m(2) were regarded as obese. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the social patterning of obesity in the pooled dataset. Two-variable interaction effects were tested separately. Compared with their Danish counterparts, Finnish women and men had higher average relative weight and they were more often obese. There were no country differences in the socio-economic patterning of obesity by educational attainment, but a stronger patterning of obesity by occupational status was found among Danish women. Moreover, non-married women in Denmark were more likely to be obese than their married counterparts. Finns have higher relative weight and they are more often obese than Danes. The social patterning of obesity was similar in both studied countries but stronger in Denmark.

Interactional dynamics of same-sex marriage legislation in the United States

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Understanding how people form opinions and make decisions is a complex phenomenon that depends on both personal practices and interactions. Recent availability of real-world data has enabled quantitative analysis of opinion formation, which illuminates phenomena that impact physical and social sciences. Public policies exemplify complex opinion formation spanning individual and population scales, and a timely example is the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Here, we seek to understand how this issue captures the relationship between state-laws and Senate representatives subject to geographical and ideological factors. Using distance-based correlations, we study how physical proximity and state-government ideology may be used to extract patterns in state-law adoption and senatorial support of same-sex marriage. Results demonstrate that proximal states have similar opinion dynamics in both state-laws and senators’ opinions, and states with similar state-government ideology have analogous senators’ opinions. Moreover, senators’ opinions drive state-laws with a time lag. Thus, change in opinion not only results from negotiations among individuals, but also reflects inherent spatial and political similarities and temporal delays. We build a social impact model of state-law adoption in light of these results, which predicts the evolution of state-laws legalizing same-sex marriage over the last three decades. PMID:28680669

Interactional dynamics of same-sex marriage legislation in the United States.

PubMed

Roy, Subhradeep; Abaid, Nicole

2017-06-01

Understanding how people form opinions and make decisions is a complex phenomenon that depends on both personal practices and interactions. Recent availability of real-world data has enabled quantitative analysis of opinion formation, which illuminates phenomena that impact physical and social sciences. Public policies exemplify complex opinion formation spanning individual and population scales, and a timely example is the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Here, we seek to understand how this issue captures the relationship between state-laws and Senate representatives subject to geographical and ideological factors. Using distance-based correlations, we study how physical proximity and state-government ideology may be used to extract patterns in state-law adoption and senatorial support of same-sex marriage. Results demonstrate that proximal states have similar opinion dynamics in both state-laws and senators' opinions, and states with similar state-government ideology have analogous senators' opinions. Moreover, senators' opinions drive state-laws with a time lag. Thus, change in opinion not only results from negotiations among individuals, but also reflects inherent spatial and political similarities and temporal delays. We build a social impact model of state-law adoption in light of these results, which predicts the evolution of state-laws legalizing same-sex marriage over the last three decades.

Oxytocin, vasopressin and pair bonding: implications for autism.

PubMed

Hammock, Elizabeth A D; Young, Larry J

2006-12-29

Understanding the neurobiological substrates regulating normal social behaviours may provide valuable insights in human behaviour, including developmental disorders such as autism that are characterized by pervasive deficits in social behaviour. Here, we review the literature which suggests that the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin play critical roles in modulating social behaviours, with a focus on their role in the regulation of social bonding in monogamous rodents. Oxytocin and vasopressin contribute to a wide variety of social behaviours, including social recognition, communication, parental care, territorial aggression and social bonding. The effects of these two neuropeptides are species-specific and depend on species-specific receptor distributions in the brain. Comparative studies in voles with divergent social structures have revealed some of the neural and genetic mechanisms of social-bonding behaviour. Prairie voles are socially monogamous; males and females form long-term pair bonds, establish a nest site and rear their offspring together. In contrast, montane and meadow voles do not form a bond with a mate and only the females take part in rearing the young. Species differences in the density of receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin in ventral forebrain reward circuitry differentially reinforce social-bonding behaviour in the two species. High levels of oxytocin receptor (OTR) in the nucleus accumbens and high levels of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) in the ventral pallidum contribute to monogamous social structure in the prairie vole. While little is known about the genetic factors contributing to species-differences in OTR distribution, the species-specific distribution pattern of the V1aR is determined in part by a species-specific repetitive element, or 'microsatellite', in the 5' regulatory region of the gene encoding V1aR (avpr1a). This microsatellite is highly expanded in the prairie vole (as well as the monogamous pine vole) compared to a very short version in the promiscuous montane and meadow voles. These species differences in microsatellite sequence are sufficient to change gene expression in cell culture. Within the prairie vole species, intraspecific variation in the microsatellite also modulates gene expression in vitro as well as receptor distribution patterns in vivo and influences the probability of social approach and bonding behaviour. Similar genetic variation in the human AVPR1A may contribute to variations in human social behaviour, including extremes outside the normal range of behaviour and those found in autism spectrum disorders. In sum, comparative studies in pair-bonding rodents have revealed neural and genetic mechanisms contributing to social-bonding behaviour. These studies have generated testable hypotheses regarding the motivational systems and underlying molecular neurobiology involved in social engagement and social bond formation that may have important implications for the core social deficits characterizing autism spectrum disorders.

Oxytocin, vasopressin and pair bonding: implications for autism

PubMed Central

Hammock, Elizabeth A.D; Young, Larry J

2006-01-01

Understanding the neurobiological substrates regulating normal social behaviours may provide valuable insights in human behaviour, including developmental disorders such as autism that are characterized by pervasive deficits in social behaviour. Here, we review the literature which suggests that the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin play critical roles in modulating social behaviours, with a focus on their role in the regulation of social bonding in monogamous rodents. Oxytocin and vasopressin contribute to a wide variety of social behaviours, including social recognition, communication, parental care, territorial aggression and social bonding. The effects of these two neuropeptides are species-specific and depend on species-specific receptor distributions in the brain. Comparative studies in voles with divergent social structures have revealed some of the neural and genetic mechanisms of social-bonding behaviour. Prairie voles are socially monogamous; males and females form long-term pair bonds, establish a nest site and rear their offspring together. In contrast, montane and meadow voles do not form a bond with a mate and only the females take part in rearing the young. Species differences in the density of receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin in ventral forebrain reward circuitry differentially reinforce social-bonding behaviour in the two species. High levels of oxytocin receptor (OTR) in the nucleus accumbens and high levels of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) in the ventral pallidum contribute to monogamous social structure in the prairie vole. While little is known about the genetic factors contributing to species-differences in OTR distribution, the species-specific distribution pattern of the V1aR is determined in part by a species-specific repetitive element, or ‘microsatellite’, in the 5′ regulatory region of the gene encoding V1aR (avpr1a). This microsatellite is highly expanded in the prairie vole (as well as the monogamous pine vole) compared to a very short version in the promiscuous montane and meadow voles. These species differences in microsatellite sequence are sufficient to change gene expression in cell culture. Within the prairie vole species, intraspecific variation in the microsatellite also modulates gene expression in vitro as well as receptor distribution patterns in vivo and influences the probability of social approach and bonding behaviour. Similar genetic variation in the human AVPR1A may contribute to variations in human social behaviour, including extremes outside the normal range of behaviour and those found in autism spectrum disorders. In sum, comparative studies in pair-bonding rodents have revealed neural and genetic mechanisms contributing to social-bonding behaviour. These studies have generated testable hypotheses regarding the motivational systems and underlying molecular neurobiology involved in social engagement and social bond formation that may have important implications for the core social deficits characterizing autism spectrum disorders. PMID:17118932

Effects of convection patterns on freckle formation of directionally solidified Nickel-based superalloy casting with abruptly varying cross-sections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Ling; Shen, Jun; Li, Qiudong; Shang, Zhao

2017-05-01

The effects of convection patterns on freckle formation of directionally solidified Nickel-based superalloy sample with abruptly varying cross-sections were investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental results demonstrate that freckles were only observed at the bottom of larger cross-section. Numerical results indicate that this phenomenon should be attributed to the different convection patterns at front of solidification interface. As the withdrawal rate increased, the primary dendrites spacing has an obvious influence on freckle formation. A more in-depth investigation of the convection patterns can provide a better understanding of freckle formation and perhaps offer methods to minimize freckles in turbine blades.

76 FR 16629 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-24

... Project Formative Research to Develop Social Marketing Campaigns--Routine HIV Testing for Emergency... formative research study to support CDC's efforts in further developing three social marketing campaigns... component of the PIC social marketing campaign is to make HIV partner services a routine part of medical...

Rethinking pattern formation in reaction-diffusion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halatek, J.; Frey, E.

2018-05-01

The present theoretical framework for the analysis of pattern formation in complex systems is mostly limited to the vicinity of fixed (global) equilibria. Here we present a new theoretical approach to characterize dynamical states arbitrarily far from (global) equilibrium. We show that reaction-diffusion systems that are driven by locally mass-conserving interactions can be understood in terms of local equilibria of diffusively coupled compartments. Diffusive coupling generically induces lateral redistribution of the globally conserved quantities, and the variable local amounts of these quantities determine the local equilibria in each compartment. We find that, even far from global equilibrium, the system is well characterized by its moving local equilibria. We apply this framework to in vitro Min protein pattern formation, a paradigmatic model for biological pattern formation. Within our framework we can predict and explain transitions between chemical turbulence and order arbitrarily far from global equilibrium. Our results reveal conceptually new principles of self-organized pattern formation that may well govern diverse dynamical systems.

The Impact of Drug Abuse on Tank Crew Cohesion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

social cohesion ). Examination ef modal scores on the Cohesion Questions indicated that similarity or difference in drug use pattern influenced the...demography, drug use and social cohesion . The AFFIL scores were divided into two groups: Hi AFFEL and Lo AFFIL. The Hi AFFIL group was comprised of...difference in usage pattern, the social cohesion questions were slightly more sensitive to simple similarity in drug use pattern than the job-related

Touch Processing and Social Behavior in ASD.

PubMed

O Miguel, Helga; Sampaio, Adriana; Martínez-Regueiro, Rocío; Gómez-Guerrero, Lorena; López-Dóriga, Cristina Gutiérrez; Gómez, Sonia; Carracedo, Ángel; Fernández-Prieto, Montse

2017-08-01

Abnormal patterns of touch processing have been linked to core symptoms in ASD. This study examined the relation between tactile processing patterns and social problems in 44 children and adolescents with ASD, aged 6-14 (M = 8.39 ± 2.35). Multiple linear regression indicated significant associations between touch processing and social problems. No such relationships were found for social problems and autism severity. Within touch processing, patterns of hyper-responsiveness and hypo-responsiveness best predicted social problems, whereas sensory-seeking did not. These results support that atypical touch processing in individuals with ASD might be contributing to the social problems they present. Moreover, it the need to explore more in depth the contribution of sensory features to the ASD phenotype.

Formation mechanism of complex pattern on fishes' skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xia; Liu, Shuhua

2009-10-01

In this paper, the formation mechanism of the complex patterns observed on the skin of fishes has been investigated by a two-coupled reaction diffusion model. The effects of coupling strength between two layers play an important role in the pattern-forming process. It is found that only the epidermis layer can produce complicated patterns that have structures on more than one length scale. These complicated patterns including super-stripe pattern, mixture of spots and stripe, and white-eye pattern are similar to the pigmentation patterns on fishes' skin.

A prospective examination of online social network dynamics and smoking cessation

PubMed Central

Zhao, Kang; Papandonatos, George D.; Erar, Bahar; Wang, Xi; Amato, Michael S.; Cha, Sarah; Cohn, Amy M.; Pearson, Jennifer L.

2017-01-01

Introduction Use of online social networks for smoking cessation has been associated with abstinence. Little is known about the mechanisms through which the formation of social ties in an online network may influence smoking behavior. Using dynamic social network analysis, we investigated how temporal changes of an individual’s number of social network ties are prospectively related to abstinence in an online social network for cessation. In a network where quitting is normative and is the focus of communications among members, we predicted that an increasing number of ties would be positively associated with abstinence. Method Participants were N = 2,657 adult smokers recruited to a randomized cessation treatment trial following enrollment on BecomeAnEX.org, a longstanding Internet cessation program with a large and mature online social network. At 3-months post-randomization, 30-day point prevalence abstinence was assessed and website engagement metrics were extracted. The social network was constructed with clickstream data to capture the flow of information among members. Two network centrality metrics were calculated at weekly intervals over 3 months: 1) in-degree, defined as the number of members whose posts a participant read; and 2) out-degree-aware, defined as the number of members who read a participant’s post and commented, which was subsequently viewed by the participant. Three groups of users were identified based on social network engagement patterns: non-users (N = 1,362), passive users (N = 812), and active users (N = 483). Logistic regression modeled 3-month abstinence by group as a function of baseline variables, website utilization, and network centrality metrics. Results Abstinence rates varied by group (non-users = 7.7%, passive users = 10.7%, active users = 20.7%). Significant baseline predictors of abstinence were age, nicotine dependence, confidence to quit, and smoking temptations in social situations among passive users (ps < .05); age and confidence to quit among active users. Among centrality metrics, positive associations with abstinence were observed for in-degree increases from Week 2 to Week 12 among passive and active users, and for out-degree-aware increases from Week 2 to Week 12 among active users (ps < .05). Conclusions This study is the first to demonstrate that increased tie formation among members of an online social network for smoking cessation is prospectively associated with abstinence. It also highlights the value of using individuals’ activities in online social networks to predict their offline health behaviors. PMID:28832621

25 CFR 83.7 - Mandatory criteria for Federal acknowledgment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., patterned out-marriages with other Indian populations. (ii) Significant social relationships connecting individual members. (iii) Significant rates of informal social interaction which exist broadly among the... among the membership. (v) Evidence of strong patterns of discrimination or other social distinctions by...

Self-Construal Priming Modulates Self-Evaluation under Social Threat

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tianyang; Xi, Sisi; Jin, Yan; Wu, Yanhong

2017-01-01

Previous studies have shown that Westerners evaluate themselves in an especially flattering way when faced with a social-evaluative threat. The current study first investigated whether East Asians also have a similar pattern by recruiting Chinese participants and using social-evaluative threat manipulations in which participants perform self-evaluation tasks while adopting different social-evaluative feedbacks (Experiment 1). Then further examined whether the different response patterns can be modulated by different types of self-construal by using social-evaluative threat manipulations in conjunction with a self-construal priming task (Experiment 2). The results showed that, as opposed to Westerners' pattern, Chinese participants rated themselves as having significantly greater above-average effect only when faced with the nonthreatening feedback but not the social-evaluative threat. More importantly, we found that self-construal modulated the self-evaluation under social-evaluative threat: following independent self-construal priming, participants tended to show a greater above-average effect when faced with a social-evaluative threat. However, this pattern in conjunction with a social threat disappeared after participants received interdependent self-construal priming or neutral priming. These findings suggest that the effects of social-evaluative threat on self-evaluation are not culturally universal and is strongly modulated by self-construal priming. PMID:29081755

"Socialized Music": Historical Formations of Community Music through Social Rationales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yerichuk, Deanna

2014-01-01

This article traces the formation of community music through professional and scholarly articles over the last century in North America, and argues that community music has been discursively formed through social rationales, although the specific rationales have shifted. The author employs an archaeological framework inspired by Michel Foucault to…

Online Formative Assessments with Social Network Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Jian-Wei; Lai, Yuan-Cheng

2013-01-01

Social network awareness (SNA) has been used extensively as one of the strategies to increase knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities. However, most SNA studies either focus on being aware of peer's knowledge context or on social context. This work proposes online formative assessments with SNA, trying to address the problems of online…

Examination of Social Story Format on Frequency of Undesired Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Robyn; Johnston, Susan S.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether a difference existed between the effectiveness of paper-based format and tablet computer-based format Social Story interventions on frequency of undesired behaviors. An adapted alternating treatment design was implemented with four children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data regarding…

The role of phase separation for self-organized surface pattern formation by ion beam erosion and metal atom co-deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofsäss, H.; Zhang, K.; Pape, A.; Bobes, O.; Brötzmann, M.

2013-05-01

We investigate the ripple pattern formation on Si surfaces at room temperature during normal incidence ion beam erosion under simultaneous deposition of different metallic co-deposited surfactant atoms. The co-deposition of small amounts of metallic atoms, in particular Fe and Mo, is known to have a tremendous impact on the evolution of nanoscale surface patterns on Si. In previous work on ion erosion of Si during co-deposition of Fe atoms, we proposed that chemical interactions between Fe and Si atoms of the steady-state mixed Fe x Si surface layer formed during ion beam erosion is a dominant driving force for self-organized pattern formation. In particular, we provided experimental evidence for the formation of amorphous iron disilicide. To confirm and generalize such chemical effects on the pattern formation, in particular the tendency for phase separation, we have now irradiated Si surfaces with normal incidence 5 keV Xe ions under simultaneous gracing incidence co-deposition of Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, W, Pt, and Au surfactant atoms. The selected metals in the two groups (Fe, Ni, Cu) and (W, Pt, Au) are very similar regarding their collision cascade behavior, but strongly differ regarding their tendency to silicide formation. We find pronounced ripple pattern formation only for those co deposited metals (Fe, Mo, Ni, W, and Pt), which are prone to the formation of mono and disilicides. In contrast, for Cu and Au co-deposition the surface remains very flat, even after irradiation at high ion fluence. Because of the very different behavior of Cu compared to Fe, Ni and Au compared to W, Pt, phase separation toward amorphous metal silicide phases is seen as the relevant process for the pattern formation on Si in the case of Fe, Mo, Ni, W, and Pt co-deposition.

Rank-dependent grooming patterns and cortisol alleviation in Barbary macaques.

PubMed

Sonnweber, Ruth S; Ravignani, Andrea; Stobbe, Nina; Schiestl, Gisela; Wallner, Bernard; Fitch, W Tecumseh

2015-06-01

Flexibly adapting social behavior to social and environmental challenges helps to alleviate glucocorticoid (GC) levels, which may have positive fitness implications for an individual. For primates, the predominant social behavior is grooming. Giving grooming to others is particularly efficient in terms of GC mitigation. However, grooming is confined by certain limitations such as time constraints or restricted access to other group members. For instance, dominance hierarchies may impact grooming partner availability in primate societies. Consequently specific grooming patterns emerge. In despotic species focusing grooming activity on preferred social partners significantly ameliorates GC levels in females of all ranks. In this study we investigated grooming patterns and GC management in Barbary macaques, a comparably relaxed species. We monitored changes in grooming behavior and cortisol (C) for females of different ranks. Our results show that the C-amelioration associated with different grooming patterns had a gradual connection with dominance hierarchy: while higher-ranking individuals showed lowest urinary C measures when they focused their grooming on selected partners within their social network, lower-ranking individuals expressed lowest C levels when dispersing their grooming activity evenly across their social partners. We argue that the relatively relaxed social style of Barbary macaque societies allows individuals to flexibly adapt grooming patterns, which is associated with rank-specific GC management. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Blood drop patterns: Formation and applications.

PubMed

Chen, Ruoyang; Zhang, Liyuan; Zang, Duyang; Shen, Wei

2016-05-01

The drying of a drop of blood or plasma on a solid substrate leads to the formation of interesting and complex patterns. Inter- and intra-cellular and macromolecular interactions in the drying plasma or blood drop are responsible for the final morphologies of the dried patterns. Changes in these cellular and macromolecular components in blood caused by diseases have been suspected to cause changes in the dried drop patterns of plasma and whole blood, which could be used as simple diagnostic tools to identify the health of humans and livestock. However, complex physicochemical driving forces involved in the pattern formation are not fully understood. This review focuses on the scientific development in microscopic observations and pattern interpretation of dried plasma and whole blood samples, as well as the diagnostic applications of pattern analysis. Dried drop patterns of plasma consist of intricate visible cracks in the outer region and fine structures in the central region, which are mainly influenced by the presence and concentration of inorganic salts and proteins during drying. The shrinkage of macromolecular gel and its adhesion to the substrate surface have been thought to be responsible for the formation of the cracks. Dried drop patterns of whole blood have three characteristic zones; their formation as functions of drying time has been reported in the literature. Some research works have applied engineering treatment to the evaporation process of whole blood samples. The sensitivities of the resultant patterns to the relative humidity of the environment, the wettability of the substrates, and the size of the drop have been reported. These research works shed light on the mechanisms of spreading, evaporation, gelation, and crack formation of the blood drops on solid substrates, as well as on the potential applications of dried drop patterns of plasma and whole blood in diagnosis. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0179 TITLE: Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0179...tracking data. 15. SUBJECT TERMS ASD, subgrouping, toddlers , heterogeneity, eye-tracking, visual attention, dyadic orienting, hierarchical

Toward Automating HIV Identification: Machine Learning for Rapid Identification of HIV-Related Social Media Data.

PubMed

Young, Sean D; Yu, Wenchao; Wang, Wei

2017-02-01

"Social big data" from technologies such as social media, wearable devices, and online searches continue to grow and can be used as tools for HIV research. Although researchers can uncover patterns and insights associated with HIV trends and transmission, the review process is time consuming and resource intensive. Machine learning methods derived from computer science might be used to assist HIV domain experts by learning how to rapidly and accurately identify patterns associated with HIV from a large set of social data. Using an existing social media data set that was associated with HIV and coded by an HIV domain expert, we tested whether 4 commonly used machine learning methods could learn the patterns associated with HIV risk behavior. We used the 10-fold cross-validation method to examine the speed and accuracy of these models in applying that knowledge to detect HIV content in social media data. Logistic regression and random forest resulted in the highest accuracy in detecting HIV-related social data (85.3%), whereas the Ridge Regression Classifier resulted in the lowest accuracy. Logistic regression yielded the fastest processing time (16.98 seconds). Machine learning can enable social big data to become a new and important tool in HIV research, helping to create a new field of "digital HIV epidemiology." If a domain expert can identify patterns in social data associated with HIV risk or HIV transmission, machine learning models could quickly and accurately learn those associations and identify potential HIV patterns in large social data sets.

Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization

PubMed Central

Braun, Hans-Georg; Meyer, Evelyn

2013-01-01

The direct contact of ultrathin polymer films with a solid substrate may result in thin film rupture caused by dewetting. With crystallisable polymers such as polyethyleneoxide (PEO), molecular self-assembly into partial ordered lamella structures is studied as an additional source of pattern formation. Morphological features in ultrathin PEO films (thickness < 10 nm) result from an interplay between dewetting patterns and diffusion limited growth pattern of ordered lamella growing within the dewetting areas. Besides structure formation of hydrophilic PEO molecules, n-alkylterminated (hydrophobic) PEO oligomers are investigated with respect to self-organization in ultrathin films. Morphological features characteristic for pure PEO are not changed by the presence of the n-alkylgroups. PMID:23385233

Pattern formation and geometry of the manifold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji, Amir Hossein; Mahzoon, Mojtaba; Javadpour, Sirus

2011-03-01

The objective of the present work is to investigate how pattern formation in the Cahn-Hilliard system can be influenced by geometry of the manifold. This is in contrast to control methods in which the physical field is modified and the pattern formation of the original system changes in response to control inputs. The idea begins with the cylindrical manifold symmetry leading to circumferential rolls while the torus manifold can be used to produce and control helical rolls. The next step is to search for a weaker restriction on the geometry of the manifold in order to reduce its dimension. In particular a short amplitude sinusoidal modulation on a flat surface is studied. At the final step a sequential pattern formation is presented.

Neon ion beam induced pattern formation on amorphous carbon surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobes, Omar; Hofsäss, Hans; Zhang, Kun

2018-02-01

We investigate the ripple pattern formation on amorphous carbon surfaces at room temperature during low energy Ne ion irradiation as a function of the ion incidence angle. Monte Carlo simulations of the curvature coefficients applied to the Bradley-Harper and Cater-Vishnyakov models, including the recent extensions by Harrison-Bradley and Hofsäss predict that pattern formation on amorphous carbon thin films should be possible for low energy Ne ions from 250 eV up to 1500 eV. Moreover, simulations are able to explain the absence of pattern formation in certain cases. Our experimental results are compared with prediction using current linear theoretical models and applying the crater function formalism, as well as Monte Carlo simulations to calculate curvature coefficients using the SDTrimSP program. Calculations indicate that no patterns should be generated up to 45° incidence angle if the dynamic behavior of the thickness of the ion irradiated layer introduced by Hofsäss is taken into account, while pattern formation most pronounced from 50° for ion energy between 250 eV and 1500 eV, which are in good agreement with our experimental data.

Time development in the early history of social networks: link stabilization, group dynamics, and segregation.

PubMed

Bruun, Jesper; Bearden, Ian G

2014-01-01

Studies of the time development of empirical networks usually investigate late stages where lasting connections have already stabilized. Empirical data on early network history are rare but needed for a better understanding of how social network topology develops in real life. Studying students who are beginning their studies at a university with no or few prior connections to each other offers a unique opportunity to investigate the formation and early development of link patterns and community structure in social networks. During a nine week introductory physics course, first year physics students were asked to identify those with whom they communicated about problem solving in physics during the preceding week. We use these students' self reports to produce time dependent student interaction networks. We investigate these networks to elucidate possible effects of different student attributes in early network formation. Changes in the weekly number of links show that while roughly half of all links change from week to week, students also reestablish a growing number of links as they progress through their first weeks of study. Using the Infomap community detection algorithm, we show that the networks exhibit community structure, and we use non-network student attributes, such as gender and end-of-course grade to characterize communities during their formation. Specifically, we develop a segregation measure and show that students structure themselves according to gender and pre-organized sections (in which students engage in problem solving and laboratory work), but not according to end-of-coure grade. Alluvial diagrams of consecutive weeks' communities show that while student movement between groups are erratic in the beginning of their studies, they stabilize somewhat towards the end of the course. Taken together, the analyses imply that student interaction networks stabilize quickly and that students establish collaborations based on who is immediately available to them and on observable personal characteristics.

Polariton Pattern Formation and Photon Statistics of the Associated Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whittaker, C. E.; Dzurnak, B.; Egorov, O. A.; Buonaiuto, G.; Walker, P. M.; Cancellieri, E.; Whittaker, D. M.; Clarke, E.; Gavrilov, S. S.; Skolnick, M. S.; Krizhanovskii, D. N.

2017-07-01

We report on the formation of a diverse family of transverse spatial polygon patterns in a microcavity polariton fluid under coherent driving by a blue-detuned pump. Patterns emerge spontaneously as a result of energy-degenerate polariton-polariton scattering from the pump state to interfering high-order vortex and antivortex modes, breaking azimuthal symmetry. The interplay between a multimode parametric instability and intrinsic optical bistability leads to a sharp spike in the value of second-order coherence g(2 )(0 ) of the emitted light, which we attribute to the strongly superlinear kinetics of the underlying scattering processes driving the formation of patterns. We show numerically by means of a linear stability analysis how the growth of parametric instabilities in our system can lead to spontaneous symmetry breaking, predicting the formation and competition of different pattern states in good agreement with experimental observations.

Stochastic nonlinear dynamics pattern formation and growth models

PubMed Central

Yaroslavsky, Leonid P

2007-01-01

Stochastic evolutionary growth and pattern formation models are treated in a unified way in terms of algorithmic models of nonlinear dynamic systems with feedback built of a standard set of signal processing units. A number of concrete models is described and illustrated by numerous examples of artificially generated patterns that closely imitate wide variety of patterns found in the nature. PMID:17908341

Dynamic Pattern Formation in Electron-Beam-Induced Etching [Emergent formation of dynamic topographic patterns in electron beam induced etching

DOE PAGES

Martin, Aiden A.; Bahm, Alan; Bishop, James; ...

2015-12-15

Here, we report highly ordered topographic patterns that form on the surface of diamond, span multiple length scales, and have a symmetry controlled by the precursor gas species used in electron-beam-induced etching (EBIE). The pattern formation dynamics reveals an etch rate anisotropy and an electron energy transfer pathway that is overlooked by existing EBIE models. Therefore, we, modify established theory such that it explains our results and remains universally applicable to EBIE. Furthermore, the patterns can be exploited in controlled wetting, optical structuring, and other emerging applications that require nano- and microscale surface texturing of a wide band-gap material.

Sharing Place, Learning Together: Perspectives and Reflections on an Educational Partnership Formation with a Remote Indigenous Community School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godinho, Sally Caroline; Woolley, Marilyn; Webb, Jessie; Winkel, Kenneth Daniel

2015-01-01

Sustainable partnership formation in a remote Indigenous community involves social, cultural and political considerations. This article reports on the project, "Sharing Place, Learning Together: Supporting Sustainable Educational Partnerships to Advance Social Equity," funded by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute (MSEI) at the…

Digital Identity Formation: Socially Being Real and Present on Digital Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozkurt, Aras; Tu, Chih-Hsiung

2016-01-01

Social networks have become popular communication and interaction environments recently. As digital environments, so as ecosystems, they have potential in terms of networked learning as they fulfill some roles such as mediating an environment for digital identity formation and providing social and emotional presence. Based on this phenomenon, the…

Socializing Procedures in Parent-Child and Friendship Relations during Adolescence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Fumiyo Tao

1984-01-01

Examines two patterns of socializing interactions in 180 adolescents' relations with mothers, fathers, and friends. These patterns involve commands based on greater authority and expertise (unilateral) and negotiation and coconstruction (mutual). In a questionnaire, adolescents reported the frequencies of these patterns in their own relations…

How Escherichia coli lands and forms cell clusters on a surface: a new role of surface topography

PubMed Central

Gu, Huan; Chen, Aaron; Song, Xinran; Brasch, Megan E.; Henderson, James H.; Ren, Dacheng

2016-01-01

Bacterial response to surface topography during biofilm formation was studied using 5 μm tall line patterns of poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Escherichia coli cells attached on top of protruding line patterns were found to align more perpendicularly to the orientation of line patterns when the pattern narrowed. Consistently, cell cluster formation per unit area on 5 μm wide line patterns was reduced by 14-fold compared to flat PDMS. Contrasting the reduced colony formation, cells attached on narrow patterns were longer and had higher transcriptional activities, suggesting that such unfavorable topography may present a stress to attached cells. Results of mutant studies indicate that flagellar motility is involved in the observed preference in cell orientation on narrow patterns, which was corroborated by the changes in cell rotation pattern before settling on different surface topographies. These findings led to a set of new design principles for creating antifouling topographies, which was validated using 10 μm tall hexagonal patterns. PMID:27412365

Functional connectivity between the cerebrum and cerebellum in social cognition: A multi-study analysis.

PubMed

Van Overwalle, Frank; Mariën, Peter

2016-01-01

This multi-study connectivity analysis explores the functional connectivity of the cerebellum with the cerebrum in social mentalizing, that is, understanding the mind of another person. The analysis covers 5 studies (n=92) involving abstract and complex forms of social mentalizing such as (a) person and group impression formation based on behavioral descriptions and (b) constructing personal counterfactual events (i.e., how the past could have turned out better). The results suggest that cerebellar activity during these social processes reflects a domain-specific mentalizing functionality that is strongly connected with a corresponding mentalizing network in the cerebrum. A significant pattern of connectivity was found linking the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) with the right posterior cerebellum, and linking the latter with the left TPJ. In addition, in the cerebrum, further connectivity was found through links of the bilateral TPJ with the dorsal mPFC, orbitofrontal cortex and between right and left TPJ. The discussion centers on the role of these cerebro-cerebellar connections in matching external information from the cerebrum with internal predictions generated by the cerebellum. These internal predictions might involve the sequencing of the person's behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental Patterns in the Understanding of Social and Physical Transitivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markovits, Henry; Dumas, Claude

1999-01-01

Two studies examined developmental patterns in understanding physical and social transitivity in 6- to 11-year olds. Findings revealed no significant correlations between social judgments and judgments concerning length. Results suggested that children possess two distinct strategies for making transitive judgments that correspond to the logical…

Social Skills Deficits in Learning Disabilities: The Psychiatric Comorbidity Hypothesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Miguel, Stephanie K.; And Others

1996-01-01

This article explores the hypothesis that social skill deficits among children with learning disabilities are associated with high rates of undetected psychiatric diagnoses. The maladaptive social skills patterns of children with specific subtypes of learning disabilities appear to mimic the symptom patterns of children with attention deficit…

Perceived Density, Social Interaction and Morale in New South Wales Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argent, Neil

2008-01-01

This paper explores the relationships between population density, social interaction patterns, and morale in rural communities. It tests two apparently competing hypotheses concerning rural population density, social interaction patterns and overall levels of morale: one, that low (and rapidly declining) rural densities lead to feelings of…

Self-organized structures in a superorganism: do ants “behave” like molecules?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detrain, Claire; Deneubourg, Jean-Louis

2006-09-01

While the striking structures (e.g. nest architecture, trail networks) of insect societies may seem familiar to many of us, the understanding of pattern formation still constitutes a challenging problem. Over the last two decades, self-organization has dramatically changed our view on how collective decision-making and structures may emerge out of a population of ant workers having each their own individuality as well as a limited access to information. A variety of collective behaviour spontaneously outcome from multiple interactions between nestmates, even when there is no directing influence imposed by an external template, a pacemaker or a leader. By focussing this review on foraging structures, we show that ant societies display some properties which are usually considered in physico-chemical systems, as typical signatures of self-organization. We detail the key role played by feed-back loops, fluctuations, number of interacting units and sensitivity to environmental factors in the emergence of a structured collective behaviour. Nonetheless, going beyond simple analogies with non-living self-organized patterns, we stress on the specificities of social structures made of complex living units of which the biological features have been selected throughout the evolution depending on their adaptive value. In particular, we consider the ability of each ant individual to process information about environmental and social parameters, to accordingly tune its interactions with nestmates and ultimately to determine the final pattern emerging at the collective level. We emphasize on the parsimony and simplicity of behavioural rules at the individual level which allow an efficient processing of information, energy and matter within the whole colony.

Site Formation Processes and Hunter-Gatherers Use of Space in a Tropical Environment: A Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Approach from South India

PubMed Central

Friesem, David E.; Lavi, Noa; Madella, Marco; Ajithprasad, P.; French, Charles

2016-01-01

Hunter-gatherer societies have distinct social perceptions and practices which are expressed in unique use of space and material deposition patterns. However, the identification of archaeological evidence associated with hunter-gatherer activity is often challenging, especially in tropical environments such as rainforests. We present an integrated study combining ethnoarchaeology and geoarchaeology in order to study archaeological site formation processes related to hunter-gatherers’ ways of living in tropical forests. Ethnographic data was collected from an habitation site of contemporary hunter-gatherers in the forests of South India, aimed at studying how everyday activities and way of living dictate patterns of material deposition. Ethnoarchaeological excavations of abandoned open-air sites and a rock-shelter of the same group located deep in the forests, involved field observations and sampling of sediments from the abandoned sites and the contemporary site. Laboratory analyses included geochemical analysis (i.e., FTIR, ICP-AES), phytolith concentration analysis and soil micromorphology. The results present a dynamic spatial deposition pattern of macroscopic, microscopic and chemical materials, which stem from the distinctive ways of living and use of space by hunter-gatherers. This study shows that post-depositional processes in tropical forests result in poor preservation of archaeological materials due to acidic conditions and intensive biological activity within the sediments. Yet, the multiple laboratory-based analyses were able to trace evidence for activity surfaces and their maintenance practices as well as localized concentrations of activity remains such as the use of plants, metals, hearths and construction materials. PMID:27783683

Social Networking Sites: College Students' Patterns of Use and Concerns for Privacy and Trust by Gender, Ethnicity, and Employment Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyei-Blankson, Lydia; Iyer, Kamakshi S.; Subramanian, Lavanya

2016-01-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are web-based facilities that allow for social interaction, sharing, communication and collaboration in today's world. In the current study, patterns of use of social media among students at a public Midwestern university are examined. In addition, students were surveyed regarding concerns for privacy and trust and…

Sequential Transition Patterns of Preschoolers' Social Interactions during Child-Initiated Play: Is Parallel-Aware Play a Bidirectional Bridge to Other Play States?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Clyde C.; Anderson, Genan T.; Porter, Christin L.; Hart, Craig, H.; Wouden-Miller, Melissa

2003-01-01

Explored the simultaneous sequential transition patterns of preschoolers' social play within classroom settings. Found that the proportion of social-play states did not vary during play episodes even when accounting for type of activity center, gender, and SES. Found a reciprocal relationship between parallel-aware and other social-play states…

Instabilities and spatiotemporal patterns behind predator invasions with nonlocal prey competition.

PubMed

Merchant, Sandra M; Nagata, Wayne

2011-12-01

We study the influence of nonlocal intraspecies prey competition on the spatiotemporal patterns arising behind predator invasions in two oscillatory reaction-diffusion integro-differential models. We use three common types of integral kernels as well as develop a caricature system, to describe the influence of the standard deviation and kurtosis of the kernel function on the patterns observed. We find that nonlocal competition can destabilize the spatially homogeneous state behind the invasion and lead to the formation of complex spatiotemporal patterns, including stationary spatially periodic patterns, wave trains and irregular spatiotemporal oscillations. In addition, the caricature system illustrates how large standard deviation and low kurtosis facilitate the formation of these spatiotemporal patterns. This suggests that nonlocal competition may be an important mechanism underlying spatial pattern formation, particularly in systems where the competition between individuals varies over space in a platykurtic manner. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interest in dietary pattern, social capital, and psychological distress: a cross-sectional study in a rural Japanese community

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Among life-style factors affecting mental health, dietary habits are becoming a public health concern in their relation to psychological distress and social capital. We examined associations between interest in dietary pattern, social capital, and psychological distress with a population-based cross-sectional study in rural Japan. Methods A total of 16,996 residents of a rural town in northern Japan aged 30–79 years participated in this questionnaire survey. The questionnaire gathered data about socio-demographic variables, psychological distress, issues related to dietary habits, including interest in dietary pattern, and the social capital factors of reciprocity and sense of community belonging. Factors related to psychological distress were analyzed by using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results A high interest in dietary pattern was significantly associated with a high level of social capital. In addition, an association between interest in dietary pattern and frequencies of intake of vegetables and fruits was confirmed. The multiple logistic regression analyses showed significant associations between interest in dietary pattern, social capital, frequency of intake of vegetables, and psychological distress after adjusting for socio-demographic variables. Low interest in dietary pattern was positively associated with psychological distress after adjusting for socio-demographic variables (OR = 2.18; 95%CI: 1.69-2.81). Low levels of both reciprocity and sense of community belonging were associated with psychological distress after adjusting for socio-demographic variables (OR = 3.46 with 95%CI of 2.10–5.71 for reciprocity, and OR = 7.42 with 95%CI of 4.64–11.87 for sense of community belonging). Conclusion Low interest in dietary pattern, low frequency of intake of vegetables, and low levels of social capital were significantly associated with psychological distress after adjusting for socio-demographic variables. PMID:24099097

Drivers and Pattern of Social Vulnerability to Flood in Metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasona, M.

2016-12-01

Lagos is Africa's second largest city and a city-state in southwest Nigeria. Population and economic activities in the city are concentrated in the greater Lagos metropolitan area - a group of barrier islands less than a thousand square kilometer. Several physical factors and critical human-environmental conditions contribute to high flood vulnerability across the city. Flood impact is highly denominated and the poor tend to suffer more due to higher risk of exposure and poor adaptive capacity. In this study we present the pattern of social vulnerability to flooding across the Lagos metropolis and argued that the pattern substantially reflects the pattern and severity of flooding impact on people across the metropolis. Twenty nine social indicators and experiences including poverty profile, housing conditions, education, population and demography, social network, and communication, among others, were considered. The data were collated through field survey and subjected to principal component analysis. The results were processed into raster surfaces using GIS for social vulnerability characterization at neighborhood levels. The results suggest the social status indicators, neighborhood standing and social networks indictors, the indicators of emergency responses and security, and the neighborhood conditions, in that order, are the most important determinants of social vulnerability. Six of the 16 LGAs in metropolitan Lagos have high social vulnerability. Neighborhoods that combine poor social status indicators and poor neighborhood standing and social networks are found to have high social vulnerability whereas other poor neighborhoods with strong social networks performed better. We conclude that improved human living condition and social network and communication in poor urban neighborhoods are important to reducing social vulnerability to flooding in the metropolis.

Dynamic response and transfer function of social systems: A neuro-inspired model of collective human activity patterns.

PubMed

Lymperopoulos, Ilias N

2017-10-01

The interaction of social networks with the external environment gives rise to non-stationary activity patterns reflecting the temporal structure and strength of exogenous influences that drive social dynamical processes far from an equilibrium state. Following a neuro-inspired approach, based on the dynamics of a passive neuronal membrane, and the firing rate dynamics of single neurons and neuronal populations, we build a state-of-the-art model of the collective social response to exogenous interventions. In this regard, we analyze online activity patterns with a view to determining the transfer function of social systems, that is, the dynamic relationship between external influences and the resulting activity. To this end, first we estimate the impulse response (Green's function) of collective activity, and then we show that the convolution of the impulse response with a time-varying external influence field accurately reproduces empirical activity patterns. To capture the dynamics of collective activity when the generating process is in a state of statistical equilibrium, we incorporate into the model a noisy input convolved with the impulse response function, thus precisely reproducing the fluctuations of stationary collective activity around a resting value. The outstanding goodness-of-fit of the model results to empirical observations, indicates that the model explains human activity patterns generated by time-dependent external influences in various socio-economic contexts. The proposed model can be used for inferring the temporal structure and strength of external influences, as well as the inertia of collective social activity. Furthermore, it can potentially predict social activity patterns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Landscape pattern change of ethnic townships under the background of urbanization: Case of Aerla Town in Molidawa Daur Autonomous Banner, Inner Mongolia, China.

PubMed

Yang, Jin Yao; Huang, Lu; Yan, Li Jiao; Huo, Si Gao

2016-08-01

With the stable development of new countryside construction and new-type urbanization, the changing of the landscape pattern in countryside attracts more attention, especially in the ethnic townships which are hardly accessible. To explore the development of these areas, it is crucial to understand the spatial and temporal variation of the landscape pattern. In this paper, the landscape pattern change was analyzed at both patch type level and landscape level based on the landscape ecology theory. The land use data (format: vector) got from Aerla Town (a typical Daur ethnic township in Inner Mongolia) for the duration from 2008 to 2013 was studied by ArcGIS platform and Fragstats. For the type level, the grassland, farmland, and forest turned into building land gra-dually. Regarding the landscape level, the landscape diversity index and landscape connectivity index were relatively low, the heterogeneity index and the landscape fragmentation were relatively high. With considering the correlation analysis and grey correlation of the above indexes as well as the social and economic development in Aerla Town, the results indicated that population change and GDP growth were the main driving forces of landscape pattern change. Finally, the driving forces which resulted in the variation of landscape pattern with the incorporation of the economic, cultural, policy, and natural effects were discussed. The research could provide basic information and theoretical foundation for the development of minority areas in Northeast China.

Users Polarization on Facebook and Youtube

PubMed Central

Bessi, Alessandro; Zollo, Fabiana; Del Vicario, Michela; Puliga, Michelangelo; Scala, Antonio; Caldarelli, Guido; Uzzi, Brian; Quattrociocchi, Walter

2016-01-01

Users online tend to select information that support and adhere their beliefs, and to form polarized groups sharing the same view—e.g. echo chambers. Algorithms for content promotion may favour this phenomenon, by accounting for users preferences and thus limiting the exposure to unsolicited contents. To shade light on this question, we perform a comparative study on how same contents (videos) are consumed on different online social media—i.e. Facebook and YouTube—over a sample of 12M of users. Our findings show that content drives the emergence of echo chambers on both platforms. Moreover, we show that the users’ commenting patterns are accurate predictors for the formation of echo-chambers. PMID:27551783

Flashbulb Memories

PubMed Central

Hirst, William; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

We review and analyze the key theories, debates, findings, and omissions of the existing literature on flashbulb memories (FBMs), including what factors affect their formation, retention, and degree of confidence. We argue that FBMs do not require special memory mechanisms and are best characterized as involving both forgetting and mnemonic distortions, despite a high level of confidence. Factual memories for FBM-inducing events generally follow a similar pattern. Although no necessary and sufficient factors straightforwardly account for FBM retention, media attention particularly shapes memory for the events themselves. FBMs are best characterized in term of repetitions, even of mnemonic distortions, whereas event memories evidence corrections. The bearing of this literature on social identity and traumatic memories is also discussed. PMID:26997762

Users Polarization on Facebook and Youtube.

PubMed

Bessi, Alessandro; Zollo, Fabiana; Del Vicario, Michela; Puliga, Michelangelo; Scala, Antonio; Caldarelli, Guido; Uzzi, Brian; Quattrociocchi, Walter

2016-01-01

Users online tend to select information that support and adhere their beliefs, and to form polarized groups sharing the same view-e.g. echo chambers. Algorithms for content promotion may favour this phenomenon, by accounting for users preferences and thus limiting the exposure to unsolicited contents. To shade light on this question, we perform a comparative study on how same contents (videos) are consumed on different online social media-i.e. Facebook and YouTube-over a sample of 12M of users. Our findings show that content drives the emergence of echo chambers on both platforms. Moreover, we show that the users' commenting patterns are accurate predictors for the formation of echo-chambers.

Waves and patterning in developmental biology: vertebrate segmentation and feather bud formation as case studies

PubMed Central

Baker, Ruth E.; Schnell, Santiago; Maini, Philip K.

2014-01-01

In this article we will discuss the integration of developmental patterning mechanisms with waves of competency that control the ability of a homogeneous field of cells to react to pattern forming cues and generate spatially heterogeneous patterns. We base our discussion around two well known patterning events that take place in the early embryo: somitogenesis and feather bud formation. We outline mathematical models to describe each patterning mechanism, present the results of numerical simulations and discuss the validity of each model in relation to our example patterning processes. PMID:19557684

Reaching the hearts and minds of illiterate women in the Amhara highland of Ethiopia: Development and pre-testing of oral HIV/AIDS prevention messages.

PubMed

Bogale, Gebeyehu W; Boer, Henk; Seydel, Erwin R

2010-07-01

In the style of radio programmes, we developed three episodes of audio HIV prevention education for illiterate women in Ethiopia. We used social-oriented presentation formats, such as discussion between women on HIV prevention, and expert-oriented presentation formats, such as an interview with a male doctor. The aim of this study was to assess the relation between evaluation of presentation formats and overall liking of episodes, which is important for persuasive effects. Thirty women from rural Amhara listened to the episodes and, after listening, female data collectors interviewed the women on evaluation of presentation formats, overall liking of episodes, identification with the characters and convincingness. Evaluation of social-oriented presentation formats was strongly related to overall liking of episodes, but evaluation of expert-oriented presentation formats was not. This relation was mediated through convincingness and not through identification. We conclude that social-oriented presentation formats make messages more convincing and, consequently, improve overall liking and persuasive impact.

Opinion formation in a social network: The role of human activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabowski, Andrzej

2009-03-01

The model of opinion formation in human population based on social impact theory is investigated numerically. On the basis of a database received from the on-line game server, we examine the structure of social network and human dynamics. We calculate the activity of individuals, i.e. the relative time devoted daily to interactions with others in the artificial society. We study the influence of correlation between the activity of an individual and its connectivity on the process of opinion formation. We find that such correlations have a significant influence on the temperature of the phase transition and the effect of the mass media, modeled as an external stimulation acting on the social network.

Touch Processing and Social Behavior in ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miguel, Helga O.; Sampaio, Adriana; Martínez-Regueiro, Rocío; Gómez-Guerrero, Lorena; López-Dóriga, Cristina Gutiérrez; Gómez, Sonia; Carracedo, Ángel; Fernández-Prieto, Montse

2017-01-01

Abnormal patterns of touch processing have been linked to core symptoms in ASD. This study examined the relation between tactile processing patterns and social problems in 44 children and adolescents with ASD, aged 6-14 (M = 8.39 ± 2.35). Multiple linear regression indicated significant associations between touch processing and social problems. No…

Patterns of Social Expectations among Maori and European Children in New Zealand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane; Petrie, Keith J.

1996-01-01

Assessed social expectations of 163 Maori and European New Zealanders aged 9 and 12 in response to videotaped social encounters. Ethnic differences were greater among younger children. Among Maori children, an enculturated pattern was associated with less assertiveness and lower self-concept, but was not with cross-ethnic acceptance. (SLD)

Idiosyncratic Brain Activation Patterns Are Associated with Poor Social Comprehension in Autism

PubMed Central

Tyszka, J. Michael; Adolphs, Ralph; Kennedy, Daniel P.

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) features profound social deficits but neuroimaging studies have failed to find any consistent neural signature. Here we connect these two facts by showing that idiosyncratic patterns of brain activation are associated with social comprehension deficits. Human participants with ASD (N = 17) and controls (N = 20) freely watched a television situation comedy (sitcom) depicting seminaturalistic social interactions (“The Office”, NBC Universal) in the scanner. Intersubject correlations in the pattern of evoked brain activation were reduced in the ASD group—but this effect was driven entirely by five ASD subjects whose idiosyncratic responses were also internally unreliable. The idiosyncrasy of these five ASD subjects was not explained by detailed neuropsychological profile, eye movements, or data quality; however, they were specifically impaired in understanding the social motivations of characters in the sitcom. Brain activation patterns in the remaining ASD subjects were indistinguishable from those of control subjects using multiple multivariate approaches. Our findings link neurofunctional abnormalities evoked by seminaturalistic stimuli with a specific impairment in social comprehension, and highlight the need to conceive of ASD as a heterogeneous classification. PMID:25855192

Formation of banded vegetation patterns resulted from interactions between sediment deposition and vegetation growth.

PubMed

Huang, Tousheng; Zhang, Huayong; Dai, Liming; Cong, Xuebing; Ma, Shengnan

2018-03-01

This research investigates the formation of banded vegetation patterns on hillslopes affected by interactions between sediment deposition and vegetation growth. The following two perspectives in the formation of these patterns are taken into consideration: (a) increased sediment deposition from plant interception, and (b) reduced plant biomass caused by sediment accumulation. A spatial model is proposed to describe how the interactions between sediment deposition and vegetation growth promote self-organization of banded vegetation patterns. Based on theoretical and numerical analyses of the proposed spatial model, vegetation bands can result from a Turing instability mechanism. The banded vegetation patterns obtained in this research resemble patterns reported in the literature. Moreover, measured by sediment dynamics, the variation of hillslope landform can be described. The model predicts how treads on hillslopes evolve with the banded patterns. Thus, we provide a quantitative interpretation for coevolution of vegetation patterns and landforms under effects of sediment redistribution. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Evaporation-induced patterns from droplets containing motile and nonmotile bacteria.

PubMed

Nellimoottil, Tittu Thomas; Rao, Pinjala Nagaraju; Ghosh, Siddhartha Sankar; Chattopadhyay, Arun

2007-08-14

In this letter, we report the observations of specific pattern formation from the evaporation of aqueous droplets containing motile and nonmotile bacteria. We found that when motile bacteria were present the droplet evaporated into disclike patterned deposits of bacteria. However, when the bacteria were made nonmotile by treatment with liquid nitrogen, the droplet evaporated into ringlike deposits. We also observed that bacteria with higher motility produced more uniformly deposited disclike patterns. Furthermore, we propose a model with numerical simulations to explain the mechanism of formation of these patterns. The model is based on the advective fluid flow from the center of the droplet toward the edge due to enhanced evaporation from the edge of the pinned droplet in comparison to that from the free surface. For the case of motile bacteria, we have added another velocity parameter toward the axis of the droplet and directed against the fluid flow in order to account for the disclike pattern formation. The numerical simulations match the experimental observations well. The present work, by qualitative and quantitative understanding of the evaporation of bacteria droplets, demonstrates that the inherent bacterial motility is primarily responsible for the formation of these differential patterns.

Dynamics of spiral patterns in gas discharge detected by optical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Wang, Mingyi; Liu, Shuhua

2016-09-01

The dynamics behavior of spiral patterns is investigated in gas discharge using optical method. Rich kinks of spiral patterns are obtained and the formation and evolution process is investigated. The process of pattern formation is breakdown -> hexagon -> bee comb-like -> strip -> spiral -> chaos. Spiral pattern always formed after the strip pattern. It is found that the temperature of the water electrodes plays an important role in the spiral patterns formation. When it exceeds 20°C no spiral has been obtained. The discharge current waveform and the emission spectrum of the discharge have been measured when the filaments self-organized in spiral pattern. Electron excited temperature of forming spiral pattern is calculated using intensity ratio method. It is found that the electron excited temperature of spiral pattern increase as the power supply frequency increased. Relation between wavelength and discharge parameter has been measured. It shows that the wavelength of spiral pattern increases as the discharge gap increases, and decreases as the air ratio mixed in argon increases. Accompanying measurements proved that the wavelength is approximately linear to the square root of the spiral rotating period .This work has useful reference value for studying pattern dynamics.

Spatial Heterogeneity and Imperfect Mixing in Chemical Reactions: Visualization of Density-Driven Pattern Formation

DOE PAGES

Sobel, Sabrina G.; Hastings, Harold M.; Testa, Matthew

2009-01-01

Imore » mperfect mixing is a concern in industrial processes, everyday processes (mixing paint, bread machines), and in understanding salt water-fresh water mixing in ecosystems. The effects of imperfect mixing become evident in the unstirred ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, the prototype for chemical pattern formation. Over time, waves of oxidation (high ferriin concentration, blue) propagate into a background of low ferriin concentration (red); their structure reflects in part the history of mixing in the reaction vessel. However, it may be difficult to separate mixing effects from reaction effects. We describe a simpler model system for visualizing density-driven pattern formation in an essentially unmixed chemical system: the reaction of pale yellow Fe 3 + with colorless SCN − to form the blood-red Fe ( SCN ) 2 + complex ion in aqueous solution. Careful addition of one drop of Fe ( NO 3 ) 3 to KSCN yields striped patterns after several minutes. The patterns appear reminiscent of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and convection rolls, arguing that pattern formation is caused by density-driven mixing.« less

Spatial Heterogeneity and Imperfect Mixing in Chemical Reactions: Visualization of Density-Driven Pattern Formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sobel, Sabrina G.; Hastings, Harold M.; Testa, Matthew

Imore » mperfect mixing is a concern in industrial processes, everyday processes (mixing paint, bread machines), and in understanding salt water-fresh water mixing in ecosystems. The effects of imperfect mixing become evident in the unstirred ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, the prototype for chemical pattern formation. Over time, waves of oxidation (high ferriin concentration, blue) propagate into a background of low ferriin concentration (red); their structure reflects in part the history of mixing in the reaction vessel. However, it may be difficult to separate mixing effects from reaction effects. We describe a simpler model system for visualizing density-driven pattern formation in an essentially unmixed chemical system: the reaction of pale yellow Fe 3 + with colorless SCN − to form the blood-red Fe ( SCN ) 2 + complex ion in aqueous solution. Careful addition of one drop of Fe ( NO 3 ) 3 to KSCN yields striped patterns after several minutes. The patterns appear reminiscent of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and convection rolls, arguing that pattern formation is caused by density-driven mixing.« less

Nation Building and Social Signaling in Southern Ontario: A.D. 1350-1650.

PubMed

Hart, John P; Shafie, Termeh; Birch, Jennifer; Dermarkar, Susan; Williamson, Ronald F

2016-01-01

Pottery is a mainstay of archaeological analysis worldwide. Often, high proportions of the pottery recovered from a given site are decorated in some manner. In northern Iroquoia, late pre-contact pottery and early contact decoration commonly occur on collars-thick bands of clay that encircle a pot and extend several centimeters down from the lip. These decorations constitute signals that conveyed information about a pot's user(s). In southern Ontario the period A.D. 1350 to 1650 witnessed substantial changes in socio-political and settlement systems that included population movement, coalescence of formerly separate communities into large villages and towns, waxing and waning of regional strife, the formation of nations, and finally the development of three confederacies that each occupied distinct, constricted areas. Social network analysis demonstrates that signaling practices changed to reflect these regional patterns. Networks become more consolidated through time ultimately resulting in a "small world" network with small degrees of separation between sites reflecting the integration of communities within and between the three confederacies.

Lysozyme pattern formation in evaporating droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorr, Heather Meloy

Liquid droplets containing suspended particles deposited on a solid, flat surface generally form ring-like structures due to the redistribution of solute during evaporation (the "coffee ring effect"). The forms of the deposited patterns depend on complex interactions between solute(s), solvent, and substrate in a rapidly changing, far from equilibrium system. Solute self-organization during evaporation of colloidal sessile droplets has attracted the attention of researchers over the past few decades due to a variety of technological applications. Recently, pattern formation during evaporation of various biofluids has been studied due to potential applications in medical screening and diagnosis. Due to the complexity of 'real' biological fluids and other multicomponent systems, a comprehensive understanding of pattern formation during droplet evaporation of these fluids is lacking. In this PhD dissertation, the morphology of the patterns remaining after evaporation of droplets of a simplified model biological fluid (aqueous lysozyme solutions + NaCl) are examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy. Lysozyme is a globular protein found in high concentration, for example, in human tears and saliva. The drop diameters, D, studied range from the micro- to the macro- scale (1 microm -- 2 mm). In this work, the effect of evaporation conditions, solution chemistry, and heat transfer within the droplet on pattern formation is examined. In micro-scale deposits of aqueous lysozyme solutions (1 microm < D < 50 microm), the protein motion and the resulting dried residue morphology are highly influenced by the decreased evaporation time of the drop. The effect of electrolytes on pattern formation is also investigated by adding varying concentrations NaCl to the lysozyme solutions. Finally, a novel pattern recognition program is described and implemented which classifies deposit images by their solution chemistries. The results presented in this PhD dissertation provide insight into the evaporative behavior and pattern formation in droplets of simplified model biological fluids (aqueous lysozyme + NaCl). The patterns that form depend sensitively on the evaporation conditions, characteristic time and length scales, and the physiochemical properties of the solutions. The patterns are unique, dependent on solution chemistry, and may therefore act as a "fingerprint" in identifying fluid properties.

Dynamic search and working memory in social recall.

PubMed

Hills, Thomas T; Pachur, Thorsten

2012-01-01

What are the mechanisms underlying search in social memory (e.g., remembering the people one knows)? Do the search mechanisms involve dynamic local-to-global transitions similar to semantic search, and are these transitions governed by the general control of attention, associated with working memory span? To find out, we asked participants to recall individuals from their personal social networks and measured each participant's working memory capacity. Additionally, participants provided social-category and contact-frequency information about the recalled individuals as well as information about the social proximity among the recalled individuals. On the basis of these data, we tested various computational models of memory search regarding their ability to account for the patterns in which participants recalled from social memory. Although recall patterns showed clustering based on social categories, models assuming dynamic transitions between representations cued by social proximity and frequency information predicted participants' recall patterns best-no additional explanatory power was gained from social-category information. Moreover, individual differences in the time between transitions were positively correlated with differences in working memory capacity. These results highlight the role of social proximity in structuring social memory and elucidate the role of working memory for maintaining search criteria during search within that structure.

Self-expression and relationship formation in high relational mobility environments: A study of dual users of American and Japanese social networking sites.

PubMed

Takemura, Kosuke; Suzuki, Satoko

2017-06-01

This study proposes that self-expression motivation, an aspect of independent/individualistic psychological tendencies, aids in the formation of social relationships when social relationships are open and mobile. In societies characterised by high relational mobility (e.g., North America), which creates market-like competition in social relationships, individuals must express their uniqueness and worthiness to form new social relationships. Self-expression motivation has a relatively weak effect on relationship formation in low relational mobility societies (e.g., Japan), where social relationships are generally predetermined. This hypothesis was examined and supported through a study on dual users of two social networking sites-Facebook and Mixi (the "Facebook of Japan"). As expected, relational mobility was higher on Facebook than on Mixi. Moreover, the association between self-expression motivation and the number of new friends met on Facebook/Mixi was more positive for Facebook than it was for Mixi. The social functionality of independent tendencies is then discussed. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

A Theoretical Model of Jigsaw-Puzzle Pattern Formation by Plant Leaf Epidermal Cells.

PubMed

Higaki, Takumi; Kutsuna, Natsumaro; Akita, Kae; Takigawa-Imamura, Hisako; Yoshimura, Kenji; Miura, Takashi

2016-04-01

Plant leaf epidermal cells exhibit a jigsaw puzzle-like pattern that is generated by interdigitation of the cell wall during leaf development. The contribution of two ROP GTPases, ROP2 and ROP6, to the cytoskeletal dynamics that regulate epidermal cell wall interdigitation has already been examined; however, how interactions between these molecules result in pattern formation remains to be elucidated. Here, we propose a simple interface equation model that incorporates both the cell wall remodeling activity of ROP GTPases and the diffusible signaling molecules by which they are regulated. This model successfully reproduces pattern formation observed in vivo, and explains the counterintuitive experimental results of decreased cellulose production and increased thickness. Our model also reproduces the dynamics of three-way cell wall junctions. Therefore, this model provides a possible mechanism for cell wall interdigitation formation in vivo.

Exploring Individual Differences in Online Addictions: the Role of Identity and Attachment.

PubMed

Monacis, Lucia; de Palo, Valeria; Griffiths, Mark D; Sinatra, Maria

2017-01-01

Research examining the development of online addictions has grown greatly over the last decade with many studies suggesting both risk factors and protective factors. In an attempt to integrate the theories of attachment and identity formation, the present study investigated the extent to which identity styles and attachment orientations account for three types of online addiction (i.e., internet addiction, online gaming addiction, and social media addiction). The sample comprised 712 Italian students (381 males and 331 females) recruited from schools and universities who completed an offline self-report questionnaire. The findings showed that addictions to the internet, online gaming, and social media were interrelated and were predicted by common underlying risk and protective factors. Among identity styles, 'informational' and 'diffuse-avoidant' styles were risk factors, whereas 'normative' style was a protective factor. Among attachment dimensions, the 'secure' attachment orientation negatively predicted the three online addictions, and a different pattern of causal relationships were observed between the styles underlying 'anxious' and 'avoidant' attachment orientations. Hierarchical multiple regressions demonstrated that identity styles explained between 21.2 and 30% of the variance in online addictions, whereas attachment styles incrementally explained between 9.2 and 14% of the variance in the scores on the three addiction scales. These findings highlight the important role played by identity formation in the development of online addictions.

Physical activity patterns in Greenland: a country in transition.

PubMed

Dahl-Petersen, Inger K; Jørgensen, Marit E; Bjerregaard, Peter

2011-11-01

To examine differences in physical activity patterns among Inuit in Greenland in relation to social transition. The Inuit in Greenland are an indigenous population in the circumpolar north who are experiencing rapid social transition. Physical activity patterns were assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (long version). The population was divided into six groups according to different stages of social change, measured on the basis of education, current residence and occupation. Data were collected in a country-wide cross-sectional population survey among adult Inuit in Greenland from 2005 to 2009. Men with long vocational or academic education living in towns (latest stage of social change) spent significantly less time on occupational physical activity (p = 0.001) compared with hunters and fishermen in villages (earliest stage of social change) (trend test p = 0.01). Women in the latest stage of change spent significantly less time on domestic physical activity (p < 0.001) (trend test p = 0.06) compared with women in the earliest stage of social change. This was also found for physical activity during transportation (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01 for men and women, respectively). No significant difference was found for leisure time physical activity. Men and women in the latest stage of social change spent more time on sedentary activity (p < 0.001). Differences in physical activity patterns among Inuit in Greenland included decreasing time spent on domestic and occupational physical activity and increasing time spent on sedentary activities along with social change. Knowledge of changes in physical activity patterns in relation to social transition is important in prevention of obesity, type 2 diabetes and lifestyle diseases.

Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics.

PubMed

Clark, Kevin B

2012-01-01

Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate's initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens' Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The present findings indicate sparseness performs a similar function in single aneural cells by tuning the size and density of encoded computational architectures useful for decision making in social contexts.

Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate’s initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens’ Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The present findings indicate sparseness performs a similar function in single aneural cells by tuning the size and density of encoded computational architectures useful for decision making in social contexts. PMID:22482001

Inferring personal economic status from social network location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Shaojun; Morone, Flaviano; Sarraute, Carlos; Travizano, Matías; Makse, Hernán A.

2017-05-01

It is commonly believed that patterns of social ties affect individuals' economic status. Here we translate this concept into an operational definition at the network level, which allows us to infer the economic well-being of individuals through a measure of their location and influence in the social network. We analyse two large-scale sources: telecommunications and financial data of a whole country's population. Our results show that an individual's location, measured as the optimal collective influence to the structural integrity of the social network, is highly correlated with personal economic status. The observed social network patterns of influence mimic the patterns of economic inequality. For pragmatic use and validation, we carry out a marketing campaign that shows a threefold increase in response rate by targeting individuals identified by our social network metrics as compared to random targeting. Our strategy can also be useful in maximizing the effects of large-scale economic stimulus policies.

Inferring personal economic status from social network location.

PubMed

Luo, Shaojun; Morone, Flaviano; Sarraute, Carlos; Travizano, Matías; Makse, Hernán A

2017-05-16

It is commonly believed that patterns of social ties affect individuals' economic status. Here we translate this concept into an operational definition at the network level, which allows us to infer the economic well-being of individuals through a measure of their location and influence in the social network. We analyse two large-scale sources: telecommunications and financial data of a whole country's population. Our results show that an individual's location, measured as the optimal collective influence to the structural integrity of the social network, is highly correlated with personal economic status. The observed social network patterns of influence mimic the patterns of economic inequality. For pragmatic use and validation, we carry out a marketing campaign that shows a threefold increase in response rate by targeting individuals identified by our social network metrics as compared to random targeting. Our strategy can also be useful in maximizing the effects of large-scale economic stimulus policies.

Movement Patterns, Social Dynamics, and the Evolution of Cooperation

PubMed Central

Smaldino, Paul E.; Schank, Jeffrey C.

2012-01-01

The structure of social interactions influences many aspects of social life, including the spread of information and behavior, and the evolution of social phenotypes. After dispersal, organisms move around throughout their lives, and the patterns of their movement influence their social encounters over the course of their lifespan. Though both space and mobility are known to influence social evolution, there is little analysis of the influence of specific movement patterns on evolutionary dynamics. We explored the effects of random movement strategies on the evolution of cooperation using an agent-based prisoner’s dilemma model with mobile agents. This is the first systematic analysis of a model in which cooperators and defectors can use different random movement strategies, which we chose to fall on a spectrum between highly exploratory and highly restricted in their search tendencies. Because limited dispersal and restrictions to local neighborhood size are known to influence the ability of cooperators to effectively assort, we also assessed the robustness of our findings with respect to dispersal and local capacity constraints. We show that differences in patterns of movement can dramatically influence the likelihood of cooperator success, and that the effects of different movement patterns are sensitive to environmental assumptions about offspring dispersal and local space constraints. Since local interactions implicitly generate dynamic social interaction networks, we also measured the average number of unique and total interactions over a lifetime and considered how these emergent network dynamics helped explain the results. This work extends what is known about mobility and the evolution of cooperation, and also has general implications for social models with randomly moving agents. PMID:22838026

Toward a Social Psychology of Childhood: From "Patterns of Child Rearing" to "1984."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartup, Willard W.

Using "Patterns of Childrearing," by Sears, Maccoby and Levin (1957) as a starting point, this paper touches on the schism between developmental and social psychology and attempts to assess the progress of research in social development during the past quarter century with respect to five major perspectives that are at once evolutionary,…

Job Search Patterns of College Graduates: The Role of Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coonfield, Emily S.

2012-01-01

This dissertation addresses job search patterns of college graduates and the implications of social capital by race and class. The purpose of this study is to explore (1) how the job search transpires for recent college graduates, (2) how potential social networks in a higher educational context, like KU, may make a difference for students with…

Using Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis to Leverage Social Indicator Databases: The Discovery of Interesting Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anselin, Luc; Sridharan, Sanjeev; Gholston, Susan

2007-01-01

With the proliferation of social indicator databases, the need for powerful techniques to study patterns of change has grown. In this paper, the utility of spatial data analytical methods such as exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) is suggested as a means to leverage the information contained in social indicator databases. The principles…

Racial Socialization and Racial Identity: African American Parents' Messages about Race as Precursors to Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neblett, Enrique W., Jr.; Smalls, Ciara P.; Ford, Kahlil R.; Nguyen, Hoa X.; Sellers, Robert M.

2009-01-01

This study uses two waves of data to examine the relationships among patterns of racial socialization experiences and racial identity in a sample of 358 African American adolescents (60% female and 40% male). Using latent class analyses, we identified three patterns of adolescent-reported racial socialization experiences: High Positive, Moderate…

Hormone-Mediated Pattern Formation in Seedling of Plants: a Competitive Growth Dynamics Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawaguchi, Satoshi; Mimura, Masayasu; Ohya, Tomoyuki; Oikawa, Noriko; Okabe, Hirotaka; Kai, Shoichi

2001-10-01

An ecologically relevant pattern formation process mediated by hormonal interactions among growing seedlings is modeled based on the experimental observations on the effects of indole acetic acid, which can act as an inhibitor and activator of root growth depending on its concentration. In the absence of any lateral root with constant hormone-sensitivity, the edge effect phenomenon is obtained depending on the secretion rate of hormone from the main root. Introduction of growth-stage-dependent hormone-sensitivity drastically amplifies the initial randomness, resulting in spatially irregular macroscopic patterns. When the lateral root growth is introduced, periodic patterns are obtained whose periodicity depends on the length of lateral roots. The growth-stage-dependent hormone-sensitivity and the lateral root growth are crucial for macroscopic periodic-pattern formation.

Self-organized surface ripple pattern formation by ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofsäss, Hans; Zhang, Kun; Bobes, Omar

2016-10-01

Ion induced ripple pattern formation on solid surfaces has been extensively studied in the past and the theories describing curvature dependent ion erosion as well as redistribution of recoil atoms have been very successful in explaining many features of the pattern formation. Since most experimental studies use noble gas ion irradiation, the incorporation of the ions into the films is usually neglected. In this work we show that the incorporation or implantation of non-volatile ions also leads to a curvature dependent term in the equation of motion of a surface height profile. The implantation of ions can be interpreted as a negative sputter yield; and therefore, the effect of ion implantation is opposite to the one of ion erosion. For angles up to about 50°, implantation of ions stabilizes the surface, whereas above 50°, ion implantation contributes to the destabilization of the surface. We present simulations of the curvature coefficients using the crater function formalism and we compare the simulation results to the experimental data on the ion induced pattern formation using non-volatile ions. We present several model cases, where the incorporation of ions is a crucial requirement for the pattern formation.

Pattern formation in a model for mountain pine beetle dispersal: linking model predictions to data.

PubMed

Strohm, S; Tyson, R C; Powell, J A

2013-10-01

Pattern formation occurs in a wide range of biological systems. This pattern formation can occur in mathematical models because of diffusion-driven instability or due to the interaction between reaction, diffusion, and chemotaxis. In this paper, we investigate the spatial pattern formation of attack clusters in a system for Mountain Pine Beetle. The pattern formation (aggregation) of the Mountain Pine Beetle in order to attack susceptible trees is crucial for their survival and reproduction. We use a reaction-diffusion equation with chemotaxis to model the interaction between Mountain Pine Beetle, Mountain Pine Beetle pheromones, and susceptible trees. Mathematical analysis is utilized to discover the spacing in-between beetle attacks on the susceptible landscape. The model predictions are verified by analysing aerial detection survey data of Mountain Pine Beetle Attack from the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. We find that the distance between Mountain Pine Beetle attack clusters predicted by our model closely corresponds to the observed attack data in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. These results clarify the spatial mechanisms controlling the transition from incipient to epidemic populations and may lead to control measures which protect forests from Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak.

Patterns of Social Support in the Middle Childhood to Early Adolescent Transition: Implications for Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitt, Mary J.; Levitt, Jerome; Bustos, Gaston L.; Crooks, Noel A.; Santos, Jennifer D.; Telan, Paige; Hodgetts, Jennifer; Milevsky, Avidan

2005-01-01

Children's social networks often include close family members, extended family members, and friends, but little is known about interindividual differences in the patterning of support from these sources. In this study, we used person-oriented analyses to differentiate patterns of support for children undergoing the transition to adolescence.…

Is pigment patterning in fish skin determined by the Turing mechanism?

PubMed

Watanabe, Masakatsu; Kondo, Shigeru

2015-02-01

More than half a century ago, Alan Turing postulated that pigment patterns may arise from a mechanism that could be mathematically modeled based on the diffusion of two substances that interact with each other. Over the past 15 years, the molecular and genetic tools to verify this prediction have become available. Here, we review experimental studies aimed at identifying the mechanism underlying pigment pattern formation in zebrafish. Extensive molecular genetic studies in this model organism have revealed the interactions between the pigment cells that are responsible for the patterns. The mechanism discovered is substantially different from that predicted by the mathematical model, but it retains the property of 'local activation and long-range inhibition', a necessary condition for Turing pattern formation. Although some of the molecular details of pattern formation remain to be elucidated, current evidence confirms that the underlying mechanism is mathematically equivalent to the Turing mechanism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

From Patterns to Function in Living Systems: Dryland Ecosystems as a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meron, Ehud

2018-03-01

Spatial patterns are ubiquitous in animate matter. Besides their intricate structure and beauty they generally play functional roles. The capacity of living systems to remain functional in changing environments is a question of utmost importance, but its intimate relationship to pattern formation is largely unexplored. Here, we address this relationship using dryland vegetation as a case study. Following a brief introduction to pattern-formation theory, we describe a mathematical model that captures several mechanisms of vegetation pattern formation and discuss ecological contexts that showcase different mechanisms. Using this model, we unravel the different vegetation patterns that keep dryland ecosystems viable along the rainfall gradient, identify multistability ranges where fronts separating domains of alternative stable states exist, and highlight the roles of front dynamics in mitigating or reversing desertification. The utility of satellite images in testing model predictions is discussed. An outlook on outstanding open problems concludes this paper.

Social and economic behavior shift in the suburban society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harianto, S.; Imron, A.; Setiawan, K. G.; Sadewo, F. X. S.

2018-01-01

One of the changes in the suburban area is marked by changes in land conversion, from agriculture pattern to non-farming pattern, which also affects changes in people’s livelihoods and occupation such as a craftsman and shoe trader. Using a qualitative approach, this study focuses to examine how changes in social and economic behavior of suburban communities as a result of urban development. This study founded that there was a change of livelihood in village people occupation from farmers to craftsmen and slippers traders. These changes have an impact on changing patterns of social relationships such as social interaction, social awareness, and social solidarity. In addition, the increase in income of village residents also impact on lifestyle changes such as diet and entertainment. Thus it can be concluded that urban development has an impact on suburban societies in social relations and income generation. The results of this study can be used as a reference for the city government and district governments in arranging the layout and build prosperity of the community suburban.

Promote or hinder? The role of punishment in the emergence of cooperation.

PubMed

Gao, Shiping; Wu, Te; Nie, Suli; Wang, Long

2015-12-07

Investigation of anti-social punishment has shaken the positive role of punishment in the evolution of cooperation. However, punishment is ubiquitous in nature, and the centralized, apposed to decentralized, punishment is more favored by certain modern societies in particular. To explore the underlying principle of such phenomenon, we study the evolution of cooperation in the context of pro- and anti-social punishments subject to two distinct patterns: costly centralized and decentralized punishments. The results suggest that the pattern of punishment has a great effect on the role of punishment in the evolution of cooperation. In the absence of anti-social punishment, the costly centralized punishment is more effective in promoting the emergence of cooperation. Anti-social punishment can subvert the positive role of punishment when anti- and pro-social punishments are in the same pattern. However, driven by centralized pro-social punishment, cooperation can be more advantageous than defection even in the presence of decentralized anti-social punishment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of a Genetic Algorithm and Multi Agent System to Explore Emergent Patterns of Social Rationality and a Distress-Based Model for Deceit in the Workplace

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

postponed the fulfillment of her own Masters Degree by at least 18 months so that I would have the opportunity to earn mine. She is smart , lovely...GENETIC ALGORITHM AND MULTI AGENT SYSTEM TO EXPLORE EMERGENT PATTERNS OF SOCIAL RATIONALITY AND A DISTRESS-BASED MODEL FOR DECEIT IN THE WORKPLACE...of a Genetic Algorithm and Mutli Agent System to Explore Emergent Patterns of Social Rationality and a Distress-Based Model for Deceit in the

Bridging and bonding interactions in higher education: social capital and students’ academic and professional identity formation

PubMed Central

Jensen, Dorthe H.; Jetten, Jolanda

2015-01-01

It is increasingly recognized that graduates’ achievements depend in important ways on their opportunities to develop an academic and a professional identity during their studies. Previous research has shown that students’ socio-economic status (SES) and social capital prior to entering university affects their ability to obtain these identities in higher education. However, what is less well understood is whether social capital that is built during university studies shapes identity development, and if so, whether the social capital gained during university years impacts on academic and professional identity differently. In a qualitative study, we interviewed 26 Danish and 11 Australian university students about their social interaction experiences, their opportunities to develop bonding capital as well as bridging capital, and their academic and professional identity. Findings show that while bonding social capital with co-students facilitated academic identity formation, such social capital does not lead to professional identity development. We also found that the development of bridging social capital with educators facilitated students’ professional identity formation. However, bonding social capital among students stood in the way of participating in bridging interaction with educators, thereby further hindering professional identity formation. Finally, while students’ parental background did not affect the perceived difficulty of forming professional identity, there was a tendency for students from lower SES backgrounds to be more likely to make internal attributions while those from higher SES backgrounds were more likely to make external attributions for the failure to develop professional identity. Results point to the importance of creating opportunities for social interaction with educators at university because this facilitates the generation of bridging social capital, which, in turn, is essential for students’ professional identity development. PMID:25762954

Bridging and bonding interactions in higher education: social capital and students' academic and professional identity formation.

PubMed

Jensen, Dorthe H; Jetten, Jolanda

2015-01-01

It is increasingly recognized that graduates' achievements depend in important ways on their opportunities to develop an academic and a professional identity during their studies. Previous research has shown that students' socio-economic status (SES) and social capital prior to entering university affects their ability to obtain these identities in higher education. However, what is less well understood is whether social capital that is built during university studies shapes identity development, and if so, whether the social capital gained during university years impacts on academic and professional identity differently. In a qualitative study, we interviewed 26 Danish and 11 Australian university students about their social interaction experiences, their opportunities to develop bonding capital as well as bridging capital, and their academic and professional identity. Findings show that while bonding social capital with co-students facilitated academic identity formation, such social capital does not lead to professional identity development. We also found that the development of bridging social capital with educators facilitated students' professional identity formation. However, bonding social capital among students stood in the way of participating in bridging interaction with educators, thereby further hindering professional identity formation. Finally, while students' parental background did not affect the perceived difficulty of forming professional identity, there was a tendency for students from lower SES backgrounds to be more likely to make internal attributions while those from higher SES backgrounds were more likely to make external attributions for the failure to develop professional identity. Results point to the importance of creating opportunities for social interaction with educators at university because this facilitates the generation of bridging social capital, which, in turn, is essential for students' professional identity development.

Understanding the process of social network evolution: Online-offline integrated analysis of social tie formation

PubMed Central

Kwak, Doyeon

2017-01-01

It is important to consider the interweaving nature of online and offline social networks when we examine social network evolution. However, it is difficult to find any research that examines the process of social tie formation from an integrated perspective. In our study, we quantitatively measure offline interactions and examine the corresponding evolution of online social network in order to understand the significance of interrelationship between online and offline social factors in generating social ties. We analyze the radio signal strength indicator sensor data from a series of social events to understand offline interactions among the participants and measure the structural attributes of their existing online Facebook social networks. By monitoring the changes in their online social networks before and after offline interactions in a series of social events, we verify that the ability to develop an offline interaction into an online friendship is tied to the number of social connections that participants previously had, while the presence of shared mutual friends between a pair of participants disrupts potential new connections within the pre-designed offline social events. Thus, while our integrative approach enables us to confirm the theory of preferential attachment in the process of network formation, the common neighbor theory is not supported. Our dual-dimensional network analysis allows us to observe the actual process of social network evolution rather than to make predictions based on the assumption of self-organizing networks. PMID:28542367

Understanding the process of social network evolution: Online-offline integrated analysis of social tie formation.

PubMed

Kwak, Doyeon; Kim, Wonjoon

2017-01-01

It is important to consider the interweaving nature of online and offline social networks when we examine social network evolution. However, it is difficult to find any research that examines the process of social tie formation from an integrated perspective. In our study, we quantitatively measure offline interactions and examine the corresponding evolution of online social network in order to understand the significance of interrelationship between online and offline social factors in generating social ties. We analyze the radio signal strength indicator sensor data from a series of social events to understand offline interactions among the participants and measure the structural attributes of their existing online Facebook social networks. By monitoring the changes in their online social networks before and after offline interactions in a series of social events, we verify that the ability to develop an offline interaction into an online friendship is tied to the number of social connections that participants previously had, while the presence of shared mutual friends between a pair of participants disrupts potential new connections within the pre-designed offline social events. Thus, while our integrative approach enables us to confirm the theory of preferential attachment in the process of network formation, the common neighbor theory is not supported. Our dual-dimensional network analysis allows us to observe the actual process of social network evolution rather than to make predictions based on the assumption of self-organizing networks.

Integrating Entropy and Closed Frequent Pattern Mining for Social Network Modelling and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adnan, Muhaimenul; Alhajj, Reda; Rokne, Jon

The recent increase in the explicitly available social networks has attracted the attention of the research community to investigate how it would be possible to benefit from such a powerful model in producing effective solutions for problems in other domains where the social network is implicit; we argue that social networks do exist around us but the key issue is how to realize and analyze them. This chapter presents a novel approach for constructing a social network model by an integrated framework that first preparing the data to be analyzed and then applies entropy and frequent closed patterns mining for network construction. For a given problem, we first prepare the data by identifying items and transactions, which arc the basic ingredients for frequent closed patterns mining. Items arc main objects in the problem and a transaction is a set of items that could exist together at one time (e.g., items purchased in one visit to the supermarket). Transactions could be analyzed to discover frequent closed patterns using any of the well-known techniques. Frequent closed patterns have the advantage that they successfully grab the inherent information content of the dataset and is applicable to a broader set of domains. Entropies of the frequent closed patterns arc used to keep the dimensionality of the feature vectors to a reasonable size; it is a kind of feature reduction process. Finally, we analyze the dynamic behavior of the constructed social network. Experiments were conducted on a synthetic dataset and on the Enron corpus email dataset. The results presented in the chapter show that social networks extracted from a feature set as frequent closed patterns successfully carry the community structure information. Moreover, for the Enron email dataset, we present an analysis to dynamically indicate the deviations from each user's individual and community profile. These indications of deviations can be very useful to identify unusual events.

What Drives Students' Loyalty-Formation in Social Media Learning within a Personal Learning Environment Approach? The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arquero, José L.; del Barrio-García, Salvador; Romero-Frías, Esteban

2017-01-01

Our study analyzes an educational experience based on the integrated use of social media within a higher education course under a personal learning environment approach and investigates the factors that determine students' loyalty to social media learning. We examined the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) in students' formation of…

A Theoretical Model of Jigsaw-Puzzle Pattern Formation by Plant Leaf Epidermal Cells

PubMed Central

Higaki, Takumi; Kutsuna, Natsumaro; Akita, Kae; Takigawa-Imamura, Hisako; Yoshimura, Kenji; Miura, Takashi

2016-01-01

Plant leaf epidermal cells exhibit a jigsaw puzzle–like pattern that is generated by interdigitation of the cell wall during leaf development. The contribution of two ROP GTPases, ROP2 and ROP6, to the cytoskeletal dynamics that regulate epidermal cell wall interdigitation has already been examined; however, how interactions between these molecules result in pattern formation remains to be elucidated. Here, we propose a simple interface equation model that incorporates both the cell wall remodeling activity of ROP GTPases and the diffusible signaling molecules by which they are regulated. This model successfully reproduces pattern formation observed in vivo, and explains the counterintuitive experimental results of decreased cellulose production and increased thickness. Our model also reproduces the dynamics of three-way cell wall junctions. Therefore, this model provides a possible mechanism for cell wall interdigitation formation in vivo. PMID:27054467

Searching social networks for subgraph patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogaard, Kirk; Kase, Sue; Roy, Heather; Nagi, Rakesh; Sambhoos, Kedar; Sudit, Moises

2013-06-01

Software tools for Social Network Analysis (SNA) are being developed which support various types of analysis of social networks extracted from social media websites (e.g., Twitter). Once extracted and stored in a database such social networks are amenable to analysis by SNA software. This data analysis often involves searching for occurrences of various subgraph patterns (i.e., graphical representations of entities and relationships). The authors have developed the Graph Matching Toolkit (GMT) which provides an intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a heuristic graph matching algorithm called the Truncated Search Tree (TruST) algorithm. GMT is a visual interface for graph matching algorithms processing large social networks. GMT enables an analyst to draw a subgraph pattern by using a mouse to select categories and labels for nodes and links from drop-down menus. GMT then executes the TruST algorithm to find the top five occurrences of the subgraph pattern within the social network stored in the database. GMT was tested using a simulated counter-insurgency dataset consisting of cellular phone communications within a populated area of operations in Iraq. The results indicated GMT (when executing the TruST graph matching algorithm) is a time-efficient approach to searching large social networks. GMT's visual interface to a graph matching algorithm enables intelligence analysts to quickly analyze and summarize the large amounts of data necessary to produce actionable intelligence.

Pattern formation in a monolayer of magnetic spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stambaugh, Justin; Lathrop, Daniel P.; Ott, Edward; Losert, Wolfgang

2003-08-01

Pattern formation is investigated for a vertically vibrated monolayer of magnetic spheres. The spheres of diameter D encase cylindrical magnetic cores of length l. For large D/l, we find that the particles form a hexagonal-close-packed pattern in which the particles’ dipole vectors assume a macroscopic circulating vortical pattern. For smaller D/l, the particles form concentric rings. The static configurational magnetic energy (which depends on D/l) appears to be a determining factor in pattern selection even though the experimental system is driven and dissipative.

Social grooming among wild bonobos (Pan paniscus) at Wamba in the Luo Scientific Reserve, DR Congo, with special reference to the formation of grooming gatherings.

PubMed

Sakamaki, Tetsuya

2013-10-01

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) groom in gatherings in which many individuals may be connected via multiple chains of grooming and they often exchange partners with each other. They sometimes groom another while receiving grooming; that is, one animal can play two roles (i.e., groomer and groomee) simultaneously. Although this feature of chimpanzees is notable from the viewpoint of the evolution of human sociality, information on our other closest living relative, the bonobo (Pan paniscus), is still lacking. In this study, I describe grooming interactions of bonobos at Wamba in the Luo Scientific Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), with a particular focus on the formation of grooming gatherings. Like chimpanzees, the bonobos also performed mutual grooming (two individuals grooming each other simultaneously) and polyadic grooming (three or more individuals). However, unlike chimpanzees, these sessions lasted for only a short time. Bonobos rarely groomed another while receiving grooming. Because social grooming occurred not only in trees but also in open spaces, including treefall gaps, the conditions did not necessarily limit the opportunity to make multiple chains of grooming. However, bonobos also engaged in social grooming in different ways from chimpanzees; That is, many individuals were involved simultaneously at a site, in which they separated for dyadic grooming. Some cases clearly showed that bonobos preferred a third party not to join while grooming in a dyad, suggesting that bonobos have a preference for grooming in dyads and that immature individuals formed the preference that was shared among adults while growing up. Most members of the study group ranged together during the majority of the study period. Although bonobos show a fission-fusion grouping pattern, when group members frequently encounter one another on a daily basis, they may not be motivated to form multiple grooming chains at this site, as do chimpanzees.

Alternative Mating Tactics in Male Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) Are Evident in Both Long-Term Body Color and Short-Term Courtship Pattern

PubMed Central

Keren-Rotem, Tammy; Levy, Noga; Wolf, Lior; Bouskila, Amos; Geffen, Eli

2016-01-01

Alternative mating tactics in males of various taxa are associated with body color, body size, and social status. Chameleons are known for their ability to change body color following immediate environmental or social stimuli. In this study, we examined whether the differential appearance of male common chameleon during the breeding season is indeed an expression of alternative mating tactics. We documented body color of males and used computer vision techniques to classify images of individuals into discrete color patterns associated with seasons, individual characteristics, and social contexts. Our findings revealed no differences in body color and color patterns among males during the non-breeding season. However, during the breeding season males appeared in several color displays, which reflected body size, social status, and behavioral patterns. Furthermore, smaller and younger males resembled the appearance of small females. Consequently, we suggest that long-term color change in males during the breeding season reflects male alternative mating tactics. Upon encounter with a receptive female, males rapidly alter their appearance to that of a specific brief courtship display, which reflects their social status. The females, however, copulated indiscriminately in respect to male color patterns. Thus, we suggest that the differential color patterns displayed by males during the breeding season are largely aimed at inter-male signaling. PMID:27409771

Developing a model of adolescent friendship formation on the internet.

PubMed

Peter, Jochen; Valkenburg, Patti M; Schouten, Alexander P

2005-10-01

Previous research has been largely silent about what precisely influences online friendship formation and has ignored motives for online communication as potential explanations. Drawing on a sample of 493 adolescents, this study tested a path model of adolescent friendship formation including as predictors introversion/extraversion, online self-disclosure, motive for social compensation, and frequency of online communication. Our path analysis showed that extraverted adolescents self-disclosed and communicated online more frequently, which, in turn, facilitated the formation of online friendships. Introverted adolescents, by contrast, were more strongly motivated to communicate online to compensate for lacking social skills. This increased their chances of making friends online. Among introverted adolescents, a stronger motive for social compensation also led to more frequent online communication and online self-disclosure, resulting in more online friendships. The model suggests that the antecedents of online friendship formation are more complex than previously assumed and that motives for online communication should be studied more closely.

The Measles Vaccination Narrative in Twitter: A Quantitative Analysis.

PubMed

Radzikowski, Jacek; Stefanidis, Anthony; Jacobsen, Kathryn H; Croitoru, Arie; Crooks, Andrew; Delamater, Paul L

2016-01-01

The emergence of social media is providing an alternative avenue for information exchange and opinion formation on health-related issues. Collective discourse in such media leads to the formation of a complex narrative, conveying public views and perceptions. This paper presents a study of Twitter narrative regarding vaccination in the aftermath of the 2015 measles outbreak, both in terms of its cyber and physical characteristics. We aimed to contribute to the analysis of the data, as well as presenting a quantitative interdisciplinary approach to analyze such open-source data in the context of health narratives. We collected 669,136 tweets referring to vaccination from February 1 to March 9, 2015. These tweets were analyzed to identify key terms, connections among such terms, retweet patterns, the structure of the narrative, and connections to the geographical space. The data analysis captures the anatomy of the themes and relations that make up the discussion about vaccination in Twitter. The results highlight the higher impact of stories contributed by news organizations compared to direct tweets by health organizations in communicating health-related information. They also capture the structure of the antivaccination narrative and its terms of reference. Analysis also revealed the relationship between community engagement in Twitter and state policies regarding child vaccination. Residents of Vermont and Oregon, the two states with the highest rates of non-medical exemption from school-entry vaccines nationwide, are leading the social media discussion in terms of participation. The interdisciplinary study of health-related debates in social media across the cyber-physical debate nexus leads to a greater understanding of public concerns, views, and responses to health-related issues. Further coalescing such capabilities shows promise towards advancing health communication, thus supporting the design of more effective strategies that take into account the complex and evolving public views of health issues.

Using Social Networking Environments to Support Collaborative Learning in a Chinese University Class: Interaction Pattern and Influencing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Jie; Churchill, Daniel

2014-01-01

This paper reports a study that investigated the social interaction pattern of collaborative learning and the factors affecting the effectiveness of collaborative learning in a social networking environment (SNE). A class of 55 undergraduate students enrolled in an elective course at a Chinese university was recruited for the study. The…

Comparing the Quality of Third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders' Social Interactions and Cognitive Strategy Use during Structured Online Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coiro, Julie; Sekeres, Diane Carver; Castek, Jill; Guzniczak, Lizabeth

2014-01-01

This study examined the social and cognitive interaction patterns of third, fourth, and fifth graders as they collaboratively read on the Internet and responded to an inquiry prompt. Data analysis revealed patterns of cognitive strategy use that intersected with social forms and functions of dialogue. Dyads that exhibited higher levels of…

Levels and Patterns of Participation and Social Interaction in an Online Learning Community for Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, I-Chun

2011-01-01

This study investigates how pre-service and in-service teachers participate in an online community for learning to teach. Members' levels and patterns of participation and social interaction were examined via social network analysis of activity logs and content analysis of interviews. The results of the analyses show that (a) members' levels and…

Oxytocin, testosterone, and human social cognition.

PubMed

Crespi, Bernard J

2016-05-01

I describe an integrative social-evolutionary model for the adaptive significance of the human oxytocinergic system. The model is based on a role for this hormone in the generation and maintenance of social familiarity and affiliation across five homologous, functionally similar, and sequentially co-opted contexts: mothers with offspring, female and male mates, kin groups, individuals with reciprocity partners, and individuals within cooperating and competing social groups defined by culture. In each situation, oxytocin motivates, mediates and rewards the cognitive and behavioural processes that underlie the formation and dynamics of a more or less stable social group, and promotes a relationship between two or more individuals. Such relationships may be positive (eliciting neurological reward, reducing anxiety and thus indicating fitness-enhancing effects), or negative (increasing anxiety and distress, and thus motivating attempts to alleviate a problematic, fitness-reducing social situation). I also present evidence that testosterone exhibits opposite effects from oxytocin on diverse aspects of cognition and behaviour, most generally by favouring self-oriented, asocial and antisocial behaviours. I apply this model for effects of oxytocin and testosterone to understanding human psychological disorders centrally involving social behaviour. Reduced oxytocin and higher testosterone levels have been associated with under-developed social cognition, especially in autism. By contrast, some combination of oxytocin increased above normal levels, and lower testosterone, has been reported in a notable number of studies of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and, in some cases, higher oxytocin involves maladaptively 'hyper-developed' social cognition in these conditions. This pattern of findings suggests that human social cognition and behaviour are structured, in part, by joint and opposing effects of oxytocin and testosterone, and that extremes of such joint effects partially mediate risks and phenotypes of autism and psychotic-affective conditions. These considerations have direct implications for the development of therapies for alleviating disorders of social cognition, and for understanding how such disorders are associated with the evolution of human cognitive-affective architecture. © 2015 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

A randomized trial on screening for social determinants of health: the iScreen study.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Laura; Hessler, Danielle; Long, Dayna; Amaya, Anais; Adler, Nancy

2014-12-01

There is growing interest in clinical screening for pediatric social determinants of health, but little evidence on formats that maximize disclosure rates on a wide range of potentially sensitive topics. We designed a study to examine disclosure rates and hypothesized that there would be no difference in disclosure rates on face-to-face versus electronic screening formats for items other than highly sensitive items. We conducted a randomized trial of electronic versus face-to-face social screening formats in a pediatric emergency department. Consenting English-speaking and Spanish-speaking adult caregivers familiar with the presenting child's household were randomized to social screening via tablet computer (with option for audio assist) versus a face-to-face interview conducted by a fully bilingual/bicultural researcher. Almost all caregivers (96.8%) reported at least 1 social need, but rates of reporting on the more sensitive issues (household violence and substance abuse) were significantly higher in electronic format, and disclosure was marginally higher in electronic format for financial insecurity and neighborhood and school safety. There was a significant difference in the proportion of social needs items with higher endorsement in the computer-based group (70%) than the face-to-face group (30%). Pediatric clinical sites interested in incorporating caregiver-reported socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral needs screening should consider electronic screening when feasible, particularly when assessing sensitive topics such as child safety and household member substance use. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Alternative Framings, Countervailing Visions: Locating the "P" in Professional Identity Formation.

PubMed

Hafferty, Frederic W; Michalec, Barret; Martimianakis, Maria Athina Tina; Tilburt, Jon C

2016-02-01

Professional identity formation in medical education is referenced increasingly as an object for educational reform. The authors introduce core concepts from two largely untapped literatures on identity and formation, contrasting framings on occupational preparation from within the organizational socialization literature with issues of socialization and professional acculturation from a military sciences perspective.The organizational sciences literature emphasizes socializing a workforce to "fit in," raising questions about how organization values might clash with core professional values concerning patient primary and social justice. The military literature, in turn, advances the notions of professional identity as a collective property, and that a particular social other (the public) must participate in shaping the group's identity as a profession.The authors extrapolate from these reviews that the training of physicians-as-professionals, and thus issues of socialization and identity formation, require intentionality and specificity around these contrasting issues. In turn, they argue that medical educators must attend to socializing trainees to a professional group identity while at the same time producing health care professionals who retain the capacity to resist the bureaucratic application of standardized solutions to contemporary problems. Educators must thus strive to identify the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary that will allow physicians-qua-professionals to function as a quasi-subversive work force and to disrupt the very system that helped to shape their identity, so that they may fulfill their mission to their patients.

On the mechanical theory for biological pattern formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentil, D. E.; Murray, J. D.

1993-02-01

We investigate the pattern-forming potential of mechanical models in embryology proposed by Oster, Murray and their coworkers. We show that the presence of source terms in the tissue extracellular matrix and cell density equations give rise to spatio-temporal oscillations. An extension of one such model to include ‘biologically realistic long range effects induces the formation of stationary spatial patterns. Previous attempts to solve the full system were in one dimension only. We obtain solutions in one dimension and extend our simulations to two dimensions. We show that a single mechanical model alone is capable of generating complex but regular spatial patterns rather than the requirement of model interaction as suggested by Nagorcka et al. and Shaw and Murray. We discuss some biological applications of the models among which are would healing and formation of dermatoglyphic (fingerprint) patterns.

Fluorine-containing composition for forming anti-reflection film on resist surface and pattern formation method

DOEpatents

Nishi, Mineo; Makishima, Hideo

1996-01-01

A composition for forming anti-reflection film on resist surface which comprises an aqueous solution of a water soluble fluorine compound, and a pattern formation method which comprises the steps of coating a photoresist composition on a substrate; coating the above-mentioned composition for forming anti-reflection film; exposing the coated film to form a specific pattern; and developing the photoresist, are provided. Since the composition for forming anti-reflection film can be coated on the photoresist in the form of an aqueous solution, not only the anti-reflection film can be formed easily, but also, the film can be removed easily by rinsing with water or alkali development. Therefore, by the pattern formation method according to the present invention, it is possible to form a pattern easily with a high dimensional accuracy.

Pattern formation in a liquid-crystal light valve with feedback, including polarization, saturation, and internal threshold effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neubecker, R.; Oppo, G.-L.; Thuering, B.; Tschudi, T.

1995-07-01

The use of liquid-crystal light valves (LCLV's) as nonlinear elements in diffractive optical systems with feedback leads to the formation of a variety of optical patterns. The spectrum of possible spatial instabilities is shown to be even richer when the LCLV's capability for polarization modulation is utilized and internal threshold and saturation effects are considered. We derive a model for the feedback system based on a realistic description of the LCLV's internal function and coupling to a polarizer. Thresholds of pattern formation are compared to the common Kerr-type approximation and show transitions involving rolls, squares, hexagons, and tiled patterns. Numerical and experimental results confirm our theoretical predictions and unveil how patterns and their typical length scales can be easily controlled by changes of the parameters.

Rurality and Patterns of Social Disruption.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Kenneth P.

1984-01-01

Argues that structural cleavages provoke social disruptions where opportunities are conducive. Thus, combinations of rurality with particular structural cleavages predict specific disruption patterns. Data from northeastern United States indicate that rurality, combined with other population characteristics (provocation, ascriptive inequality,…

Adult sex ratios and partner scarcity among hunter-gatherers: implications for dispersal patterns and the evolution of human sociality.

PubMed

Kramer, Karen L; Schacht, Ryan; Bell, Adrian

2017-09-19

Small populations are susceptible to high genetic loads and random fluctuations in birth and death rates. While these selective forces can adversely affect their viability, small populations persist across taxa. Here, we investigate the resilience of small groups to demographic uncertainty, and specifically to fluctuations in adult sex ratio (ASR), partner availability and dispersal patterns. Using 25 years of demographic data for two Savannah Pumé groups of South American hunter-gatherers, we show that in small human populations: (i) ASRs fluctuate substantially from year to year, but do not consistently trend in a sex-biased direction; (ii) the primary driver of local variation in partner availability is stochasticity in the sex ratio at maturity; and (iii) dispersal outside of the group is an important behavioural means to mediate locally constrained mating options. To then simulate conditions under which dispersal outside of the local group may have evolved, we develop two mathematical models. Model results predict that if the ASR is biased, the globally rarer sex should disperse. The model's utility is then evaluated by applying our empirical data to this central prediction. The results are consistent with the observed hunter-gatherer pattern of variation in the sex that disperses. Together, these findings offer an alternative explanation to resource provisioning for the evolution of traits central to human sociality (e.g. flexible dispersal, bilocal post-marital residence and cooperation across local groups). We argue that in small populations, looking outside of one's local group is necessary to find a mate and that, motivated by ASR imbalance, the alliances formed to facilitate the movement of partners are an important foundation for the human-typical pattern of network formation across local groups.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'. © 2017 The Author(s).

The social patterning of fat and lean mass in a contemporary cohort of children.

PubMed

Ness, Andy R; Leary, Sam; Reilly, John; Wells, Jonathan; Tobias, Jon; Clark, Emma; Smith, George Davey

2006-01-01

Studies of the social patterning of obesity in children using body mass index have reported inconsistent results. We explored the association of social class with fat mass and lean mass in a contemporary cohort of children measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. We observed a clear social gradient of fat mass (with children of higher social class having a lower fat mass), but no gradient in lean mass or trunk fat mass. Our data show that inequalities in adiposity are present in primary school children and suggest that social inequalities in childhood obesity may have been underestimated in previous studies.

Formative process evaluation for implementing a social marketing intervention to increase walking among African Americans in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial.

PubMed

Coulon, Sandra M; Wilson, Dawn K; Griffin, Sarah; St George, Sara M; Alia, Kassandra A; Trumpeter, Nevelyn N; Wandersman, Abraham K; Forthofer, Melinda; Robinson, Shamika; Gadson, Barney

2012-12-01

Evaluating programs targeting physical activity may help to reduce disparate rates of obesity among African Americans. We report formative process evaluation methods and implementation dose, fidelity, and reach in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial. We applied evaluation methods based on an ecological framework in 2 community-based police-patrolled walking programs targeting access and safety in underserved African American communities. One program also targeted social connectedness and motivation to walk using a social marketing approach. Process data were systematically collected from baseline to 12 months. Adequate implementation dose was achieved, with fidelity achieved but less stable in both programs. Monthly walkers increased to 424 in the walking-plus-social marketing program, indicating expanding program reach, in contrast to no increase in the walking-only program. Increased reach was correlated with peer-led Pride Strides (r = .92; P < .001), a key social marketing component, and program social interaction was the primary reason for which walkers reported participating. Formative process evaluation demonstrated that the walking programs were effectively implemented and that social marketing increased walking and perceived social connectedness in African American communities.

Integument pattern formation involves genetic and epigenetic controls: feather arrays simulated by digital hormone models

PubMed Central

Jiang, Ting-Xin; Widelitz, Randall B.; Shen, Wei-Min; Will, Peter; Wu, Da-Yu; Lin, Chih-Min; Jung, Han-Sung; Chuong, Cheng-Ming

2015-01-01

Pattern formation is a fundamental morphogenetic process. Models based on genetic and epigenetic control have been proposed but remain controversial. Here we use feather morphogenesis for further evaluation. Adhesion molecules and/or signaling molecules were first expressed homogenously in feather tracts (restrictive mode, appear earlier) or directly in bud or inter-bud regions (de novo mode, appear later). They either activate or inhibit bud formation, but paradoxically co-localize in the bud. Using feather bud reconstitution, we showed that completely dissociated cells can reform periodic patterns without reference to previous positional codes. The patterning process has the characteristics of being self-organizing, dynamic and plastic. The final pattern is an equilibrium state reached by competition, and the number and size of buds can be altered based on cell number and activator/inhibitor ratio, respectively. We developed a Digital Hormone Model which consists of (1) competent cells without identity that move randomly in a space, (2) extracellular signaling hormones which diffuse by a reaction-diffusion mechanism and activate or inhibit cell adhesion, and (3) cells which respond with topological stochastic actions manifested as changes in cell adhesion. Based on probability, the results are cell clusters arranged in dots or stripes. Thus genetic control provides combinational molecular information which defines the properties of the cells but not the final pattern. Epigenetic control governs interactions among cells and their environment based on physical-chemical rules (such as those described in the Digital Hormone Model). Complex integument patterning is the sum of these two components of control and that is why integument patterns are usually similar but non-identical. These principles may be shared by other pattern formation processes such as barb ridge formation, fingerprints, pigmentation patterning, etc. The Digital Hormone Model can also be applied to swarming robot navigation, reaching intelligent automata and representing a self-re-configurable type of control rather than a follow-the-instruction type of control. PMID:15272377

Social structure in a family group of Guanaco (Lama guanicoe, Ungulate): is female hierarchy based on 'prior attributes' or 'social dynamics'?

PubMed

Correa, Loreto A; Zapata, Beatriz; Samaniego, Horacio; Soto-Gamboa, Mauricio

2013-09-01

Social life involves costs and benefits mostly associated with how individuals interact with each other. The formation of hierarchies inside social groups has evolved as a common strategy to avoid high costs stemming from social interactions. Hierarchical relationships seem to be associated with different features such as body size, body condition and/or age, which determine dominance ability ('prior attributes' hypothesis). In contrast, the 'social dynamic' hypothesis suggests that an initial social context is a determinant in the formation of the hierarchy, more so than specific individual attributes. Hierarchical rank places individuals in higher positions, which presumably increases resource accessibility to their benefit, including opportunities for reproduction. We evaluate the maintenance of hierarchy in a family group of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and evaluate the possible mechanisms involved in the stability of these interactions and their consequences. We estimate the linearity of social hierarchy and their dynamics. We find evidence of the formation of a highly linear hierarchy among females with males positioned at the bottom of the hierarchy. This hierarchy is not affected by physical characteristics or age, suggesting that it is established only through intra-group interactions. Rank is not related with calves' weight gain either; however, subordinated females, with lower rank, exhibit higher rates of allosuckling. We found no evidence of hierarchical structure in calves suggesting that hierarchical relationship in guanacos could be established during the formation of the family group. Hence, our results suggest that hierarchical dynamics could be related more to social dynamics than to prior attributes. We finally discuss the importance of hierarchies established by dominance and their role in minimizing social costs of interactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Koula Pratsika and Her Dance School: Embracing Gender, Class and the Nation in the Formative Years of Contemporary Dance Education in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsintziloni, Steriani

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article was to provide a historical examination of the interplay between Koula Pratsika's dance school, its historical and social context and the formation of social categories of class, gender and nation in the 1930s as part of a greater project, that of the formation of upper class culture. This perspective reveals the…

Use of formative research and social network theory to develop a group walking intervention: Sumter County on the Move!

PubMed

Forthofer, Melinda; Burroughs-Girardi, Ericka; Stoisor-Olsson, Liliana; Wilcox, Sara; Sharpe, Patricia A; Pekuri, Linda M

2016-10-01

Although social support is a frequently cited enabler of physical activity, few studies have examined how to harness social support in interventions. This paper describes community-based formative research to design a walking program for mobilizing naturally occurring social networks to support increases in walking behavior. Focus group methods were used to engage community members in discussions about desired walking program features. The research was conducted with underserved communities in Sumter County, South Carolina. The majority of focus group participants were women (76%) and African American (92%). Several important themes emerged from the focus group results regarding attitudes toward walking, facilitators of and barriers to walking, ideal walking program characteristics, and strategies for encouraging community members to walk. Most noteably, the role of existing social networks as a supportive influence on physical activity was a recurring theme in our formative research and a gap in the existing evidence base. The resulting walking program focused on strategies for mobilizing, supporting and reinforcing existing social networks as mechanisms for increasing walking. Our approach to linking theory, empirical evidence and community-based formative research for the development of a walking intervention offers an example for practitioners developing intervention strategies for a wide range of behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drying bacterial biosaline patterns capable of vital reanimation upon rehydration: novel hibernating biomineralogical life formations.

PubMed

Gómez Gómez, José María; Medina, Jesús; Hochberg, David; Mateo-Martí, Eva; Martínez-Frías, Jesús; Rull, Fernando

2014-07-01

Water is the fundamental molecule for life on Earth. Thus, the search for hibernating life-forms in waterless environments is an important research topic for astrobiology. To date, however, the organizational patterns containing microbial life in extremely dry places, such as the deserts of Earth, the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, or Mars analog regolith, have been poorly characterized. Here, we report on the formation of bacterial biosaline self-organized drying patterns formed over plastic surfaces. These emerge during the evaporation of sessile droplets of aqueous NaCl salt 0.15 M solutions containing Escherichia coli cells. In the present study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analyses indicated that the bacterial cells and the NaCl in these biosaline formations are organized in a two-layered characteristic 3-D architectural morphology. A thin filmlike top layer formed by NaCl conjugated to, and intermingled with, "mineralized" bacterial cells covers a bottom layer constructed by the bulk of the nonmineralized bacterial cells; both layers have the same morphological pattern. In addition, optical microscopic time-lapsed movies show that the formation of these patterns is a kinetically fast process that requires the coupled interaction between the salt and the bacterial cells. Apparently, this mutual interaction drives the generative process of self-assembly that underlies the drying pattern formation. Most notably, the bacterial cells inside these drying self-assembled patterns enter into a quiescent suspended anhydrobiotic state resistant to complete desiccation and capable of vital reanimation upon rehydration. We propose that these E. coli biosaline drying patterns represent an excellent experimental model for understanding different aspects of anhydrobiosis phenomena in bacteria as well as for revealing the mechanisms of bacterially induced biomineralization, both highly relevant topics for the search of life in extraterrestrial locations.

Focal high cell density generates a gradient of patterns in self-organizing vascular mesenchymal cells.

PubMed

Cheng, Henry; Reddy, Aneela; Sage, Andrew; Lu, Jinxiu; Garfinkel, Alan; Tintut, Yin; Demer, Linda L

2012-01-01

In embryogenesis, structural patterns, such as vascular branching, may form via a reaction-diffusion mechanism in which activator and inhibitor morphogens guide cells into periodic aggregates. We previously found that vascular mesenchymal cells (VMCs) spontaneously aggregate into nodular structures and that morphogen pairs regulate the aggregation into patterns of spots and stripes. To test the effect of a focal change in activator morphogen on VMC pattern formation, we created a focal zone of high cell density by plating a second VMC layer within a cloning ring over a confluent monolayer. After 24 h, the ring was removed and pattern formation monitored by phase-contrast microscopy. At days 2-8, the patterns progressed from uniform distributions to swirl, labyrinthine and spot patterns. Within the focal high-density zone (HDZ) and a narrow halo zone, cells aggregated into spot patterns, whilst in the outermost zone of the plate, cells formed a labyrinthine pattern. The area occupied by aggregates was significantly greater in the outermost zone than in the HDZ or halo. The rate of pattern progression within the HDZ increased as a function of its plating density. Thus, focal differences in cell density may drive pattern formation gradients in tissue architecture, such as vascular branching. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Contribution to the understanding of how principal component analysis-derived dietary patterns emerge from habitual data on food consumption.

PubMed

Schwedhelm, Carolina; Iqbal, Khalid; Knüppel, Sven; Schwingshackl, Lukas; Boeing, Heiner

2018-02-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a widely used exploratory method in epidemiology to derive dietary patterns from habitual diet. Such dietary patterns seem to originate from intakes on multiple days and eating occasions. Therefore, analyzing food intake of study populations with different levels of food consumption can provide additional insights as to how habitual dietary patterns are formed. We analyzed the food intake data of German adults in terms of the relations among food groups from three 24-h dietary recalls (24hDRs) on the habitual, single-day, and main-meal levels, and investigated the contribution of each level to the formation of PCA-derived habitual dietary patterns. Three 24hDRs were collected in 2010-2012 from 816 adults for an European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam subcohort study. We identified PCA-derived habitual dietary patterns and compared cross-sectional food consumption data in terms of correlation (Spearman), consistency (intraclass correlation coefficient), and frequency of consumption across all days and main meals. Contribution to the formation of the dietary patterns was obtained through Spearman correlation of the dietary pattern scores. Among the meals, breakfast appeared to be the most consistent eating occasion within individuals. Dinner showed the strongest correlations with "Prudent" (Spearman correlation = 0.60), "Western" (Spearman correlation = 0.59), and "Traditional" (Spearman correlation = 0.60) dietary patterns identified on the habitual level, and lunch showed the strongest correlations with the "Cereals and legumes" (Spearman correlation = 0.60) habitual dietary pattern. Higher meal consistency was related to lower contributions to the formation of PCA-derived habitual dietary patterns. Absolute amounts of food consumption did not strongly conform to the habitual dietary patterns by meals, suggesting that these patterns are formed by complex combinations of variable food consumption across meals. Dinner showed the highest contribution to the formation of habitual dietary patterns. This study provided information about how PCA-derived dietary patterns are formed and how they could be influenced.

The formation of early settled villages and the emergence of leadership: A test of three theoretical models in the Rio Ilave, Lake Titicaca Basin, southern Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig, Nathan Mcdonald

Despite obvious necessities for understanding later developments in the region, Preceramic cultures in the Titicaca Basin are poorly understood due to lacking empirical data. This dissertation focuses on examination of two processes occurring in the Rio Ilave drainage during the Late 5000--3100 B.C.E. (6000--4400 B.P.) and Terminal 3100--1500 B.C.E. Archaic (4400--3200 B.P.): the formation of settled villages and the emergence of leadership. These processes are tested against theoretical predictions derived from: population resource imbalance, human behavioral ecology, and agency theories. Resource imbalance theory predicts appearance of density dependent adaptive problems prior to major cultural transformations. Human behavioral ecology predicts increased dietary diversity and incorporation of greater processing costs occuring coincidentally with reduced residential mobility. Symbolic mate value advertising is a predicted leadership strategy. Agency theory predicts internal sources of social tension, potentially independent of external forces, as primary causes of cultural change. Feast hosting and the formation political economy are expected to be central to both social processes investigated from this perspective. Local paleoclimatic proxies suggest aridity from ca 4000--2000 B.C.E. Reanalysis of pedestrian survey data indicate population growth during the Late Archaic. Excavation and ground penetrating radar survey at Pirco and Jiskairumoko demonstrate reduced residential mobility and increased evidence for social differentiation appearing during the Late Archaic's (before 3000 B.C.E.) end. New cultural patterns include: pithouses, more groundstone, internal storage, costly non-local artifacts, domesticated plants and animals, costly grave goods, and use of ochre in symbolic contexts. No clear cut evidence for inter-community promotional feasting was identified but some finds suggest intra-community alliance feasts. By the end of the Terminal Archaic ca. 1500 B.C.E., domestic architecture changes to rectangular above ground structures lacking internal storage. Survey and excavation data strongly support population-resource imbalance theory. Excavation results are largely consistent with human behavioral ecology expectations. Evidence for early population growth rejects the expectation from some forms of agency theory asserting social change occurs largely independent of external forces. However, the support for human behavioral ecology suggests conspecific interaction and therefore forces described by agency theory are at play during these cultural transitions.

The moderator-mediator role of social support in early adolescents.

PubMed

Yarcheski, A; Mahon, N E

1999-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine social support as both a mediator and a moderator of the relationship between perceived stress and symptom patterns in early adolescents. Data were collected from 148 early adolescent boys and girls, ages 12 to 14, who responded to the Perceived Stress Scale, the Personal Resource Questionnaire 85-Part II, and the Symptom Pattern Scale. Using multiple regression analysis procedures specified for the testing of moderation and mediation, results indicated that social support did not play a moderating role in the relationship between perceived stress and symptom patterns, but social support did play a mediating role in this relationship. The findings are interpreted within the two major theoretical orientations that guided the study.

Social Gradients in the Health of Indigenous Australians

PubMed Central

Li, Jianghong; Zubrick, Stephen R.

2012-01-01

The pattern of association between socioeconomic factors and health outcomes has primarily depicted better health for those who are higher in the social hierarchy. Although this is a ubiquitous finding in the health literature, little is known about the interplay between these factors among indigenous populations. We begin to bridge this knowledge gap by assessing evidence on social gradients in indigenous health in Australia. We reveal a less universal and less consistent socioeconomic status patterning in health among Indigenous Australians, and discuss the plausibility of unique historical circumstances and social and cultural characteristics in explaining these patterns. A more robust evidence base in this field is fundamental to processes that aim to reduce the pervasive disparities between indigenous and nonindigenous population health. PMID:22095336

Silicide induced ion beam patterning of Si(001).

PubMed

Engler, Martin; Frost, Frank; Müller, Sven; Macko, Sven; Will, Moritz; Feder, René; Spemann, Daniel; Hübner, René; Facsko, Stefan; Michely, Thomas

2014-03-21

Low energy ion beam pattern formation on Si with simultaneous co-deposition of Ag, Pd, Pb, Ir, Fe or C impurities was investigated by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy as well as ex situ atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The impurities were supplied by sputter deposition. Additional insight into the mechanism of pattern formation was obtained by more controlled supply through e-beam evaporation. For the situations investigated, the ability of the impurity to react with Si, i.e. to form a silicide, appears to be a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for pattern formation. Comparing the effects of impurities with similar mass and nuclear charge, the collision kinetics is shown to be not of primary importance for pattern formation. To understand the observed phenomena, it is necessary to assume a bi-directional coupling of composition and height fluctuations. This coupling gives rise to a sensitive dependence of the final morphology on the conditions of impurity supply. Because of this history dependence, the final morphology cannot be uniquely characterized by a steady state impurity concentration.

Covariation assessment for neutral and emotional verbal stimuli in paranoid delusions.

PubMed

Díez-Alegría, Cristina; Vázquez, Carmelo; Hernández-Lloreda, María J

2008-11-01

Selective processing of emotion-relevant information is considered a central feature in various types of psychopathology, yet the mechanisms underlying these biases are not well understood. One of the first steps in processing information is to gather data to judge the covariation or association of events. The aim of this study was to explore whether patients with persecutory delusions would show a covariation bias when processing stimuli related to social threat. We assessed estimations of covariation in-patients with current persecutory (CP) beliefs (N=40), patients with past persecutory (PP) beliefs (N=25), and a non-clinical control (NC) group (N=36). Covariation estimations were assessed under three different experimental conditions. The first two conditions focused on neutral behaviours (Condition 1) and psychological traits (Condition 2) for two distant cultural groups, while the third condition included self-relevant material by exposing the participant to either protective social (positive) or threatening social (negative) statements about the participant or a third person. Our results showed that all participants were precise in their covariation estimations. However, when judging covariation for self-relevant sentences related to social statements (Condition 3), all groups showed a significant tendency to associate positive social interaction (protection themed) sentences to the self. Yet, when using sentences related to social-threat, the CP group showed a bias consisting of overestimating the number of self-referent sentences. Our results showed that there was no specific covariation assessment bias related to paranoid beliefs. Both NCs and participants with persecutory beliefs showed a similar pattern of results when processing neutral or social threat-related sentences. The implications for understanding of the role of self-referent information processing biases in delusion formation are discussed.

Face puzzle—two new video-based tasks for measuring explicit and implicit aspects of facial emotion recognition

PubMed Central

Kliemann, Dorit; Rosenblau, Gabriela; Bölte, Sven; Heekeren, Hauke R.; Dziobek, Isabel

2013-01-01

Recognizing others' emotional states is crucial for effective social interaction. While most facial emotion recognition tasks use explicit prompts that trigger consciously controlled processing, emotional faces are almost exclusively processed implicitly in real life. Recent attempts in social cognition suggest a dual process perspective, whereby explicit and implicit processes largely operate independently. However, due to differences in methodology the direct comparison of implicit and explicit social cognition has remained a challenge. Here, we introduce a new tool to comparably measure implicit and explicit processing aspects comprising basic and complex emotions in facial expressions. We developed two video-based tasks with similar answer formats to assess performance in respective facial emotion recognition processes: Face Puzzle, implicit and explicit. To assess the tasks' sensitivity to atypical social cognition and to infer interrelationship patterns between explicit and implicit processes in typical and atypical development, we included healthy adults (NT, n = 24) and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 24). Item analyses yielded good reliability of the new tasks. Group-specific results indicated sensitivity to subtle social impairments in high-functioning ASD. Correlation analyses with established implicit and explicit socio-cognitive measures were further in favor of the tasks' external validity. Between group comparisons provide first hints of differential relations between implicit and explicit aspects of facial emotion recognition processes in healthy compared to ASD participants. In addition, an increased magnitude of between group differences in the implicit task was found for a speed-accuracy composite measure. The new Face Puzzle tool thus provides two new tasks to separately assess explicit and implicit social functioning, for instance, to measure subtle impairments as well as potential improvements due to social cognitive interventions. PMID:23805122

Evaluation of an open-access CBT-based Internet program for social anxiety: Patterns of use, retention, and outcomes.

PubMed

Dryman, M Taylor; McTeague, Lisa M; Olino, Thomas M; Heimberg, Richard G

2017-10-01

Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been established as both efficacious and effective in reducing symptoms of social anxiety. However, most research has been conducted in controlled settings, and little is known regarding the utility of such programs in an open-access format. The present study examined the use, adherence, and effectiveness of Joyable, an open-access, Internet-delivered, coach-supported CBT-based intervention for social anxiety. Participants were 3,384 registered users (Mage [SD] = 29.82 [7.89]; 54% male) that created an account between 2014 and 2016. Characteristics of use, factors related to attrition and adherence, and within-group outcomes were examined. The primary outcome measure was the Social Phobia Inventory. On average, participants remained in the program for 81.02 days (SD = 60.50), during which they completed 12.14 activities (SD = 11.09) and 1.53 exposures (SD = 3.18). About half (57%) had contact with a coach. Full adherence to the program was achieved by 16% of participants, a rate higher than previously published open-access studies of ICBT. Social anxiety symptoms were significantly reduced for participants that engaged in the program, with medium within-group effects from baseline through the cognitive restructuring module (d = 0.63-0.76) and large effects from baseline through the exposure module (d = 1.40-1.83). Response rates were high (72%). Exposures and coach contact were significant predictors of retention and outcome. This open-access online CBT-based program is effective in reducing social anxiety symptoms and has the potential to extend Internet-based mental health services to socially anxious individuals unwilling or unable to seek face-to-face evidence-based therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

An expanded One Health model: integrating social science and One Health to inform study of the human-animal interface.

PubMed

Woldehanna, Sara; Zimicki, Susan

2015-03-01

Zoonotic disease emergence is not a purely biological process mediated only by ecologic factors; opportunities for transmission of zoonoses from animals to humans also depend on how people interact with animals. While exposure is conditioned by the type of animal and the location in which interactions occur, these in turn are influenced by human activity. The activities people engage in are determined by social as well as contextual factors including gender, age, socio-economic status, occupation, social norms, settlement patterns and livelihood systems, family and community dynamics, as well as national and global influences. This paper proposes an expanded "One Health" conceptual model for human-animal exposure that accounts for social as well as epidemiologic factors. The expanded model informed a new study approach to document the extent of human exposure to animals and explore the interplay of social and environmental factors that influence risk of transmission at the individual and community level. The approach includes a formative phase using qualitative and participatory methods, and a representative, random sample survey to quantify exposure to animals in a variety of settings. The paper discusses the different factors that were considered in developing the approach, including the range of animals asked about and the parameters of exposure that are included, as well as factors to be considered in local adaptation of the generic instruments. Illustrative results from research using this approach in Lao PDR are presented to demonstrate the effect of social factors on how people interact with animals. We believe that the expanded model can be similarly operationalized to explore the interactions of other social and policy-level determinants that may influence transmission of zoonoses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emerging patterns of crack use in Mexico City.

PubMed

Valdez, Avelardo; Kaplan, Charles; Nowotny, Kathryn M; Natera-Rey, Guillermina; Cepeda, Alice

2015-08-01

Recent studies in Mexico have documented a significant increase in crack cocaine use, indicating the potential for an emerging drug epidemic. Ethnographic observations and interviews were used describe the profiles and patterns of use among street-recruited crack users in Mexico City. The data came from an international research collaboration funded by the National Institutes of Health. A polythetic typology was developed based on five dimensions central to categorizing patterns of crack use behavior: frequency of use, duration of use, context, social networks, and social contracts. Four types of users were discovered applying these dimensions: dabblers, stable users, crack heads, and old heads. Although several similarities were documented between patterns of crack use in Mexico and those in the United States and Western Europe, several key aspects distinguished crack users in this population: (1) self-regulated use; (2) non-linear progression of crack; and (3) the influence of the dimensions pertaining to setting, social networks, and social contract as contributing to understanding of the previous two. Further, we provide a discussion of how specific contextual factors in Mexico may be giving rise to these emerging patterns. Compared to the U.S. and Europe, this study finds that the majority of crack users were able to self-regulate their use without major disruption to daily social functioning. As crack use spreads in Mexico and other Latin American countries, we need to recognize the importance of social context in developing more tailored health and social responses that are specific to these developing countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

De-pinning of contact line of droplets on rough surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhurima, V.; Nilavarasi, K.

2016-10-01

The present study reports the formation of self-assembled droplet pattern on the PDMS polymer coated over grooved side of DVD under saturated vapours of alcohols. Comparison of the results with breath figures formed over unconstrained side of DVD is made. Four different environments namely methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol and n-butanol are used for the analysis. It is observed that the pattern formation occurs with methanol and ethanol vapours and not with 2-propanol and n-butanol. The difference is pattern formation with different alcohols is attributed to the variation in chain length and the presence of hydrophobic groups in alcohols, as given by Traube's rule. The distortion of patterns over constrained surface is attributed to the depinning of contact lines.

Pattern formation based on complex coupling mechanism in dielectric barrier discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Weibo; College of Aeronautical Engineering, Binzhou University, Binzhou 256603; Dong, Lifang, E-mail: donglfhbu@163.com, E-mail: pyy1616@163.com

2016-08-15

The pattern formation of cinque-dice square superlattice pattern (CDSSP) is investigated based on the complex coupling mechanism in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system. The spatio-temporal structure of CDSSP obtained by using an intensified-charge coupled device indicates that CDSSP is an interleaving of two kinds of subpatterns (mixture of rectangle and square, and dot-line square) which discharge twice in one half voltage, respectively. Selected by the complex coupling of two subpatterns, the CDSSP can be formed and shows good stability. This investigation based on gas discharge theory together with nonlinear theory may provide a deeper understanding for the nonlinear characteristicsmore » and even the formation mechanism of patterns in DBD.« less

Ground testing of bioconvective variables such as morphological characterizations and mechanisms which regulate macroscopic patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Adriel D.

1992-01-01

Conditions simulating low- and high-gravity, reveal changes in macroscopic pattern formation in selected microorganisms, but whether these structures are gravity dependent is not clear. Two theories have been identified in the fluid dynamics community which support macroscopic pattern formation. The first one is gravity dependent (fluid density models) where small concentrated regions of organisms sink unstably, and the second is gravity independent (wave reinforcement theory) where organisms align their movements in concert, such that either their swimming strokes beat in phase or their vortices entrain neighbors to follow parallel paths. Studies have shown that macroscopic pattern formation is consistent with the fluid density models for protozoa and algae and wave reinforcement hypothesis for caprine spermatozoa.

Not a flat world: the future of cross-border reproductive care.

PubMed

Franklin, Sarah

2011-12-01

Cross-border reproductive care (CBRC) raises new issues for both medicine and social science, as well as analytical and methodological challenges. On the one hand, this phenomenon extends well-established practices, such as family formation, in new ways, for example through new technologies. Similarly, CBRC could be described as a form of globalization. Yet this sector also departs from established patterns of reproductivity, for example by combining reproductive services and substances transnationally. In this way, CBRC also changes the understanding of globalization, revealing that it is not necessarily producing a newly 'flat' world, but instead reproducing a traditionally stratified one. These aspects of CBRC must be kept in mind in the struggle to define best practice. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The hormonal and behavioral response to group formation, seasonal changes, and restraint stress in the highly social Malayan Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and the less social Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox (Pteropus pumilus) (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae).

PubMed

Reeder, DeeAnn M; Kosteczko, Nicole S; Kunz, Thomas H; Widmaier, Eric P

2006-04-01

This study examined behavioral and physiological responses (changes in inter-animal spacing, total glucocorticoids, testosterone, and body mass) to the formation of breeding and same-sex groups in two bat species, the socially gregarious Malayan Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and the less social Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox (Pteropus pumilus). We hypothesized that social instability, especially in the breeding groups and especially in P. vampyrus, would result in elevated glucocorticoids and that social facilitation of breeding and/or male-male competition would result in persistently higher levels of testosterone in breeding males. Seasonal rhythms in all measures were also predicted, and the glucocorticoid stress response was expected to vary by sex, season, and group type. Nearly all animals responded to group formation with elevated glucocorticoids, but, for breeding animals (especially aggressive male P. vampyrus), these responses persisted over time. In both species, breeding group formation resulted in elevated testosterone in males. Glucocorticoids, testosterone, testes volume, and body mass generally peaked in the breeding season in males (late summer and early autumn), but the seasonal glucocorticoid peak in females occurred in late winter and early spring. All animals responded to restraint stress with elevations in glucocorticoids that largely did not differ by sex, time of year, reproductive condition, group type, or, in lactating females, the presence of her pup. Changes in both behavior and physiology were more evident in P. vampyrus than in P. pumilus, and we believe that their underlying social differences influenced their responses to group formation and to the changing seasonal environment.

Social Engagement Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults—Findings From the PINE Study

PubMed Central

Li, Yu; Simon, Melissa A.

2014-01-01

Background. Social engagement is a key indicator of older adults’ later life quality and health status, but few studies have comprehensively examined social engagement patterns of U.S. Chinese older adults. This study assesses social engagement patterns among U.S. Chinese older adults. Methods. Data were collected by the Population Study of Chinese Elderly project, a cross-sectional population-based study of 3,159U.S. Chinese older adults aged 60 and older in the greater Chicago area. Social engagement patterns were examined with a list of 16 social engagement activity related questions. Analysis of variance and Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients were used to examine correlations between sociodemographic and health characteristics and social engagement. Results. Age was negatively associated with social engagement actives for Chinese older adults. Although education had a significant positive correlation on older adults’ participation in social engagement activities, income did not show any significant correlation. Perceived health status and quality of life were also positively correlated with social engagement. Chinese older adults were more likely to visit community centers than any other social or cultural venues. Conclusions. This study highlights the important role community centers play in the lives of Chinese older adults. Further, longitudinal studies are also necessary to understand the predictors and outcomes of social engagement levels among Chinese older adults. PMID:25378453

Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse and Social Network Patterns on Social Media: Associations With Alcohol Use and Problems Among Young Adult Women

PubMed Central

Oshri, Assaf; Himelboim, Itai; Kwon, Josephine A.; Sutton, Tara E.; Mackillop, James

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the links between severities of child abuse (physical vs. sexual), and alcohol use versus problems via social media (Facebook) peer connection structures. Method: A total of 318 undergraduate female students at a public university in the United States reported severity of child abuse experiences and current alcohol use and problems. Social network data were obtained directly from the individuals’ Facebook network. Results: Severity of childhood physical abuse was positively linked to alcohol use and problems via eigenvector centrality, whereas severity of childhood sexual abuse was negatively linked to alcohol use and problems via clustering coefficient. Conclusions: Childhood physical and sexual abuse were linked positively and negatively, respectively, to online social network patterns associated with alcohol use and problems. The study suggests the potential utility of these online network patterns as risk indices and ultimately using social media as a platform for targeted preventive interventions. PMID:26562592

Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse and Social Network Patterns on Social Media: Associations With Alcohol Use and Problems Among Young Adult Women.

PubMed

Oshri, Assaf; Himelboim, Itai; Kwon, Josephine A; Sutton, Tara E; Mackillop, James

2015-11-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the links between severities of child abuse (physical vs. sexual), and alcohol use versus problems via social media (Facebook) peer connection structures. A total of 318 undergraduate female students at a public university in the United States reported severity of child abuse experiences and current alcohol use and problems. Social network data were obtained directly from the individuals' Facebook network. Severity of childhood physical abuse was positively linked to alcohol use and problems via eigenvector centrality, whereas severity of childhood sexual abuse was negatively linked to alcohol use and problems via clustering coefficient. Childhood physical and sexual abuse were linked positively and negatively, respectively, to online social network patterns associated with alcohol use and problems. The study suggests the potential utility of these online network patterns as risk indices and ultimately using social media as a platform for targeted preventive interventions.

Temporal and spatial changes in social vulnerability to natural hazards

PubMed Central

Cutter, Susan L.; Finch, Christina

2008-01-01

During the past four decades (1960–2000), the United States experienced major transformations in population size, development patterns, economic conditions, and social characteristics. These social, economic, and built-environment changes altered the American hazardscape in profound ways, with more people living in high-hazard areas than ever before. To improve emergency management, it is important to recognize the variability in the vulnerable populations exposed to hazards and to develop place-based emergency plans accordingly. The concept of social vulnerability identifies sensitive populations that may be less likely to respond to, cope with, and recover from a natural disaster. Social vulnerability is complex and dynamic, changing over space and through time. This paper presents empirical evidence on the spatial and temporal patterns in social vulnerability in the United States from 1960 to the present. Using counties as our study unit, we found that those components that consistently increased social vulnerability for all time periods were density (urban), race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The spatial patterning of social vulnerability, although initially concentrated in certain geographic regions, has become more dispersed over time. The national trend shows a steady reduction in social vulnerability, but there is considerable regional variability, with many counties increasing in social vulnerability during the past five decades. PMID:18268336

Differential associations between sensory response patterns and language, social, and communication measures in children with autism or other developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Watson, Linda R; Patten, Elena; Baranek, Grace T; Poe, Michele; Boyd, Brian A; Freuler, Ashley; Lorenzi, Jill

2011-12-01

To examine patterns of sensory responsiveness (i.e., hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory seeking) as factors that may account for variability in social-communicative symptoms of autism and variability in language, social, and communication skill development in children with autism or other developmental disabilities (DDs). Children with autistic disorder (AD; n = 72, mean age = 52.3 months) and other DDs (n = 44, mean age = 48.1 months) participated in a protocol measuring sensory response patterns; social-communicative symptoms of autism; and language, social, and communication skills. Hyporesponsiveness was positively associated with social-communicative symptom severity, with no significant group difference in the association. Hyperresponsiveness was not significantly associated with social-communicative symptom severity. A group difference emerged for sensory seeking and social-communicative symptom severity, with a positive association for the AD group only. For the 2 groups of children combined, hyporesponsiveness was negatively associated with language skills and social adaptive skills. Sensory seeking also was negatively associated with language skills. These associations did not differ between the 2 groups. Aberrant sensory processing may play an important role in the pathogenesis of autism and other DDs as well as in the rate of acquisition of language, social, and communication skills.

Differential Associations between Sensory Response Patterns and Language, Social, and Communication Measures in Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities

PubMed Central

Watson, Linda R.; Patten, Elena; Baranek, Grace T.; Poe, Michele; Boyd, Brian A.; Freuler, Ashley; Lorenzi, Jill

2012-01-01

Purpose Examine patterns of sensory responsiveness (i.e., hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory seeking) as factors that may account for variability in social-communicative symptoms of autism and variability in language, social, and communication skill development in children with autism or other developmental disabilities. Method Children with autistic disorder (AD; n = 72, mean age = 52.3 months) and other developmental disabilities (DD; n = 44, mean age = 48.1 months) participated in a protocol measuring sensory response patterns, social-communicative symptoms of autism, and language, social, and communication skills. Results Hyporesponsiveness was positively associated with social-communicative symptom severity, with no significant group difference in the association. Hyperresponsiveness was not significantly associated with social-communicative symptom severity. A group difference emerged for sensory seeking and social-communicative symptom severity, with a positive association for the AD group only. For the two groups of children combined, hyporesponsiveness was negatively associated with language skills and social adaptive skills. Sensory seeking also was negatively associated with language skills. These associations did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions Aberrant sensory processing may play an important role in the pathogenesis of autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as in the rate of acquisition of language, social, and communication skills. PMID:21862675

The effects of embodied rhythm and robotic interventions on the spontaneous and responsive social attention patterns of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A pilot randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, Sudha M.; Eigsti, Inge-Marie; Neelly, Linda; Bhat, Anjana N.

2016-01-01

We compared the effects of 8-weeks of rhythm and robotic interventions with those of a comparison, standard-of-care intervention, on the spontaneous and responsive social attention patterns of school-age children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Attention patterns were examined within a standardized pretest/posttest measure of joint attention (JA) and a training-specific social attention measure during early, mid, and late training sessions. The rhythm and comparison groups demonstrated improvements in JA. Social attention was greater in the rhythm followed by the robot and lastly the comparison group. The robot and comparison groups spent maximum time fixating on the robot and objects, respectively. Across sessions, the robot group decreased attention to the robot and increased attention to elsewhere. Overall, rhythmic movement contexts afford sustained social monitoring in children with autism. PMID:27453721

Investigation of the mechanism of impurity assisted nanoripple formation on Si induced by low energy ion beam erosion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koyiloth Vayalil, Sarathlal, E-mail: sarathlal.koyilothvayalil@desy.de; UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, University Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore 452017; Gupta, Ajay

A detailed mechanism of the nanoripple pattern formation on Si substrates generated by the simultaneous incorporation of pure Fe impurities at low energy (1 keV) ion beam erosion has been studied. To understand and clarify the mechanism of the pattern formation, a comparative analysis of the samples prepared for various ion fluence values using two complimentary methods for nanostructure analysis, atomic force microscopy, and grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering has been done. We observed that phase separation of the metal silicide formed during the erosion does not precede the ripple formation. It rather concurrently develops along with the ripple structure.more » Our work is able to differentiate among various models existing in the literature and provides an insight into the mechanism of pattern formation under ion beam erosion with impurity incorporation.« less

Central vasopressin V1a receptor activation is independently necessary for both partner preference formation and expression in socially monogamous male prairie voles.

PubMed

Donaldson, Zoe R; Spiegel, Lauren; Young, Larry J

2010-02-01

The neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) modulates a variety of species-specific social behaviors. In socially monogamous male prairie voles, AVP acts centrally via vasopressin V1a receptor (V1aR) to facilitate mating induced partner preferences. The display of a partner preference requires at least 2 temporally distinct processes: social bond formation as well as its recall, or expression. Studies to date have not determined in which of these processes V1aR acts to promote partner preferences. Here, male prairie voles were administered intracerebroventricularly a V1aR antagonist (AVPA) at different time points to investigate the role of V1aR in social bond formation and expression. Animals receiving AVPA prior to cohabitation with mating or immediately prior to partner preference testing failed to display a partner preference, while animals receiving AVPA immediately after cohabitation with mating and control animals receiving vehicle at all 3 time points displayed partner preferences. These results suggest that V1aR signaling is necessary for both the formation and expression of partner preferences and that these processes are dissociable. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Spontaneous formation of linearly arranged microcraters on sol-gel-derived silica-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) hybrid films induced by Bénard-Marangoni convection.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Hiroaki; Mantani, Yuto; Kozuka, Hiromitsu

2012-07-10

Complex, sophisticated surface patterns on micrometer and nanometer scales are obtained when solvent evaporates from solutions containing nonvolatile solutes dropped on a solid substrate. Such evaporation-driven pattern formation has been utilized as a fabrication process of highly ordered patterns in thin films. Here, we suggested the spontaneous pattern formation induced by Bénard-Marangoni convection triggered by solvent evaporation as a novel patterning process of sol-gel-derived organic-inorganic hybrid films. Microcraters of 1.0-1.5 μm in height and of 100-200 μm in width were spontaneously formed on the surface of silica-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) hybrid films prepared via temperature-controlled dip-coating process, where the surface patterns were linearly arranged parallel to the substrate withdrawal direction. Such highly ordered micropatterns were achieved by Bénard-Marangoni convection activated at high temperatures and the unidirectional flow of the coating solution on the substrate during dip-coating.

Characterizing and Discovering Spatiotemporal Social Contact Patterns for Healthcare.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Pei, Hongbin; Chen, Hechang; Liu, Jiming; Xia, Shang

2017-08-01

During an epidemic, the spatial, temporal and demographic patterns of disease transmission are determined by multiple factors. In addition to the physiological properties of the pathogens and hosts, the social contact of the host population, which characterizes the reciprocal exposures of individuals to infection according to their demographic structure and various social activities, are also pivotal to understanding and predicting the prevalence of infectious diseases. How social contact is measured will affect the extent to which we can forecast the dynamics of infections in the real world. Most current work focuses on modeling the spatial patterns of static social contact. In this work, we use a novel perspective to address the problem of how to characterize and measure dynamic social contact during an epidemic. We propose an epidemic-model-based tensor deconvolution framework in which the spatiotemporal patterns of social contact are represented by the factors of the tensors. These factors can be discovered using a tensor deconvolution procedure with the integration of epidemic models based on rich types of data, mainly heterogeneous outbreak surveillance data, socio-demographic census data and physiological data from medical reports. Using reproduction models that include SIR/SIS/SEIR/SEIS models as case studies, the efficacy and applications of the proposed framework are theoretically analyzed, empirically validated and demonstrated through a set of rigorous experiments using both synthetic and real-world data.

Gender and social space in a Haryana village.

PubMed

Channa, S M

1997-01-01

Gender is constituted by a complex pattern of behavior and social inter-relationships, albeit with scope for individual manipulation and interpretation. Individuals respond in a variety of ways to various social situations. Through his or her management of the existing social environment, each person can induce society to give him the space desired. That space, however, need not take people outside of the sphere of social interaction. The author explains how within a culture space exists for individuals to manifest their individualism, often in a manner which goes against the normative pattern, and yet retain their social identity. The constitution of gender, gender relations in Khori village, a Haryanavi woman's story, and space as a reflection of social organization are discussed.

Social Tolerance in Wild Female Crested Macaques (Macaca nigra) in Tangkoko-Batuangus Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Duboscq, Julie; Micheletta, Jérôme; Agil, Muhammad; Hodges, Keith; Thierry, Bernard; Engelhardt, Antje

2013-01-01

In primates, females typically drive the evolution of the social system and present a wide diversity of social structures. To understand this diversity, it is necessary to document the consistency and/or flexibility of female social structures across and within species, contexts, and environments. Macaques (Macaca sp.) are an ideal taxon for such comparative study, showing both consistency and variation in their social relations. Their social styles, constituting robust sets of social traits, can be classified in four grades, from despotic to tolerant. However, tolerant species are still understudied, especially in the wild. To foster our understanding of tolerant societies and to assess the validity of the concept of social style, we studied female crested macaques, Macaca nigra, under entirely natural conditions. We assessed their degree of social tolerance by analyzing the frequency, intensity, and distribution of agonistic and affiliative behaviors, their dominance gradient, their bared-teeth display, and their level of conciliatory tendency. We also analyzed previously undocumented behavioral patterns in grade 4 macaques: reaction upon approach and distribution of affiliative behavior across partners. We compared the observed patterns to data from other populations of grade 4 macaques and from species of other grades. Overall, female crested macaques expressed a tolerant social style, with low intensity, frequently bidirectional, and reconciled conflicts. Dominance asymmetry was moderate, associated with an affiliative bared-teeth display. Females greatly tolerated one another in close proximity. The observed patterns matched the profile of other tolerant macaques and were outside the range of patterns of more despotic species. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of females’ social behavior in a tolerant macaque species under natural conditions and as such, contributes to a better understanding of macaque societies. It also highlights the relevance of the social style concept in the assessment of the degree of tolerance/despotism in social systems. Am. J. Primatol. 75:361-375, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:23307343

Primate social attention: Species differences and effects of individual experience in humans, great apes, and macaques

PubMed Central

Shepherd, Stephen V.; Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep

2018-01-01

When viewing social scenes, humans and nonhuman primates focus on particular features, such as the models’ eyes, mouth, and action targets. Previous studies reported that such viewing patterns vary significantly across individuals in humans, and also across closely-related primate species. However, the nature of these individual and species differences remains unclear, particularly among nonhuman primates. In large samples of human and nonhuman primates, we examined species differences and the effects of experience on patterns of gaze toward social movies. Experiment 1 examined the species differences across rhesus macaques, nonhuman apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans), and humans while they viewed movies of various animals’ species-typical behaviors. We found that each species had distinct viewing patterns of the models’ faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets. Experiment 2 tested the effect of individuals’ experience on chimpanzee and human viewing patterns. We presented movies depicting natural behaviors of chimpanzees to three groups of chimpanzees (individuals from a zoo, a sanctuary, and a research institute) differing in their early social and physical experiences. We also presented the same movies to human adults and children differing in their expertise with chimpanzees (experts vs. novices) or movie-viewing generally (adults vs. preschoolers). Individuals varied within each species in their patterns of gaze toward models’ faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets depending on their unique individual experiences. We thus found that the viewing patterns for social stimuli are both individual- and species-specific in these closely-related primates. Such individual/species-specificities are likely related to both individual experience and species-typical temperament, suggesting that primate individuals acquire their unique attentional biases through both ontogeny and evolution. Such unique attentional biases may help them learn efficiently about their particular social environments. PMID:29474416

Primate social attention: Species differences and effects of individual experience in humans, great apes, and macaques.

PubMed

Kano, Fumihiro; Shepherd, Stephen V; Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep

2018-01-01

When viewing social scenes, humans and nonhuman primates focus on particular features, such as the models' eyes, mouth, and action targets. Previous studies reported that such viewing patterns vary significantly across individuals in humans, and also across closely-related primate species. However, the nature of these individual and species differences remains unclear, particularly among nonhuman primates. In large samples of human and nonhuman primates, we examined species differences and the effects of experience on patterns of gaze toward social movies. Experiment 1 examined the species differences across rhesus macaques, nonhuman apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans), and humans while they viewed movies of various animals' species-typical behaviors. We found that each species had distinct viewing patterns of the models' faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets. Experiment 2 tested the effect of individuals' experience on chimpanzee and human viewing patterns. We presented movies depicting natural behaviors of chimpanzees to three groups of chimpanzees (individuals from a zoo, a sanctuary, and a research institute) differing in their early social and physical experiences. We also presented the same movies to human adults and children differing in their expertise with chimpanzees (experts vs. novices) or movie-viewing generally (adults vs. preschoolers). Individuals varied within each species in their patterns of gaze toward models' faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets depending on their unique individual experiences. We thus found that the viewing patterns for social stimuli are both individual- and species-specific in these closely-related primates. Such individual/species-specificities are likely related to both individual experience and species-typical temperament, suggesting that primate individuals acquire their unique attentional biases through both ontogeny and evolution. Such unique attentional biases may help them learn efficiently about their particular social environments.

Coupling human mobility and social ties.

PubMed

Toole, Jameson L; Herrera-Yaqüe, Carlos; Schneider, Christian M; González, Marta C

2015-04-06

Studies using massive, passively collected data from communication technologies have revealed many ubiquitous aspects of social networks, helping us understand and model social media, information diffusion and organizational dynamics. More recently, these data have come tagged with geographical information, enabling studies of human mobility patterns and the science of cities. We combine these two pursuits and uncover reproducible mobility patterns among social contacts. First, we introduce measures of mobility similarity and predictability and measure them for populations of users in three large urban areas. We find individuals' visitations patterns are far more similar to and predictable by social contacts than strangers and that these measures are positively correlated with tie strength. Unsupervised clustering of hourly variations in mobility similarity identifies three categories of social ties and suggests geography is an important feature to contextualize social relationships. We find that the composition of a user's ego network in terms of the type of contacts they keep is correlated with mobility behaviour. Finally, we extend a popular mobility model to include movement choices based on social contacts and compare its ability to reproduce empirical measurements with two additional models of mobility. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Immigration and Mental Health

PubMed Central

Alegría, Margarita; Álvarez, Kiara; DiMarzio, Karissa

2017-01-01

Purpose of review While the experience of migration and resettlement in a new country is associated with mental health risks, immigrants generally demonstrate better mental health than expected. This review describes patterns in mental health outcomes among immigrants. We discuss a conceptual model of the potential underlying mechanisms that could buffer the stress and disadvantage experienced by this substantial and growing population. Recent findings While epidemiological studies have established a general pattern of lower risk for mental health disorders among first-generation (foreign-born) immigrants in the U.S., recent studies highlight how this pattern varies substantially by the intersection of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, and socioeconomic status. Contextual factors including the family and neighborhood context; an immigrant’s social position; experiences of social support and social exclusion; language competency and ability; and exposure to discrimination and acculturative stress further influence the relationship between immigration and mental health. Summary We conclude with an emphasis on social resilience processes, with a focus on how immigrants develop social relations, social capital and social networks. We recommend future directions for research that prioritize identifying and understanding social adaptation strategies adopted by immigrant groups to cope with immigration stressors. PMID:29805955

Identifying the Role of Common Interests in Online User Trust Formation

PubMed Central

Ji, Lei; Liu, Jian-Guo; Hou, Lei; Guo, Qiang

2015-01-01

Despite enormous recent efforts in detecting the mechanism of the social relation formation in online social systems, the underlying rules between the common interests and social relations are still under dispute. Do online users befriend others who have similar tastes, or do their tastes become more similar after they become friends? In this paper, we investigate the correlation between online user trust formation and their common interests, measured by the overlap rate ρ and taste similarity θ respectively. The trust relation creation time is set as the zero timestamp. The statistical results before and after the trust formation for an online network, namely Epinions, show that, the overlap rate ρ increases greatly before the trust formation, while it would increase smoothly after the creation of the trust relation. Comparing with the empirical results, two null models are presented by shuffling the temporal behaviors of online users, which suggests that the accumulation of the common interests can result in the trust formation. Furthermore, we investigate the taste similarity θ of the common interests, which can reflect the users’ preference on their common interests. The empirical results show that the taste similarity θ is rapidly increased around the day when users trust the others. That is, the similar tastes on the common interests among users lead to the trust formation. Finally, we report that the user degree can also influence the effect of the taste similarity θ on user trust formation. This work may shed some light for deeply understanding the evolution mechanism of the online social systems. PMID:26161853

Identifying the Role of Common Interests in Online User Trust Formation.

PubMed

Ji, Lei; Liu, Jian-Guo; Hou, Lei; Guo, Qiang

2015-01-01

Despite enormous recent efforts in detecting the mechanism of the social relation formation in online social systems, the underlying rules between the common interests and social relations are still under dispute. Do online users befriend others who have similar tastes, or do their tastes become more similar after they become friends? In this paper, we investigate the correlation between online user trust formation and their common interests, measured by the overlap rate ρ and taste similarity θ respectively. The trust relation creation time is set as the zero timestamp. The statistical results before and after the trust formation for an online network, namely Epinions, show that, the overlap rate ρ increases greatly before the trust formation, while it would increase smoothly after the creation of the trust relation. Comparing with the empirical results, two null models are presented by shuffling the temporal behaviors of online users, which suggests that the accumulation of the common interests can result in the trust formation. Furthermore, we investigate the taste similarity θ of the common interests, which can reflect the users' preference on their common interests. The empirical results show that the taste similarity θ is rapidly increased around the day when users trust the others. That is, the similar tastes on the common interests among users lead to the trust formation. Finally, we report that the user degree can also influence the effect of the taste similarity θ on user trust formation. This work may shed some light for deeply understanding the evolution mechanism of the online social systems.

Social patterning of stress and coping: Does disadvantaged social status confer more stress and fewer coping resources?

PubMed Central

Meyer, Ilan H.; Schwartz, Sharon; Frost, David M.

2008-01-01

Despite its centrality to social stress theory, research on the social patterning of stress exposure and coping resources has been sparse and existing research shows conflicting results. We interviewed 396 gay, lesbian and bisexual, and 128 heterosexual people in New York City to examine variability in exposure to stress related to sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity. Multiple linear regression showed clear support for the social stress hypothesis with regard to race/ethnic minority status, somewhat mixed support with regard to sexual orientation, and no support with regard to gender. We discuss this lack of parsimony in social stress explanations for health disparities. PMID:18433961

Exploring Entrainment Patterns of Human Emotion in Social Media

PubMed Central

Luo, Chuan; Zhang, Zhu

2016-01-01

Emotion entrainment, which is generally defined as the synchronous convergence of human emotions, performs many important social functions. However, what the specific mechanisms of emotion entrainment are beyond in-person interactions, and how human emotions evolve under different entrainment patterns in large-scale social communities, are still unknown. In this paper, we aim to examine the massive emotion entrainment patterns and understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of social media. As modeling emotion dynamics on a large scale is often challenging, we elaborate a pragmatic framework to characterize and quantify the entrainment phenomenon. By applying this framework on the datasets from two large-scale social media platforms, we find that the emotions of online users entrain through social networks. We further uncover that online users often form their relations via dual entrainment, while maintain it through single entrainment. Remarkably, the emotions of online users are more convergent in nonreciprocal entrainment. Building on these findings, we develop an entrainment augmented model for emotion prediction. Experimental results suggest that entrainment patterns inform emotion proximity in dyads, and encoding their associations promotes emotion prediction. This work can further help us to understand the underlying dynamic process of large-scale online interactions and make more reasonable decisions regarding emergency situations, epidemic diseases, and political campaigns in cyberspace. PMID:26953692

Exploring Entrainment Patterns of Human Emotion in Social Media.

PubMed

He, Saike; Zheng, Xiaolong; Zeng, Daniel; Luo, Chuan; Zhang, Zhu

2016-01-01

Emotion entrainment, which is generally defined as the synchronous convergence of human emotions, performs many important social functions. However, what the specific mechanisms of emotion entrainment are beyond in-person interactions, and how human emotions evolve under different entrainment patterns in large-scale social communities, are still unknown. In this paper, we aim to examine the massive emotion entrainment patterns and understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of social media. As modeling emotion dynamics on a large scale is often challenging, we elaborate a pragmatic framework to characterize and quantify the entrainment phenomenon. By applying this framework on the datasets from two large-scale social media platforms, we find that the emotions of online users entrain through social networks. We further uncover that online users often form their relations via dual entrainment, while maintain it through single entrainment. Remarkably, the emotions of online users are more convergent in nonreciprocal entrainment. Building on these findings, we develop an entrainment augmented model for emotion prediction. Experimental results suggest that entrainment patterns inform emotion proximity in dyads, and encoding their associations promotes emotion prediction. This work can further help us to understand the underlying dynamic process of large-scale online interactions and make more reasonable decisions regarding emergency situations, epidemic diseases, and political campaigns in cyberspace.

Social contact patterns can buffer costs of forgetting in the evolution of cooperation.

PubMed

Stevens, Jeffrey R; Woike, Jan K; Schooler, Lael J; Lindner, Stefan; Pachur, Thorsten

2018-06-13

Analyses of the evolution of cooperation often rely on two simplifying assumptions: (i) individuals interact equally frequently with all social network members and (ii) they accurately remember each partner's past cooperation or defection. Here, we examine how more realistic, skewed patterns of contact-in which individuals interact primarily with only a subset of their network's members-influence cooperation. In addition, we test whether skewed contact patterns can counteract the decrease in cooperation caused by memory errors (i.e. forgetting). Finally, we compare two types of memory error that vary in whether forgotten interactions are replaced with random actions or with actions from previous encounters. We use evolutionary simulations of repeated prisoner's dilemma games that vary agents' contact patterns, forgetting rates and types of memory error. We find that highly skewed contact patterns foster cooperation and also buffer the detrimental effects of forgetting. The type of memory error used also influences cooperation rates. Our findings reveal previously neglected but important roles of contact pattern, type of memory error and the interaction of contact pattern and memory on cooperation. Although cognitive limitations may constrain the evolution of cooperation, social contact patterns can counteract some of these constraints. © 2018 The Author(s).

Light-driven dynamic Archimedes spirals and periodic oscillatory patterns of topological solitons in anisotropic soft matter

DOE PAGES

Martinez, Angel; Smalyukh, Ivan I.

2015-02-12

Oscillatory and excitable systems very commonly exhibit formation of dynamic non-equilibrium patterns. For example, rotating spiral patterns are observed in biological, chemical, and physical systems ranging from organization of slime mold cells to Belousov-Zhabotinsky reactions, and to crystal growth from nuclei with screw dislocations. Here we describe spontaneous formation of spiral waves and a large variety of other dynamic patterns in anisotropic soft matter driven by low-intensity light. The unstructured ambient or microscope light illumination of thin liquid crystal films in contact with a self-assembled azobenzene monolayer causes spontaneous formation, rich spatial organization, and dynamics of twisted domains and topologicalmore » solitons accompanied by the dynamic patterning of azobenzene group orientations within the monolayer. Linearly polarized incident light interacts with the twisted liquid crystalline domains, mimicking their dynamics and yielding patterns in the polarization state of transmitted light, which can be transformed to similar dynamic patterns in its intensity and interference color. This shows that the delicate light-soft-matter interaction can yield complex self-patterning of both. Finally, we uncover underpinning physical mechanisms and discuss potential uses.« less

Master stability functions reveal diffusion-driven pattern formation in networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brechtel, Andreas; Gramlich, Philipp; Ritterskamp, Daniel; Drossel, Barbara; Gross, Thilo

2018-03-01

We study diffusion-driven pattern formation in networks of networks, a class of multilayer systems, where different layers have the same topology, but different internal dynamics. Agents are assumed to disperse within a layer by undergoing random walks, while they can be created or destroyed by reactions between or within a layer. We show that the stability of homogeneous steady states can be analyzed with a master stability function approach that reveals a deep analogy between pattern formation in networks and pattern formation in continuous space. For illustration, we consider a generalized model of ecological meta-food webs. This fairly complex model describes the dispersal of many different species across a region consisting of a network of individual habitats while subject to realistic, nonlinear predator-prey interactions. In this example, the method reveals the intricate dependence of the dynamics on the spatial structure. The ability of the proposed approach to deal with this fairly complex system highlights it as a promising tool for ecology and other applications.

Emergent pattern formation in an interstitial biofilm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachreson, Cameron; Wolff, Christian; Whitchurch, Cynthia B.; Toth, Milos

2017-01-01

Collective behavior of bacterial colonies plays critical roles in adaptability, survivability, biofilm expansion and infection. We employ an individual-based model of an interstitial biofilm to study emergent pattern formation based on the assumptions that rod-shaped bacteria furrow through a viscous environment and excrete extracellular polymeric substances which bias their rate of motion. Because the bacteria furrow through their environment, the substratum stiffness is a key control parameter behind the formation of distinct morphological patterns. By systematically varying this property (which we quantify with a stiffness coefficient γ ), we show that subtle changes in the substratum stiffness can give rise to a stable state characterized by a high degree of local order and long-range pattern formation. The ordered state exhibits characteristics typically associated with bacterial fitness advantages, even though it is induced by changes in environmental conditions rather than changes in biological parameters. Our findings are applicable to a broad range of biofilms and provide insights into the relationship between bacterial movement and their environment, and basic mechanisms behind self-organization of biophysical systems.

Sarcomeric Pattern Formation by Actin Cluster Coalescence

PubMed Central

Friedrich, Benjamin M.; Fischer-Friedrich, Elisabeth; Gov, Nir S.; Safran, Samuel A.

2012-01-01

Contractile function of striated muscle cells depends crucially on the almost crystalline order of actin and myosin filaments in myofibrils, but the physical mechanisms that lead to myofibril assembly remains ill-defined. Passive diffusive sorting of actin filaments into sarcomeric order is kinetically impossible, suggesting a pivotal role of active processes in sarcomeric pattern formation. Using a one-dimensional computational model of an initially unstriated actin bundle, we show that actin filament treadmilling in the presence of processive plus-end crosslinking provides a simple and robust mechanism for the polarity sorting of actin filaments as well as for the correct localization of myosin filaments. We propose that the coalescence of crosslinked actin clusters could be key for sarcomeric pattern formation. In our simulations, sarcomere spacing is set by filament length prompting tight length control already at early stages of pattern formation. The proposed mechanism could be generic and apply both to premyofibrils and nascent myofibrils in developing muscle cells as well as possibly to striated stress-fibers in non-muscle cells. PMID:22685394

Explicit versus implicit social cognition testing in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Callenmark, Björn; Kjellin, Lars; Rönnqvist, Louise; Bölte, Sven

2014-08-01

Although autism spectrum disorder is defined by reciprocal social-communication impairments, several studies have found no evidence for altered social cognition test performance. This study examined explicit (i.e. prompted) and implicit (i.e. spontaneous) variants of social cognition testing in autism spectrum disorder. A sample of 19 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and 19 carefully matched typically developing controls completed the Dewey Story Test. 'Explicit' (multiple-choice answering format) and 'implicit' (free interview) measures of social cognition were obtained. Autism spectrum disorder participants did not differ from controls regarding explicit social cognition performance. However, the autism spectrum disorder group performed more poorly than controls on implicit social cognition performance in terms of spontaneous perspective taking and social awareness. Findings suggest that social cognition alterations in autism spectrum disorder are primarily implicit in nature and that an apparent absence of social cognition difficulties on certain tests using rather explicit testing formats does not necessarily mean social cognition typicality in autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2013.

The affective tie that binds: Examining the contribution of positive emotions and anxiety to relationship formation in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Taylor, Charles T; Pearlstein, Sarah L; Stein, Murray B

2017-06-01

Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have difficulty forming social relationships. The prevailing clinical perspective is that negative emotions such as anxiety inhibit one's capacity to develop satisfying social connections. However, empirical findings from social psychology and affective neuroscience suggest that positive emotional experiences are fundamental to establishing new social bonds. To reconcile these perspectives, we collected repeated measurements of anxiety, positive emotions (pleasantness), and connectedness over the course of a controlled relationship formation encounter in 56 participants diagnosed with SAD (64% female; M age =23.3, SD=4.7). Participants experienced both increases in positive emotions and decreases in anxiety throughout the interaction. Change in positive emotions was the most robust predictor of subsequent increases in connectedness, as well as a greater desire to engage one's partner in future social activities, above and beyond reductions in anxiety (medium to large sized effects). Those findings suggest that anxiety-based models alone may not fully explain difficulties in relationship formation in SAD, and underscore the potential value of considering positive emotional experiences in conceptual and treatment models of SAD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Affective Tie That Binds: Examining the Contribution of Positive Emotions and Anxiety to Relationship Formation in Social Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Taylor, Charles T.; Pearlstein, Sarah; Stein, Murray B.

2017-01-01

Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have difficulty forming social relationships. The prevailing clinical perspective is that negative emotions such as anxiety inhibit one’s capacity to develop satisfying social connections. However, empirical findings from social psychology and affective neuroscience suggest that positive emotional experiences are fundamental to establishing new social bonds. To reconcile these perspectives, we collected repeated measurements of anxiety, positive emotions (pleasantness), and connectedness over the course of a controlled relationship formation encounter in 56 participants diagnosed with SAD (64% female; Mage = 23.3, SD = 4.7). Participants experienced both increases in positive emotions and decreases in anxiety throughout the interaction. Change in positive emotions was the most robust predictor of subsequent increases in connectedness, as well as a greater desire to engage one’s partner in future social activities, above and beyond reductions in anxiety (medium to large sized effects). Those findings suggest that anxiety-based models alone may not fully explain difficulties in relationship formation in SAD, and underscore the potential value of considering positive emotional experiences in conceptual and treatment models of SAD. PMID:28384621

Host cell recruitment patterns by bone morphogenetic protein-2 releasing hyaluronic acid hydrogels in a mouse subcutaneous environment.

PubMed

Todeschi, Maria R; El Backly, Rania M; Varghese, Oommen P; Hilborn, Jöns; Cancedda, Ranieri; Mastrogiacomo, Maddalena

2017-07-01

This study aimed to identify host cell recruitment patterns in a mouse model in response to rhBMP-2 releasing hyaluronic acid hydrogels and influence of added nano-hydroxyapatite particles on rhBMP-2 release and pattern of bone formation. Implanted gels were retrieved after implantation and cells were enzymatically dissociated for flow cytometric analysis. Percentages of macrophages, progenitor endothelial cells and putative mesenchymal stem cells were measured. Implants were evaluated for BMP-2 release by ELISA and by histology to monitor tissue formation. Hyaluronic acid+BMP-2 gels influenced the inflammatory response in the bone healing microenvironment. Host-derived putative mesenchymal stem cells were major contributors. Addition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles modified the release pattern of rhBMP-2, resulting in enhanced bone formation.

Biological competition: Decision rules, pattern formation, and oscillations

PubMed Central

Grossberg, Stephen

1980-01-01

Competition solves a universal problem about pattern processing by cellular systems. Competition allows cells to automatically retune their sensitivity to avoid noise and saturation effects. All competitive systems induce decision schemes that permit them to be classified. Systems are identified that achieve global pattern formation, or decision-making, no matter how their parameters are chosen. Oscillations can occur due to contradictions in a system's decision scheme. The pattern formation and oscillation results are extreme examples of a complementarity principle that seems to hold for competitive systems. Nonlinear competitive systems can sometimes appear, to a macroscopic observer, to have linear and cooperative properties, although the two types of systems are not equivalent. This observation is relevant to theories about the evolutionary transition from competitive to cooperative behavior. PMID:16592807

Extraction of consensus protein patterns in regions containing non-proline cis peptide bonds and their functional assessment.

PubMed

Exarchos, Konstantinos P; Exarchos, Themis P; Rigas, Georgios; Papaloukas, Costas; Fotiadis, Dimitrios I

2011-05-10

In peptides and proteins, only a small percentile of peptide bonds adopts the cis configuration. Especially in the case of amide peptide bonds, the amount of cis conformations is quite limited thus hampering systematic studies, until recently. However, lately the emerging population of databases with more 3D structures of proteins has produced a considerable number of sequences containing non-proline cis formations (cis-nonPro). In our work, we extract regular expression-type patterns that are descriptive of regions surrounding the cis-nonPro formations. For this purpose, three types of pattern discovery are performed: i) exact pattern discovery, ii) pattern discovery using a chemical equivalency set, and iii) pattern discovery using a structural equivalency set. Afterwards, using each pattern as predicate, we search the Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) resource to identify potential functional implications of regions with cis-nonPro peptide bonds. The patterns extracted from each type of pattern discovery are further employed, in order to formulate a pattern-based classifier, which is used to discriminate between cis-nonPro and trans-nonPro formations. In terms of functional implications, we observe a significant association of cis-nonPro peptide bonds towards ligand/binding functionalities. As for the pattern-based classification scheme, the highest results were obtained using the structural equivalency set, which yielded 70% accuracy, 77% sensitivity and 63% specificity.

Trust, cooperation, and equality: a psychological analysis of the formation of social capital.

PubMed

Cozzolino, Philip J

2011-06-01

Research suggests that in modern Western culture there is a positive relationship between the equality of resources and the formation of trust and cooperation, two psychological components of social capital. Two studies elucidate the psychological processes underlying that relationship. Study 1 experimentally tested the influence of resource distributions on the formation of trust and intentions to cooperate; individuals receiving a deficit of resources and a surplus of resources evidenced lower levels of social capital (i.e., trust and cooperation) than did individuals receiving equal amounts. Analyses revealed the process was affective for deficit participants and cognitive for surplus participants. Study 2 provided suggestive support for the affective-model of equality and social capital using proxy variables in the 1996 General Social Survey data set. Results suggest support for a causal path of unequal resource distributions generating affective experiences and cognitive concerns of justice, which mediate disengagement and distrust of others. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Formative Process Evaluation for Implementing a Social Marketing Intervention to Increase Walking Among African Americans in the Positive Action for Today’s Health Trial

PubMed Central

Wilson, Dawn K.; Griffin, Sarah; St. George, Sara M.; Alia, Kassandra A.; Trumpeter, Nevelyn N.; Wandersman, Abraham K.; Forthofer, Melinda; Robinson, Shamika; Gadson, Barney

2012-01-01

Objectives. Evaluating programs targeting physical activity may help to reduce disparate rates of obesity among African Americans. We report formative process evaluation methods and implementation dose, fidelity, and reach in the Positive Action for Today’s Health trial. Methods: We applied evaluation methods based on an ecological framework in 2 community-based police-patrolled walking programs targeting access and safety in underserved African American communities. One program also targeted social connectedness and motivation to walk using a social marketing approach. Process data were systematically collected from baseline to 12 months. Results: Adequate implementation dose was achieved, with fidelity achieved but less stable in both programs. Monthly walkers increased to 424 in the walking-plus-social marketing program, indicating expanding program reach, in contrast to no increase in the walking-only program. Increased reach was correlated with peer-led Pride Strides (r = .92; P < .001), a key social marketing component, and program social interaction was the primary reason for which walkers reported participating. Conclusions: Formative process evaluation demonstrated that the walking programs were effectively implemented and that social marketing increased walking and perceived social connectedness in African American communities. PMID:23078486

Network patterns in exponentially growing two-dimensional biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachreson, Cameron; Yap, Xinhui; Gloag, Erin S.; Shimoni, Raz; Whitchurch, Cynthia B.; Toth, Milos

2017-10-01

Anisotropic collective patterns occur frequently in the morphogenesis of two-dimensional biofilms. These patterns are often attributed to growth regulation mechanisms and differentiation based on gradients of diffusing nutrients and signaling molecules. Here, we employ a model of bacterial growth dynamics to show that even in the absence of growth regulation or differentiation, confinement by an enclosing medium such as agar can itself lead to stable pattern formation over time scales that are employed in experiments. The underlying mechanism relies on path formation through physical deformation of the enclosing environment.

Network Structure and Community Evolution on Twitter: Human Behavior Change in Response to the 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

PubMed Central

Lu, Xin; Brelsford, Christa

2014-01-01

To investigate the dynamics of social networks and the formation and evolution of online communities in response to extreme events, we collected three datasets from Twitter shortly before and after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We find that while almost all users increased their online activity after the earthquake, Japanese speakers, who are assumed to be more directly affected by the event, expanded the network of people they interact with to a much higher degree than English speakers or the global average. By investigating the evolution of communities, we find that the behavior of joining or quitting a community is far from random: users tend to stay in their current status and are less likely to join new communities from solitary or shift to other communities from their current community. While non-Japanese speakers did not change their conversation topics significantly after the earthquake, nearly all Japanese users changed their conversations to earthquake-related content. This study builds a systematic framework for investigating human behaviors under extreme events with online social network data and our findings on the dynamics of networks and communities may provide useful insight for understanding how patterns of social interaction are influenced by extreme events. PMID:25346468

Network Structure and Community Evolution on Twitter: Human Behavior Change in Response to the 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xin; Brelsford, Christa

2014-10-01

To investigate the dynamics of social networks and the formation and evolution of online communities in response to extreme events, we collected three datasets from Twitter shortly before and after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We find that while almost all users increased their online activity after the earthquake, Japanese speakers, who are assumed to be more directly affected by the event, expanded the network of people they interact with to a much higher degree than English speakers or the global average. By investigating the evolution of communities, we find that the behavior of joining or quitting a community is far from random: users tend to stay in their current status and are less likely to join new communities from solitary or shift to other communities from their current community. While non-Japanese speakers did not change their conversation topics significantly after the earthquake, nearly all Japanese users changed their conversations to earthquake-related content. This study builds a systematic framework for investigating human behaviors under extreme events with online social network data and our findings on the dynamics of networks and communities may provide useful insight for understanding how patterns of social interaction are influenced by extreme events.

The association between individual attachment patterns, the perceived social support, and the psychological well-being of Turkish informal caregivers.

PubMed

Kuscu, M Kemal; Dural, Uzay; Onen, Pinar; Yaşa, Yeşim; Yayla, Mete; Basaran, Gül; Turhal, Serdar; Bekiroğlu, Nural

2009-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the relations among the psychological well-being (i.e. depression and state/trait anxiety levels), attachment patterns (i.e. secure, ambivalent, avoidant), and the perceived social support from family/friends/significant others of caregivers of cancer patients in Turkey. Fifty-one caregivers of adult cancer patients were recruited from the oncology outpatient clinic of the Marmara Medical School Hospital in Istanbul. Caregivers were assessed with the Adult Attachment Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, State-trait Anxiety Inventories, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that depression was predicted by ambivalent attachment and the perceived social support from family. The support from significant others was the significant predictor of trait anxiety and the caregivers' ambivalent attachment score was the significant predictor of state anxiety. We assert that ambivalent attachment pattern could confer a vulnerability to psychological distress in cancer caregivers. Assessing the psychological experiences and needs of caregivers and being aware of possible risk factors (such as attachment patterns) and protective factors (social support network) for depression and anxiety might be helpful for successful programmes and interventions that support the caregivers of cancer patients.

Stimulation of Changes, Collective Commitment and The Patterns of Group Formation in Community Development in South Sulawesi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh, Syafiuddin

2018-05-01

This study aims to examine the pattern of group formation, related to the stimulation of change through the empowerment of farmers and poor fishermen The pattern of group formation is the basis for sustainable development. The research method used is qualitative descriptive method and relevant research type such as case study and triangulasi. The results of the study showed that (1) stimulation of changes made through development programs or community empowerment in the areas studied both among farm households and poor fishermen households for some programs received positive response from farmers and fishermen. However, the collective commitment to the breeding is relatively weak, since the group formed in each program is not done through good planning and concepts. (2) there are two patterns of group formation that are natural and formed formations initiated by outsiders. Groups that are naturally formed are more institutionalized and have characteristics such as intense and relatively routine interaction, strong mutual trust, and have a common form or mechanism shared for common purposes. The group can form the basis for sustainable development in improving the welfare of the poor.

Eggshell-Derived Hydroxyapatite: A New Era in Bone Regeneration.

PubMed

Kattimani, Vivekanand; Lingamaneni, Krishna Prasad; Chakravarthi, Pandi Srinivas; Kumar, T S Sampath; Siddharthan, Arjunan

2016-01-01

Defects of maxillofacial skeleton lead to personal (functional and aesthetic), social and behavioral problems; which make the person to isolate from the main stream of society. So, bone regeneration is the need for proper structure, function, and aesthetics following cyst enucleation, trauma, and tumor ablative surgery; which helps for overall health of the individual. The preliminary study is planned to evaluate and compare the efficacy of eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite (EHA) and synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) following cystectomy. Microwave-processed calcium deficient EHA and commercially available SHA are used for grafting. Total 20 patients enrolled in this study, consisting 10 in each group between 20 and 45 years of age. All the patients were evaluated for bone regeneration at first, second, third, and sixth month's interval, postsurgically, using radiovisiograph and clinical parameters. The bone formation characteristics vary at second month when compared to SHA. This difference may be because of the kinetics involved in the regeneration pattern. The pattern of bone healing was trabecular after third month, indicating complete bone formation. The study showed constant raise of density and remained same at the end of study period. Both EHA and SHA graft materials are equally efficient in early bone regeneration. Within the limitations of this study the EHA showed promising results. Which indicates the eggshell waste-bio mineral is worthwhile raw material for the production of HA and is a Go Green procedure. Eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite is economic, compared with SHA.

Interconnected Cavernous Structure of Bacterial Fruiting Bodies

DOE PAGES

Harvey, Cameron W.; Du, Huijing; Xu, Zhiliang; ...

2012-12-27

The formation of spore-filled fruiting bodies by myxobacteria is a fascinating case of multicelular self-organization by bacteria. The organization of Myxococcus xanthus into fruiting bodies has long been studied not only as an important example of collective motion of bacteria, but also as a simplified model for developmental morphogenesis. Sporulation within the nascent fruiting body requires signaling between moving cells in order that the rod-shaped self-propelled cells differentiate into spores at the appropriate time. Probing the three-dimensional structure of myxobacteria fruiting bodies has previously presented a challenge due to Imitations at different imaging methods. A new technique using Infrared Opticalmore » Coherence Tomography (OCT) revealed previously unknown details of the Internal structure of M. xanthus fruiting bodies consisting of interconnected pockets of relative nigh and low spore density regions. Here, to make sense of the experimentally observed structure, modeling and computer simulations were used to test a hypothesized mechanism that could produce high density pockets of spores. The mechanism consists of self-propelled cells aligning with each other and signaling by end-to-end contact to coordinate the process of differentiation resulting in a pattern of clusters observed in the experiment. The Integration of novel OCT experimental techniques with computational simulations can provide new insight Into the mechanisms that can give rise to the pattern formation seen In other biological systems such as dlctyostelids, social amoeba known to form multicellular aggregates observed as slugs under starvation conditions.« less

Using Social Science Research in Family Law Analysis and Formation: Problems and Prospects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Sarah H.; Kelly, Robert F.

Social science research can make a valuable contribution to family law analysis and formation. It can help define problems, identify possible solutions, and challenge underlying normative assumptions. Recent studies related to family law reform have analyzed the use of wage-withholding and other changes to increase child support amounts and…

Using Formative Assessment to Support Complex Learning in Conditions of Social Adversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossouard, Barbara

2011-01-01

This article reports on research into formative assessment within a task design that produces multiple opportunities for teacher and pupil dialogue. It draws upon in-depth case studies conducted in schools in socially deprived areas of Scotland, using policy and documentary analysis, video-observation, and an iterative series of interviews with…

Social Work Science and Identity Formation for Doctoral Scholars within Intellectual Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mor Barak, Michàlle E.; Brekke, John S.

2014-01-01

Three themes are central to preparing doctoral students for the professoriate: identity formation, scientific integration, and intellectual communities. In this article, we argue that these three themes are not separate pillars but interlocking circles. Our main thesis is that (1) social work must develop into a distinct integrative scientific…

Rayleigh-Taylor instability and mushroom-pattern formation in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sasaki, Kazuki; Suzuki, Naoya; Saito, Hiroki

2009-12-15

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the interface in an immiscible two-component Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated using the mean field and Bogoliubov theories. Rayleigh-Taylor fingers are found to grow from the interface and mushroom patterns are formed. Quantized vortex rings and vortex lines are then generated around the mushrooms. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and mushroom-pattern formation can be observed in a trapped system.

Dynamical spike solutions in a nonlocal model of pattern formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marciniak-Czochra, Anna; Härting, Steffen; Karch, Grzegorz; Suzuki, Kanako

2018-05-01

Coupling a reaction-diffusion equation with ordinary differential equa- tions (ODE) may lead to diffusion-driven instability (DDI) which, in contrast to the classical reaction-diffusion models, causes destabilization of both, constant solutions and Turing patterns. Using a shadow-type limit of a reaction-diffusion-ODE model, we show that in such cases the instability driven by nonlocal terms (a counterpart of DDI) may lead to formation of unbounded spike patterns.

Repeated social stress leads to contrasting patterns of structural plasticity in the amygdala and hippocampus.

PubMed

Patel, D; Anilkumar, S; Chattarji, S; Buwalda, B

2018-03-23

Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated immobilization and restraint stress cause contrasting patterns of dendritic reorganization as well as alterations in spine density in amygdalar and hippocampal neurons. Whether social and ethologically relevant stressors can induce similar patterns of morphological plasticity remains largely unexplored. Hence, we assessed the effects of repeated social defeat stress on neuronal morphology in basolateral amygdala (BLA), hippocampal CA1 and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Male Wistar rats experienced social defeat stress on 5 consecutive days during confrontation in the resident-intruder paradigm with larger and aggressive Wild-type Groningen rats. This resulted in clear social avoidance behavior one day after the last confrontation. To assess the morphological consequences of repeated social defeat, 2 weeks after the last defeat, animals were sacrificed and brains were stained using a Golgi-Cox procedure. Morphometric analyses revealed that, compared to controls, defeated Wistar rats showed apical dendritic decrease in spine density on CA1 but not BLA. Sholl analysis demonstrated a significant dendritic atrophy of CA1 basal dendrites in defeated animals. In contrast, basal dendrites of BLA pyramidal neurons exhibited enhanced dendritic arborization in defeated animals. Social stress failed to induce lasting structural changes in mPFC neurons. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that social defeat stress elicits divergent patterns of structural plasticity in the hippocampus versus amygdala, similar to what has previously been reported with repeated physical stressors. Therefore, brain region specific variations may be a universal feature of stress-induced plasticity that is shared by both physical and social stressors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mental Programs and Social Behavior Patterns in Russian Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubsky, Anatoly Vladimirovich; Kolesnykova, Elena Yuryevna; Lubsky, Roman Anatolyevich

2016-01-01

The objective of the article is to reconstruct the mental programs, their cognitive, axiological and connotative structures, and construction on this basis of various modal patterns of social behavior in Russian society. Methodology of the article is based on an interdisciplinary scientific approach making it possible to conceptually disclose the…

Sex Role Socialization Patterns in Selected Societies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safilios-Rothschild, Constantina

This document evolved because studies concerning sex role socialization patterns were available from only a limited number of societies. In addition to examining available research findings, the author develops a number of relevant hypotheses with respect to several selected societies--the United States, Russia, Greece, India, and Eastern Europe.…

INTERDISCIPLINARY PHYSICS AND RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Superlattice Patterns in Coupled Turing Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fu-Cheng; He, Ya-Feng; Pan, Yu-Yang

2010-05-01

In this paper, superlattice patterns have been investigated by using a two linearly coupled Brusselator model. It is found that superlattice patterns can only be induced in the sub-system with the short wavelength. Three different coupling methods have been used in order to investigate the mode interaction between the two Turing modes. It is proved in the simulations that interaction between activators in the two sub-systems leads to spontaneous formation of black eye pattern and/or white eye patterns while interaction between inhibitors leads to spontaneous formation of super-hexagonal pattern. It is also demonstrated that the same symmetries of the two modes and suitable wavelength ratio of the two modes should also be satisfied to form superlattice patterns.

Depletion force induced collective motion of microtubules driven by kinesin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, Daisuke; Mahmot, Bulbul; Kabir, Arif Md. Rashedul; Farhana, Tamanna Ishrat; Tokuraku, Kiyotaka; Sada, Kazuki; Konagaya, Akihiko; Kakugo, Akira

2015-10-01

Collective motion is a fascinating example of coordinated behavior of self-propelled objects, which is often associated with the formation of large scale patterns. Nowadays, the in vitro gliding assay is being considered a model system to experimentally investigate various aspects of group behavior and pattern formation by self-propelled objects. In the in vitro gliding assay, cytoskeletal filaments F-actin or microtubules are driven by the surface immobilized associated biomolecular motors myosin or dynein respectively. Although the F-actin/myosin or microtubule/dynein system was found to be promising in understanding the collective motion and pattern formation by self-propelled objects, the most widely used biomolecular motor system microtubule/kinesin could not be successfully employed so far in this regard. Failure in exhibiting collective motion by kinesin driven microtubules is attributed to the intrinsic properties of kinesin, which was speculated to affect the behavior of individual gliding microtubules and mutual interactions among them. In this work, for the first time, we have demonstrated the collective motion of kinesin driven microtubules by regulating the mutual interaction among the gliding microtubules, by employing a depletion force among them. Proper regulation of the mutual interaction among the gliding microtubules through the employment of the depletion force was found to allow the exhibition of collective motion and stream pattern formation by the microtubules. This work offers a universal means for demonstrating the collective motion using the in vitro gliding assay of biomolecular motor systems and will help obtain a meticulous understanding of the fascinating coordinated behavior and pattern formation by self-propelled objects.Collective motion is a fascinating example of coordinated behavior of self-propelled objects, which is often associated with the formation of large scale patterns. Nowadays, the in vitro gliding assay is being considered a model system to experimentally investigate various aspects of group behavior and pattern formation by self-propelled objects. In the in vitro gliding assay, cytoskeletal filaments F-actin or microtubules are driven by the surface immobilized associated biomolecular motors myosin or dynein respectively. Although the F-actin/myosin or microtubule/dynein system was found to be promising in understanding the collective motion and pattern formation by self-propelled objects, the most widely used biomolecular motor system microtubule/kinesin could not be successfully employed so far in this regard. Failure in exhibiting collective motion by kinesin driven microtubules is attributed to the intrinsic properties of kinesin, which was speculated to affect the behavior of individual gliding microtubules and mutual interactions among them. In this work, for the first time, we have demonstrated the collective motion of kinesin driven microtubules by regulating the mutual interaction among the gliding microtubules, by employing a depletion force among them. Proper regulation of the mutual interaction among the gliding microtubules through the employment of the depletion force was found to allow the exhibition of collective motion and stream pattern formation by the microtubules. This work offers a universal means for demonstrating the collective motion using the in vitro gliding assay of biomolecular motor systems and will help obtain a meticulous understanding of the fascinating coordinated behavior and pattern formation by self-propelled objects. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02213d

Neural-activity mapping of memory-based dominance in the crow: neural networks integrating individual discrimination and social behaviour control.

PubMed

Nishizawa, K; Izawa, E-I; Watanabe, S

2011-12-01

Large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos), highly social birds, form stable dominance relationships based on the memory of win/loss outcomes of first encounters and on individual discrimination. This socio-cognitive behaviour predicts the existence of neural mechanisms for integration of social behaviour control and individual discrimination. This study aimed to elucidate the neural substrates of memory-based dominance in crows. First, the formation of dominance relationships was confirmed between males in a dyadic encounter paradigm. Next, we examined whether neural activities in 22 focal nuclei of pallium and subpallium were correlated with social behaviour and stimulus familiarity after exposure to dominant/subordinate familiar individuals and unfamiliar conspecifics. Neural activity was determined by measuring expression level of the immediate-early-gene (IEG) protein Zenk. Crows displayed aggressive and/or submissive behaviour to opponents less frequently but more discriminatively in subsequent encounters, suggesting stable dominance based on memory, including win/loss outcomes of the first encounters and individual discrimination. Neural correlates of aggressive and submissive behaviour were found in limbic subpallium including septum, bed nucleus of the striae terminalis (BST), and nucleus taeniae of amygdala (TnA), but also those to familiarity factor in BST and TnA. Contrastingly, correlates of social behaviour were little in pallium and those of familiarity with exposed individuals were identified in hippocampus, medial meso-/nidopallium, and ventro-caudal nidopallium. Given the anatomical connection and neural response patterns of the focal nuclei, neural networks connecting pallium and limbic subpallium via hippocampus could be involved in the integration of individual discrimination and social behaviour control in memory-based dominance in the crow. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Videos of conspecifics elicit interactive looking patterns and facial expressions in monkeys

PubMed Central

Mosher, Clayton P.; Zimmerman, Prisca E.; Gothard, Katalin M.

2014-01-01

A broader understanding of the neural basis of social behavior in primates requires the use of species-specific stimuli that elicit spontaneous, but reproducible and tractable behaviors. In this context of natural behaviors, individual variation can further inform about the factors that influence social interactions. To approximate natural social interactions similar to those documented by field studies, we used unedited video footage to induce in viewer monkeys spontaneous facial expressions and looking patterns in the laboratory setting. Three adult male monkeys, previously behaviorally and genetically (5-HTTLPR) characterized (Gibboni et al., 2009), were monitored while they watched 10 s video segments depicting unfamiliar monkeys (movie monkeys) displaying affiliative, neutral, and aggressive behaviors. The gaze and head orientation of the movie monkeys alternated between ‘averted’ and ‘directed’ at the viewer. The viewers were not reinforced for watching the movies, thus their looking patterns indicated their interest and social engagement with the stimuli. The behavior of the movie monkey accounted for differences in the looking patterns and facial expressions displayed by the viewers. We also found multiple significant differences in the behavior of the viewers that correlated with their interest in these stimuli. These socially relevant dynamic stimuli elicited spontaneous social behaviors, such as eye-contact induced reciprocation of facial expression, gaze aversion, and gaze following, that were previously not observed in response to static images. This approach opens a unique opportunity to understanding the mechanisms that trigger spontaneous social behaviors in humans and non-human primates. PMID:21688888

Behavioral Patterns of Children Involved in Bullying Episodes

PubMed Central

Santoyo, Carlos V.; Mendoza, Brenda G.

2018-01-01

This study applied a systematic observation strategy to identify coercive behavioral patterns in school environments. The aim was to describe stability and change in the behavioral patterns of children identified as victims of bullying. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: (1) to identify episodes of bullying based on the frequency of negative behaviors received and power imbalances between bully and victim; (2) to describe stability and behavioral changes in student victims based on their social and academic conduct and the aggression they receive from peers and teachers; and (3) to describe the functional mechanisms responsible for the process of social organization (i.e., the Social Effectiveness, Social Responsiveness, and Social Reciprocity Indexes). The sample consisted of nine children identified as victims, nine classified as bullies, and nine matched controls, all elementary school students from the study developed at the National Autonomous University of Mexico files. A multidimensional/idiographic/follow-up observational design was used. Observational data describes asymmetry between victims and bullies based on microanalyses of the reciprocity of their behavioral exchanges. In addition, the behavioral patterns of victimized children were identified in relation to their academic activity and social relationships with peers. A model of coercive reciprocity accurately describes the asymmetry found among bullies, victims, and controls. A reduction in victimization was found to be related to: (1) responsiveness to the initiation of social interactions by peers and teachers; and (2) the time allocated to academic behavior during the study. PMID:29755379

Behavioral Patterns of Children Involved in Bullying Episodes.

PubMed

Santoyo, Carlos V; Mendoza, Brenda G

2018-01-01

This study applied a systematic observation strategy to identify coercive behavioral patterns in school environments. The aim was to describe stability and change in the behavioral patterns of children identified as victims of bullying. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: (1) to identify episodes of bullying based on the frequency of negative behaviors received and power imbalances between bully and victim; (2) to describe stability and behavioral changes in student victims based on their social and academic conduct and the aggression they receive from peers and teachers; and (3) to describe the functional mechanisms responsible for the process of social organization (i.e., the Social Effectiveness, Social Responsiveness, and Social Reciprocity Indexes). The sample consisted of nine children identified as victims, nine classified as bullies, and nine matched controls, all elementary school students from the study developed at the National Autonomous University of Mexico files. A multidimensional/idiographic/follow-up observational design was used. Observational data describes asymmetry between victims and bullies based on microanalyses of the reciprocity of their behavioral exchanges. In addition, the behavioral patterns of victimized children were identified in relation to their academic activity and social relationships with peers. A model of coercive reciprocity accurately describes the asymmetry found among bullies, victims, and controls. A reduction in victimization was found to be related to: (1) responsiveness to the initiation of social interactions by peers and teachers; and (2) the time allocated to academic behavior during the study.

Iridophores and their interactions with other chromatophores are required for stripe formation in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Frohnhöfer, Hans Georg; Krauss, Jana; Maischein, Hans-Martin; Nüsslein-Volhard, Christiane

2013-01-01

Colour patterns of adult fish are produced by several types of pigment cells that distribute in the dermis during juvenile development. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, displays a striking pattern of dark stripes of melanophores interspersed by light stripes of xanthophores. Mutants lacking either cell type do not form proper stripes, indicating that interactions between these two chromatophore types are required for stripe formation. A third cell type, silvery iridophores, participates to render a shiny appearance to the pattern, but its role in stripe formation has been unclear. Mutations in rose (rse) or shady (shd) cause a lack or strong reduction of iridophores in adult fish; in addition, the melanophore number is drastically reduced and stripes are broken up into spots. We show that rse and shd are autonomously required in iridophores, as mutant melanophores form normal sized stripes when confronted with wild-type iridophores in chimeric animals. We describe stripe formation in mutants missing one or two of the three chromatophore types. None of the chromatophore types alone is able to create a pattern but residual stripe formation occurs with two cell types. Our analysis shows that iridophores promote and sustain melanophores. Furthermore, iridophores attract xanthophores, whereas xanthophores repel melanophores. We present a model for the interactions between the three chromatophore types underlying stripe formation. Stripe formation is initiated by iridophores appearing at the horizontal myoseptum, which serves as a morphological landmark for stripe orientation, but is subsequently a self-organising process. PMID:23821036

Social Memory Formation Rapidly and Differentially Affects the Motivation and Performance of Vocal Communication Signals in the Bengalese Finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica).

PubMed

Toccalino, Danielle C; Sun, Herie; Sakata, Jon T

2016-01-01

Cognitive processes like the formation of social memories can shape the nature of social interactions between conspecifics. Male songbirds use vocal signals during courtship interactions with females, but the degree to which social memory and familiarity influences the likelihood and structure of male courtship song remains largely unknown. Using a habituation-dishabituation paradigm, we found that a single, brief (<30 s) exposure to a female led to the formation of a short-term memory for that female: adult male Bengalese finches were significantly less likely to produce courtship song to an individual female when re-exposed to her 5 min later (i.e., habituation). Familiarity also rapidly decreased the duration of courtship songs but did not affect other measures of song performance (e.g., song tempo and the stereotypy of syllable structure and sequencing). Consistent with a contribution of social memory to the decrease in courtship song with repeated exposures to the same female, the likelihood that male Bengalese finches produced courtship song increased when they were exposed to a different female (i.e., dishabituation). Three consecutive exposures to individual females also led to the formation of a longer-term memory that persisted over days. Specifically, when courtship song production was assessed 2 days after initial exposures to females, males produced fewer and shorter courtship songs to familiar females than to unfamiliar females. Measures of song performance, however, were not different between courtship songs produced to familiar and unfamiliar females. The formation of a longer-term memory for individual females seemed to require at least three exposures because males did not differentially produce courtship song to unfamiliar females and females that they had been exposed to only once or twice. Taken together, these data indicate that brief exposures to individual females led to the rapid formation and persistence of social memories and support the existence of distinct mechanisms underlying the motivation to produce and the performance of courtship song.

Social power and opinion formation in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalili, Mahdi

2013-02-01

In this paper we investigate the effects of social power on the evolution of opinions in model networks as well as in a number of real social networks. A continuous opinion formation model is considered and the analysis is performed through numerical simulation. Social power is given to a proportion of agents selected either randomly or based on their degrees. As artificial network structures, we consider scale-free networks constructed through preferential attachment and Watts-Strogatz networks. Numerical simulations show that scale-free networks with degree-based social power on the hub nodes have an optimal case where the largest number of the nodes reaches a consensus. However, given power to a random selection of nodes could not improve consensus properties. Introducing social power in Watts-Strogatz networks could not significantly change the consensus profile.

[The medical social aspects of childhood traumatism accounting the family type].

PubMed

2012-01-01

In the Russian Federation the childhood traumatism is considered as one of progressing social dangers. The interest in studying the impact of family type on childhood morbidity formation is increased during last years. The family is a fundamental principle of mechanisms of public health formation. The questionnaire poll of parents of children suffered from traumas provides the data concerning the medical social risk factors impacting the level of childhood traumatism. The one of the most important prevention measures is the impact on the family.

The impact of cognitive testing on the welfare of group housed primates.

PubMed

Whitehouse, Jamie; Micheletta, Jérôme; Powell, Lauren E; Bordier, Celia; Waller, Bridget M

2013-01-01

Providing cognitive challenges to zoo-housed animals may provide enriching effects and subsequently enhance their welfare. Primates may benefit most from such challenges as they often face complex problems in their natural environment and can be observed to seek problem solving opportunities in captivity. However, the extent to which welfare benefits can be achieved through programmes developed primarily for cognitive research is unknown. We tested the impact of voluntary participation cognitive testing on the welfare of a socially housed group of crested macaques (Macaca nigra) at the Macaque Study Centre (Marwell Zoo). First, we compared the rate of self-directed and social behaviours on testing and non-testing days, and between conditions within testing days. Minimal differences in behaviour were found when comparing testing and non-testing days, suggesting that there was no negative impact on welfare as a result of cognitive testing. Lipsmacking behaviours were found to increase and aggressive interaction was found to decrease in the group as a result of testing. Second, social network analysis was used to assess the effect of testing on associations and interactions between individuals. The social networks showed that testing subjects increased their association with others during testing days. One interpretation of this finding could be that providing socially housed primates with an opportunity for individuals to separate from the group for short periods could help mimic natural patterns of sub-group formation and reunion in captivity. The findings suggest, therefore, that the welfare of captive primates can be improved through the use of cognitive testing in zoo environments.

Informing the implementation of evidence-informed decision making interventions using a social network analysis perspective; a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Yousefi Nooraie, Reza; Lohfeld, Lynne; Marin, Alexandra; Hanneman, Robert; Dobbins, Maureen

2017-02-08

Workforce development is an important aspect of evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) interventions. The structure of formal and informal social networks can influence, and be influenced, by the implementation of EIDM interventions. In a mixed methods study we assessed the outcomes of a targeted training intervention to promote EIDM among the staff in three public health units in Ontario, Canada. This report focuses on the qualitative phase of the study in which key staff were interviewed about the process of engagement in the intervention, communications during the intervention, and social consequences. Senior managers identified staff to take part in the intervention. Engagement was a top-down process determined by the way organizational leaders promoted EIDM and the relevance of staff's jobs to EIDM. Communication among staff participating in the workshops and ongoing progress meetings was influential in overcoming personal and normative barriers to implementing EIDM, and promoted the formation of long-lasting social connections among staff. Organization-wide presentations and meetings facilitated the recognition of expertise that the trained staff gained, including their reputation as experts according to their peers in different divisions. Selective training and capacity development interventions can result in forming an elite versus ordinary pattern that facilitates the recognition of in-house qualified experts while also strengthening social status inequality. The role of leadership in public health units is pivotal in championing and overseeing the implementation process. Network analysis can guide and inform the design, process, and evaluation of the EIDM training interventions.

Understanding environment-influenced swarm behavior from a social force perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, J.; Lu, D.; Jiang, Y.; Lee, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Yu, J.

2018-02-01

The relevant research on swarm behavior has focused on the facts that when individuals agree with other members in the system globally consistent behaviors are generated and that individual decisions are completely dominated by other members. In fact, when individuals generate their own behavior strategies, they tend to consider not only the influences of other members but also autonomically consider their current environment. For example, in the social foraging of flocks, the behavior strategy of each individual animal is influenced by the food distribution, and individual movement patterns are characterized by a highly efficient search strategy-Lévy walks. To investigate this, this paper proposes using an environment-driven social force perspective to explore the Lévy walks of individuals in a group in patchy food environments. This model adopts the concept of social force to quantify the social effects and the interactions between individuals and food. The coordination between forces is a key in the formation of individual behavior strategies. Our simulation results show a power-law frequency distribution for agent flight lengths that conforms to Lévy walks and verifies the hypothesis of a relationship between food density and the Lévy index. In our model, the flock still exhibits collective consistency and cohesion and yields a high value for the order parameter and population density when moving between food patches. In addition, our model explains the intraspecific cooperation and competition that occurs during foraging as proposed in related work. The simulation also validates the impact of two inducements for individual behaviors compared with several benchmark models.

On the Value of Reptilian Brains to Map the Evolution of the Hippocampal Formation.

PubMed

Reiter, Sam; Liaw, Hua-Peng; Yamawaki, Tracy M; Naumann, Robert K; Laurent, Gilles

2017-01-01

Our ability to navigate through the world depends on the function of the hippocampus. This old cortical structure plays a critical role in spatial navigation in mammals and in a variety of processes, including declarative and episodic memory and social behavior. Intense research has revealed much about hippocampal anatomy, physiology, and computation; yet, even intensely studied phenomena such as the shaping of place cell activity or the function of hippocampal firing patterns during sleep remain incompletely understood. Interestingly, while the hippocampus may be a 'higher order' area linked to a complex cortical hierarchy in mammals, it is an old cortical structure in evolutionary terms. The reptilian cortex, structurally much simpler than the mammalian cortex and hippocampus, therefore presents a good alternative model for exploring hippocampal function. Here, we trace common patterns in the evolution of the hippocampus of reptiles and mammals and ask which parts can be profitably compared to understand functional principles. In addition, we describe a selection of the highly diverse repertoire of reptilian behaviors to illustrate the value of a comparative approach towards understanding hippocampal function. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Representational similarity of social and valence information in the medial pFC.

PubMed

Chavez, Robert S; Heatherton, Todd F

2015-01-01

The human brain is remarkably adept at integrating complex information to form unified psychological representations of agents, objects, and events in the environment. Two domains in which this ability is particularly salient are the processing of social and valence information and are supported by common cortical areas in the medial pFC (MPFC). Because social information is often embedded within valenced emotional contexts, it is possible that activation patterns within the MPFC may represent both of these types of cognitive processes when presented simultaneously. The current study tested this possibility by employing a large-scale automated meta-analysis tool, together with multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representational similarity of social and valence information in the MPFC during fMRI. Using a representational similarity analysis, we found a high degree of representational similarity both within social dimensions and within valence dimensions, but not across them (e.g., positive social information was highly dissimilar to negative nonsocial information), in a ventral portion of the MPFC. These results were significantly correlated with a behaviorally measured similarity structure of the same stimuli, suggesting that a psychologically meaningful representation of social and valence information is reflected by multivoxel activation patterns in the ventral MPFC.

Using Machine Learning to Discover Latent Social Phenotypes in Free-Ranging Macaques

PubMed Central

Madlon-Kay, Seth; Brent, Lauren J. N.; Heller, Katherine A.; Platt, Michael L.

2017-01-01

Investigating the biological bases of social phenotypes is challenging because social behavior is both high-dimensional and richly structured, and biological factors are more likely to influence complex patterns of behavior rather than any single behavior in isolation. The space of all possible patterns of interactions among behaviors is too large to investigate using conventional statistical methods. In order to quantitatively define social phenotypes from natural behavior, we developed a machine learning model to identify and measure patterns of behavior in naturalistic observational data, as well as their relationships to biological, environmental, and demographic sources of variation. We applied this model to extensive observations of natural behavior in free-ranging rhesus macaques, and identified behavioral states that appeared to capture periods of social isolation, competition over food, conflicts among groups, and affiliative coexistence. Phenotypes, represented as the rate of being in each state for a particular animal, were strongly and broadly influenced by dominance rank, sex, and social group membership. We also identified two states for which variation in rates had a substantial genetic component. We discuss how this model can be extended to identify the contributions to social phenotypes of particular genetic pathways. PMID:28754001

Toward Efficient Team Formation for Crowdsourcing in Noncooperative Social Networks.

PubMed

Wang, Wanyuan; Jiang, Jiuchuan; An, Bo; Jiang, Yichuan; Chen, Bing

2017-12-01

Crowdsourcing has become a popular service computing paradigm for requesters to integrate the ubiquitous human-intelligence services for tasks that are difficult for computers but trivial for humans. This paper focuses on crowdsourcing complex tasks by team formation in social networks (SNs) where a requester connects to a large number of workers. A good indicator of efficient team collaboration is the social connection among workers. Most previous social team formation approaches, however, either assume that the requester can maintain information of all workers and can directly communicate with them to build teams, or assume that the workers are cooperative and be willing to join the specific team built by the requester, both of which are impractical in many real situations. To this end, this paper first models each worker as a selfish entity, where the requester prefers to hire inexpensive workers that require less payment and workers prefer to join the profitable teams where they can gain high revenue. Within the noncooperative SNs, a distributed negotiation-based team formation mechanism is designed for the requester to decide which worker to hire and for the worker to decide which team to join and how much should be paid for his skill service provision. The proposed social team formation approach can always build collaborative teams by allowing team members to form a connected graph such that they can work together efficiently. Finally, we conduct a set of experiments on real dataset of workers to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach. The experimental results show that our approach can: 1) preserve considerable social welfare by comparing the benchmark centralized approaches and 2) form the profitable teams within less negotiation time by comparing the traditional distributed approaches, making our approach a more economic option for real-world applications.

Alternative mechanisms alter the emergent properties of self-organization in mussel beds

PubMed Central

Liu, Quan-Xing; Weerman, Ellen J.; Herman, Peter M. J.; Olff, Han; van de Koppel, Johan

2012-01-01

Theoretical models predict that spatial self-organization can have important, unexpected implications by affecting the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resilience and productivity. Whether and how these emergent effects depend on specific formulations of the underlying mechanisms are questions that are often ignored. Here, we compare two alternative models of regular spatial pattern formation in mussel beds that have different mechanistic descriptions of the facilitative interactions between mussels. The first mechanism involves a reduced mussel loss rate at high density owing to mutual protection between the mussels, which is the basis of prior studies on the pattern formation in mussels. The second mechanism assumes, based on novel experimental evidence, that mussels feed more efficiently on top of mussel-generated hummocks. Model simulations point out that the second mechanism produces very similar types of spatial patterns in mussel beds. Yet the mechanisms predict a strikingly contrasting effect of these spatial patterns on ecosystem functioning, in terms of productivity and resilience. In the first model, where high mussel densities reduce mussel loss rates, patterns are predicted to strongly increase productivity and decrease the recovery time of the bed following a disturbance. When pattern formation is generated by increased feeding efficiency on hummocks, only minor emergent effects of pattern formation on ecosystem functioning are predicted. Our results provide a warning against predictions of the implications and emergent properties of spatial self-organization, when the mechanisms that underlie self-organization are incompletely understood and not based on the experimental study. PMID:22418256

Pattern Formations for Optical Switching Using Cold Atoms as a Nonlinear Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmittberger, Bonnie; Greenberg, Joel; Gauthier, Daniel

2011-05-01

The study of spatio-temporal pattern formation in nonlinear optical systems has both led to an increased understanding of nonlinear dynamics as well as given rise to sensitive new methods for all-optical switching. Whereas the majority of past experiments utilized warm atomic vapors as nonlinear media, we report the first observation of an optical instability leading to pattern formation in a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. When we shine a pair of counterpropagating pump laser beams along the pencil-shaped cloud's long axis, new beams of light are generated along cones centered on the trap. This generated light produces petal-like patterns in the plane orthogonal to the pump beams that can be used for optical switching. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the NSF through Grant #PHY-0855399 and the DARPA Slow Light Program.

Interference-mediated synaptonemal complex formation with embedded crossover designation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liangran; Espagne, Eric; de Muyt, Arnaud; Zickler, Denise; Kleckner, Nancy E.

2014-01-01

Biological systems exhibit complex patterns at length scales ranging from the molecular to the organismic. Along chromosomes, events often occur stochastically at different positions in different nuclei but nonetheless tend to be relatively evenly spaced. Examples include replication origin firings, formation of chromatin loops along chromosome axes and, during meiosis, localization of crossover recombination sites (“crossover interference”). We present evidence in the fungus Sordaria macrospora that crossover interference is part of a broader pattern that includes synaptonemal complex (SC) nucleation. This pattern comprises relatively evenly spaced SC nucleation sites, among which a subset are crossover sites that show a classical interference distribution. This pattern ensures that SC forms regularly along the entire length of the chromosome as required for the maintenance of homolog pairing while concomitantly having crossover interactions locally embedded within the SC structure as required for both DNA recombination and structural events of chiasma formation. This pattern can be explained by a threshold-based designation and spreading interference process. This model can be generalized to give diverse types of related and/or partially overlapping patterns, in two or more dimensions, for any type of object. PMID:25380597

On the role of the reticular formation in vocal pattern generation.

PubMed

Jürgens, Uwe; Hage, Steffen R

2007-09-04

This review is an attempt to localize the brain region responsible for pattern generation of species-specific vocalizations. A catalogue is set up, listing the criteria considered to be essential for a vocal pattern generator. According to this catalogue, a vocal pattern generator should show vocalization-correlated activity, starting before vocal onset and reflecting specific acoustic features of the vocalization. Artificial activation by electrical or glutamatergic stimulation should produce artificially sounding vocalization. Lesioning is expected to have an inhibitory or deteriorating effect on vocalization. Anatomically, a vocal pattern generator can be assumed to have direct or, at least, oligosynaptic connections with all the motoneuron pools involved in phonation. A survey of the literature reveals that the only area meeting all these criteria is a region, reaching from the parvocellular pontine reticular formation just above the superior olive through the lateral reticular formation around the facial nucleus and nucleus ambiguus down to the caudalmost medulla, including the dorsal and ventral reticular nuclei and nucleus retroambiguus. It is proposed that vocal pattern generation takes place within this whole region.

Alienation and the Ontology of Social Structure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segalman, Ralph

Theoretical models of social structure are analyzed in light of modern work patterns, social affiliations, and social attitudes. It is hypothesized that previous paradigms for society were based on classic theory which analyzed the then emergent forms of social structure and relationships. Because social structures and relationships have changed,…

Social class, gender, and time use: implications for the social determinants of body weight?

PubMed

McLaren, Lindsay; Godley, Jenny; MacNairn, Ian A S

2009-12-01

The social gradient in body weight (for example, obesity) departs from the social gradient in other health outcomes. Innovative approaches are needed to understand the observed patterns. This study examines time-use patterns by indicators of socio-economic position, and considers the implications of variations in time use for the social gradient in weight reported in other studies. The data are from respondents aged 25 to 64 to Canada's 1986 and 2005 General Social Surveys, which focused on time use. Participation in various activities was examined by sex, and by personal income and education, stratified by sex, in both years. Higher-income men and women were more likely than those of lower income to spend time in paid work, commuting and eating out, and less likely to spend time sleeping. Men and women with higher education were more likely than those with lower education to spend time in physical activity (2005 only) and reading. These time-use patterns plausibly contribute to the social gradient in obesity reported in other Canadian studies. The findings suggest that there is value in looking beyond a narrow range of health behaviours toward broader measures of daily routines to gain insight into the social determinants of weight and health.

Universal stability curve for pattern formation in pulsed gas-solid fluidized beds of sandlike particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Martín, Lilian; Ottevanger, Coen; van Ommen, J. Ruud; Coppens, Marc-Olivier

2018-03-01

A granular layer can form regular patterns, such as squares, stripes, and hexagons, when it is fluidized with a pulsating gas flow. These structures are reminiscent of the well-known patterns found in granular layers excited through vibration, but, contrarily to them, they have been hardly explored since they were first discovered. In this work, we investigate experimentally the conditions leading to pattern formation in pulsed fluidized beds and the dimensionless numbers governing the phenomenon. We show that the onset to the instability is universal for Geldart B (sandlike) particles and governed by the hydrodynamical parameters Γ =ua/(utϕ ¯) and f /fn , where ua and f are the amplitude and frequency of the gas velocity, respectively, ut is the terminal velocity of the particles, ϕ ¯ is the average solids fraction, and fn is the natural frequency of the bed. These findings suggest that patterns emerge as a result of a parametric resonance between the kinematic waves originating from the oscillating gas flow and the bulk dynamics. Particle friction plays virtually no role in the onset to pattern formation, but it is fundamental for pattern selection and stabilization.

Exploring the Complex Pattern of Information Spreading in Online Blog Communities

PubMed Central

Pei, Sen; Muchnik, Lev; Tang, Shaoting; Zheng, Zhiming; Makse, Hernán A.

2015-01-01

Information spreading in online social communities has attracted tremendous attention due to its utmost practical values in applications. Despite that several individual-level diffusion data have been investigated, we still lack the detailed understanding of the spreading pattern of information. Here, by comparing information flows and social links in a blog community, we find that the diffusion processes are induced by three different spreading mechanisms: social spreading, self-promotion and broadcast. Although numerous previous studies have employed epidemic spreading models to simulate information diffusion, we observe that such models fail to reproduce the realistic diffusion pattern. In respect to users behaviors, strikingly, we find that most users would stick to one specific diffusion mechanism. Moreover, our observations indicate that the social spreading is not only crucial for the structure of diffusion trees, but also capable of inducing more subsequent individuals to acquire the information. Our findings suggest new directions for modeling of information diffusion in social systems, and could inform design of efficient propagation strategies based on users behaviors. PMID:25985081

Exploring the complex pattern of information spreading in online blog communities.

PubMed

Pei, Sen; Muchnik, Lev; Tang, Shaoting; Zheng, Zhiming; Makse, Hernán A

2015-01-01

Information spreading in online social communities has attracted tremendous attention due to its utmost practical values in applications. Despite that several individual-level diffusion data have been investigated, we still lack the detailed understanding of the spreading pattern of information. Here, by comparing information flows and social links in a blog community, we find that the diffusion processes are induced by three different spreading mechanisms: social spreading, self-promotion and broadcast. Although numerous previous studies have employed epidemic spreading models to simulate information diffusion, we observe that such models fail to reproduce the realistic diffusion pattern. In respect to users behaviors, strikingly, we find that most users would stick to one specific diffusion mechanism. Moreover, our observations indicate that the social spreading is not only crucial for the structure of diffusion trees, but also capable of inducing more subsequent individuals to acquire the information. Our findings suggest new directions for modeling of information diffusion in social systems, and could inform design of efficient propagation strategies based on users behaviors.

Socialization Patterns and Their Association with Unprotected Anal Intercourse, HIV, and Syphilis Among High-Risk Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Peru

PubMed Central

Verre, MC; Peinado, J; Segura, ER; Clark, JC; Gonzales, P; Benites, C; Cabello, R; Sanchez, J; Lama, JR

2014-01-01

The association of socialization patterns with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and HIV/STI prevalence remains underexplored in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in developing country settings. We evaluated the correlation of UAI, HIV, and syphilis with MSM/TW venue attendance and social network size among high-risk MSM and TW in Peru according to self-reported sexual identity. Frequency of venue attendance and MSM/TW social network size were lowest among heterosexual MSM and highest among TW respondents. Attendance (frequent or occasional) at MSM/TW venues was associated with increased odds of insertive UAI among heterosexual participants. Frequent venue attendance was associated with increased odds of receptive UAI among gay/homosexual, bisexual, and TW participants. Further investigation of the differing socialization patterns and associations with HIV/STI transmission within subgroups of Peruvian MSM and TW will enable more effective prevention interventions for these populations. PMID:24788782

Socialization patterns and their associations with unprotected anal intercourse, HIV, and syphilis among high-risk men who have sex with men and transgender women in Peru.

PubMed

Verre, Michael C; Peinado, Jesus; Segura, Eddy R; Clark, Jesse; Gonzales, Pedro; Benites, Carlos; Cabello, Robinson; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R

2014-10-01

The association of socialization patterns with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and HIV/STI prevalence remains underexplored in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in developing country settings. We evaluated the correlation of UAI, HIV, and syphilis with MSM/TW venue attendance and social network size among high-risk MSM and TW in Peru according to self-reported sexual identity. Frequency of venue attendance and MSM/TW social network size were lowest among heterosexual MSM and highest among TW respondents. Attendance (frequent or occasional) at MSM/TW venues was associated with increased odds of insertive UAI among heterosexual participants. Frequent venue attendance was associated with increased odds of receptive UAI among gay/homosexual, bisexual, and TW participants. Further investigation of the differing socialization patterns and associations with HIV/STI transmission within subgroups of Peruvian MSM and TW will enable more effective prevention interventions for these populations.

Formal Derivation of Lotka-Volterra-Haken Amplitude Equations of Task-Related Brain Activity in Multiple, Consecutively Performed Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, T. D.

The Lotka-Volterra-Haken equations have been frequently used in ecology and pattern formation. Recently, the equations have been proposed by several research groups as amplitude equations for task-related patterns of brain activity. In this theoretical study, the focus is on the circular causality aspect of pattern formation systems as formulated within the framework of synergetics. Accordingly, the stable modes of a pattern formation system inhibit the unstable modes, whereas the unstable modes excite the stable modes. Using this circular causality principle it is shown that under certain conditions the Lotka-Volterra-Haken amplitude equations can be derived from a general model of brain activity akin to the Wilson-Cowan model. The model captures the amplitude dynamics for brain activity patterns in experiments involving several consecutively performed multiple-choice tasks. This is explicitly demonstrated for two-choice tasks involving grasping and walking. A comment on the relevance of the theoretical framework for clinical psychology and schizophrenia is given as well.

The Intersection of Theory and Application in Elucidating Pattern Formation in Developmental Biology

PubMed Central

Othmer, Hans G.; Painter, Kevin; Umulis, David; Xue, Chuan

2009-01-01

We discuss theoretical and experimental approaches to three distinct developmental systems that illustrate how theory can influence experimental work and vice-versa. The chosen systems – Drosophila melanogaster, bacterial pattern formation, and pigmentation patterns – illustrate the fundamental physical processes of signaling, growth and cell division, and cell movement involved in pattern formation and development. These systems exemplify the current state of theoretical and experimental understanding of how these processes produce the observed patterns, and illustrate how theoretical and experimental approaches can interact to lead to a better understanding of development. As John Bonner said long ago ‘We have arrived at the stage where models are useful to suggest experiments, and the facts of the experiments in turn lead to new and improved models that suggest new experiments. By this rocking back and forth between the reality of experimental facts and the dream world of hypotheses, we can move slowly toward a satisfactory solution of the major problems of developmental biology.’ PMID:19844610

Numerical approaches to model perturbation fire in turing pattern formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campagna, R.; Brancaccio, M.; Cuomo, S.; Mazzoleni, S.; Russo, L.; Siettos, K.; Giannino, F.

2017-11-01

Turing patterns were observed in chemical, physical and biological systems described by coupled reaction-diffusion equations. Several models have been formulated proposing the water as the causal mechanism of vegetation pattern formation, but this isn't an exhaustive hypothesis in some natural environments. An alternative explanation has been related to the plant-soil negative feedback. In Marasco et al. [1] the authors explored the hypothesis that both mechanisms contribute in the formation of regular and irregular vegetation patterns. The mathematical model consists in three partial differential equations (PDEs) that take into account for a dynamic balance between biomass, water and toxic compounds. A numerical approach is mandatory also to investigate on the predictions of this kind of models. In this paper we start from the mathematical model described in [1], set the model parameters such that the biomass reaches a stable spatial pattern (spots) and present preliminary studies about the occurrence of perturbing events, such as wildfire, that can affect the regularity of the biomass configuration.

Workplace Social Support and Behavioral Health Prior to Long-Duration Spaceflight.

PubMed

Deming, Charlene A; Vasterling, Jennifer J

2017-06-01

Preparation and training for long-duration spaceflight bring with them psychosocial stressors potentially affecting the well-being and performance of astronauts, before and during spaceflight. Social support from within the workplace may mitigate behavioral health concerns arising during the preflight period and enhance resiliency before and during extended missions. The purpose of this review was to evaluate evidence addressing the viability of workplace social support as a pre-mission countermeasure, specifically addressing: 1) the observed relationships between workplace social support and behavioral health; 2) perceived need, acceptability, and format preference for workplace social support among high-achievers; 3) potential barriers to delivery/receipt of workplace social support; 4) workplace social support interventions; and 5) delivery timeframe and anticipated duration of workplace social support countermeasure benefits. We conducted an evidence review examining workplace social support in professional contexts sharing one or more characteristics with astronauts and spaceflight. Terms included populations of interest, social support constructs, and behavioral health outcomes. Abstracts of matches were subsequently reviewed for relevance and quality. Research findings demonstrate clear associations between workplace social support and behavioral health, especially following exposure to stress. Further, studies indicate strong need for support and acceptability of support countermeasures, despite barriers. Our review revealed two general formats for providing support (i.e., direct provision of support and training to optimize skills in provision and receipt of support) with potential differentiation of expected duration of benefits, according to format. Workplace social support countermeasures hold promise for effective application during pre-mission phases of long-duration spaceflight. Specific recommendations are provided.Deming CA, Vasterling JJ. Workplace social support and behavioral health prior to long-duration spaceflight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(6):565-573.

Explore Care Pathways of Colorectal Cancer Patients with Social Network Analysis.

PubMed

Huo, Tianyao; George, Thomas J; Guo, Yi; He, Zhe; Prosperi, Mattia; Modave, François; Bian, Jiang

2017-01-01

Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) often face treatment delays and the exact reasons have not been well studied. This study is to explore clinical workflow patterns for CRC patients using electronic health records (EHR). In particular, we modeled the clinical workflow (provider-provider interactions) of a CRC patient's workup period as a social network, and identified clusters of workflow patterns based on network characteristics. Understanding of these patterns will help guide healthcare policy-making and practice.

Reverse and forward engineering of protein pattern formation.

PubMed

Kretschmer, Simon; Harrington, Leon; Schwille, Petra

2018-05-26

Living systems employ protein pattern formation to regulate important life processes in space and time. Although pattern-forming protein networks have been identified in various prokaryotes and eukaryotes, their systematic experimental characterization is challenging owing to the complex environment of living cells. In turn, cell-free systems are ideally suited for this goal, as they offer defined molecular environments that can be precisely controlled and manipulated. Towards revealing the molecular basis of protein pattern formation, we outline two complementary approaches: the biochemical reverse engineering of reconstituted networks and the de novo design, or forward engineering, of artificial self-organizing systems. We first illustrate the reverse engineering approach by the example of the Escherichia coli Min system, a model system for protein self-organization based on the reversible and energy-dependent interaction of the ATPase MinD and its activating protein MinE with a lipid membrane. By reconstituting MinE mutants impaired in ATPase stimulation, we demonstrate how large-scale Min protein patterns are modulated by MinE activity and concentration. We then provide a perspective on the de novo design of self-organizing protein networks. Tightly integrated reverse and forward engineering approaches will be key to understanding and engineering the intriguing phenomenon of protein pattern formation.This article is part of the theme issue 'Self-organization in cell biology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Flow Visualization and Pattern Formation in Vertically Falling Liquid Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakotaiah, Vemuri; Malamataris, Nikolaos

2008-11-01

Analytical results of a low-dimensional two equation h-q model and results of a direct numerical simulation of the transient two-dimensional Navier Stokes equations are presented for vertically falling liquid films along a solid wall. The numerical study aims at the elucidation of the hydrodynamics of the falling film. The analytical study aims at the calculation of the parameter space where pattern formation occurs for this flow. It has been found that when the wave amplitude exceeds a certain magnitude, flow reversal occurs in the film underneath the minimum of the waves [1]. The instantaneous vortical structures possess two hyperbolic points on the vertical wall and an elliptic point in the film. As the wave amplitude increases further, the elliptic point reaches the free surface of the film and two more hyperbolic points are formed in the free surface that replace the elliptic point. Between the two hyperbolic points on the free surface, the streamwise component of velocity is negative and the film is divided into asymmetric patterns of up and down flows. Depending on the value of the Kapitza number, these patterns are either stationary or oscillatory. Physical reasons for the influence of the Kapitza number on pattern formation are given. Movies are shown where the pattern formation is demonstrated. [1] N.A.Malamataris and V.Balakotaiah (2008), AIChE J., 54(7), p. 1725-1740

A framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets

PubMed Central

Levengood, Alexis; Foroughirad, Vivienne; Mann, Janet; Krzyszczyk, Ewa

2017-01-01

Animal sociality is of significant interest to evolutionary and behavioural ecologists, with efforts focused on the patterns, causes and fitness outcomes of social preference. However, individual social patterns are the consequence of both attraction to (preference for) and avoidance of conspecifics. Despite this, social avoidance has received far less attention than social preference. Here, we detail the necessary steps to generate a spatially explicit, iterative null model which can be used to identify non-random social avoidance in longitudinal studies of social animals. We specifically identify and detail parameters which will influence the validity of the model. To test the usability of this model, we applied it to two longitudinal studies of social animals (Eastern water dragons (Intellegama lesueurii) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)) to identify the presence of social avoidances. Using this model allowed us to identify the presence of social avoidances in both species. We hope that the framework presented here inspires interest in addressing this critical gap in our understanding of animal sociality, in turn allowing for a more holistic understanding of social interactions, relationships and structure. PMID:28879006

A framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets.

PubMed

Strickland, Kasha; Levengood, Alexis; Foroughirad, Vivienne; Mann, Janet; Krzyszczyk, Ewa; Frère, Celine H

2017-08-01

Animal sociality is of significant interest to evolutionary and behavioural ecologists, with efforts focused on the patterns, causes and fitness outcomes of social preference. However, individual social patterns are the consequence of both attraction to (preference for) and avoidance of conspecifics. Despite this, social avoidance has received far less attention than social preference. Here, we detail the necessary steps to generate a spatially explicit, iterative null model which can be used to identify non-random social avoidance in longitudinal studies of social animals. We specifically identify and detail parameters which will influence the validity of the model. To test the usability of this model, we applied it to two longitudinal studies of social animals (Eastern water dragons ( Intellegama lesueurii ) and bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops aduncus )) to identify the presence of social avoidances. Using this model allowed us to identify the presence of social avoidances in both species. We hope that the framework presented here inspires interest in addressing this critical gap in our understanding of animal sociality, in turn allowing for a more holistic understanding of social interactions, relationships and structure.

Vegetation pattern formation in a fog-dependent ecosystem.

PubMed

Borthagaray, Ana I; Fuentes, Miguel A; Marquet, Pablo A

2010-07-07

Vegetation pattern formation is a striking characteristic of several water-limited ecosystems around the world. Typically, they have been described on runoff-based ecosystems emphasizing local interactions between water, biomass interception, growth and dispersal. Here, we show that this situation is by no means general, as banded patterns in vegetation can emerge in areas without rainfall and in plants without functional root (the Bromeliad Tillandsia landbeckii) and where fog is the principal source of moisture. We show that a simple model based on the advection of fog-water by wind and its interception by the vegetation can reproduce banded patterns which agree with empirical patterns observed in the Coastal Atacama Desert. Our model predicts how the parameters may affect the conditions to form the banded pattern, showing a transition from a uniform vegetated state, at high water input or terrain slope to a desert state throughout intermediate banded states. Moreover, the model predicts that the pattern wavelength is a decreasing non-linear function of fog-water input and slope, and an increasing function of plant loss and fog-water flow speed. Finally, we show that the vegetation density is increased by the formation of the regular pattern compared to the density expected by the spatially homogeneous model emphasizing the importance of self-organization in arid ecosystems. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Academic Spheres, Students' Identity Formation, and Social Activism among Palestinian Arab Students in Israeli Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arar, Khalid

2017-01-01

This article discusses the influence of studies in Israeli academic campuses on the formation of Palestinian Arab students' identity and social activism. Narrative life-story interviews with 14 Palestinian Arab students studying in Israeli academic campuses revealed that these campuses create the first opportunity for daily encounters between…

Family Formation in Post-Soviet Ukraine: Changing Effects of Education in a Period of Rapid Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perelli-Harris, Brienna

2008-01-01

Focusing on post-Soviet Ukraine, this paper examines how social transformations changed family formation, leading to the world's lowest fertility rate. The findings show that before Ukraine gained independence, highly educated women had higher first birth rates after controlling for school enrollment and marriage. After independence, highly…

Social Situation of Development: Parents Perspectives on Infants-Toddlers' Concept Formation in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sikder, Shukla

2015-01-01

The social situation of development (SSD) specific to each age determines regularly the whole picture of the child's life. Therefore, we need to learn about the whole context surrounding children relevant to their development. The focus of the study is to understand parent's views on infant-toddler's science concept formation in the family…

Educating the People: "Cours d'adultes" and Social Stratification in France, 1830-1870

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Steven E.

2010-01-01

This essay examines the formation, operation, and social effects of adult education classes in France during the nineteenth century. These classes were created and operated prior to the formation of France's national education system and were part of the expansion of primary schooling for the working class, or more generally for "the…

The Common Core State Standards: An Opportunity to Enhance Formative Assessment in History/Social Studies Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ateh, Comfort M.; Wyngowski, Aaron J.

2015-01-01

This article discusses the opportunity that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) present for enhancing formative assessment (FA) in history and social studies classrooms. There is evidence that FA can enhance learning for students if implemented well. Unfortunately, teachers continue to be challenged in implementing FA in their classrooms. We…

The Changing Pattern of Nutrition Intake by Social Class in Contemporary China, 1991-2011.

PubMed

Xu, Zhun; Zhang, Wei

2017-11-01

To explore the changing pattern of nutrition intake by social class in contemporary China. We defined social class in 2 ways. The first definition was based on employment, and the second definition was based on per capita household income levels. We used China Health and Nutrition Survey data from 1991 to 2011 to show the changes in the relation between social class and nutrition intake. The relation between social class and nutrition intake in China changed significantly within the 2 decades. For example, in the early 1990s, the lowest social class (defined by employment or income) had more caloric intake than did the highest social class; 20 years later, however, the relation reversed, and the lowest social class consumed significantly fewer calories. China has seen a great reversal in its social class-nutrition relationship since the early 1990s. Our study calls for wider recognition that insufficient consumption of food and nutrition is increasingly an issue for people in the lower social classes in China.

Why won't they sit with me? An exploratory investigation of stereotyped cues, social exclusion, and the P3b.

PubMed

Kiat, John E; Straley, Elizabeth; Cheadle, Jacob E

2017-10-01

The importance of understanding how we anticipate and prepare for being socially excluded is underscored by the numerous adverse mental and physical consequences of social rejection. In this study, we adapted a social exclusion paradigm, the Lunchroom task, to investigate the use of social context cues in the formation of social outcome expectations as indexed by the P3b, an ERP component associated with attention orientation and context updating. In this task, Black and White participants were presented with either neutral or stereotyped cues prior to being exposed to simulated inclusion versus exclusion outcome scenarios. Black participants showed evidence of (1) a significantly reduced P3b response to exclusions preceded by stereotyped cues relative to neutral cue-related exclusions and (2) a marginally significant increase in the P3b response to inclusions relative to exclusions when both were preceded by stereotyped cues. Both of these findings suggest a key role for the use of social cues in the formation of outcome expectations. In line with our hypothesis that the random intermixing of inclusion and exclusion outcomes would prevent formation of outcome expectations when coupled with the absence of self-relevant cues, no overall P3b modulations were observed among a comparison group of White participants.

Computational social network modeling of terrorist recruitment.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berry, Nina M.; Turnley, Jessica Glicken; Smrcka, Julianne D.

2004-10-01

The Seldon terrorist model represents a multi-disciplinary approach to developing organization software for the study of terrorist recruitment and group formation. The need to incorporate aspects of social science added a significant contribution to the vision of the resulting Seldon toolkit. The unique addition of and abstract agent category provided a means for capturing social concepts like cliques, mosque, etc. in a manner that represents their social conceptualization and not simply as a physical or economical institution. This paper provides an overview of the Seldon terrorist model developed to study the formation of cliques, which are used as the majormore » recruitment entity for terrorist organizations.« less

Neural dynamics of social tie formation in economic decision-making.

PubMed

Bault, Nadège; Pelloux, Benjamin; Fahrenfort, Johannes J; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; van Winden, Frans

2015-06-01

The disposition for prosocial conduct, which contributes to cooperation as arising during social interaction, requires cortical network dynamics responsive to the development of social ties, or care about the interests of specific interaction partners. Here, we formulate a dynamic computational model that accurately predicted how tie formation, driven by the interaction history, influences decisions to contribute in a public good game. We used model-driven functional MRI to test the hypothesis that brain regions key to social interactions keep track of dynamics in tie strength. Activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex tracked the individual's public good contributions. Activation in the bilateral posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), and temporo-parietal junction was modulated parametrically by the dynamically developing social tie-as estimated by our model-supporting a role of these regions in social tie formation. Activity in these two regions further reflected inter-individual differences in tie persistence and sensitivity to behavior of the interaction partner. Functional connectivity between pSTS and mPFC activations indicated that the representation of social ties is integrated in the decision process. These data reveal the brain mechanisms underlying the integration of interaction dynamics into a social tie representation which in turn influenced the individual's prosocial decisions. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Grandchild, Grandparent, and Parent Coresidence from 1970 to 1990: Structural Factors Affecting State Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Twyla J.

2006-01-01

This study analyzes structural forces affecting state patterns of parental presence within grandparent-grandchild coresidence by testing demographic, social change, policy environment, and social problems models. The project combines published state-level data with the 1970, 1980, and 1990 Census Public Use Microdata Samples. While factors…

Career Development Patterns and Values of Women School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loyola, Matilde Corazon Cristina A.

2016-01-01

Career development research has often explored gender differences in and development of career patterns. Women were traditionally sidelined from performing from full participation in society and have struggled for their civil rights and social freedoms by challenging the male-dominated social systems. In an age when women are now gaining strong…

Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development. Essays in Social Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dweck, Carol S.

Based on extensive research with children and young adults, this book examines adaptive and maladaptive cognitive-motivational patterns and shows how these patterns originate in people's self theories; their consequences for one's achievement, social relationships, and emotional well-being; their consequences for society; and the experiences that…

Bicultural Social Adjustment Patterns Among New Brunswick Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Thomas P.

1975-01-01

This is a three-year study of social adjustment patterns in the francophone and anglophone student populations of New Brunswick, Canada. After a brief economic sketch of New Brunswick's francophone North and anglophone South, there is a description of research objectives and methodology. In the investigation, three new elements were found to be…

Patterns of Non-Verbal Social Interactions within Intensive Mathematics Intervention Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jonathan Norris; Harkness, Shelly Sheats

2016-01-01

This study examined the non-verbal patterns of interaction within an intensive mathematics intervention context. Specifically, the authors draw on social constructivist worldview to examine a teacher's use of gesture in this setting. The teacher conducted a series of longitudinal teaching experiments with a small number of young, school-age…

Social Patterns in Mobile Technology Mediated Collaboration among Members of the Professional Distance Education Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laru, Jari; Jarvela, Sanna

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify social patterns in mobile technology mediated collaboration among distributed members of the professional distance education community. Ten participants worked for 12 weeks designing a master's programme in information sciences. The participants' mobile technology usage activity and interview data were first…

Calcium Influx and Release Cooperatively Regulate AChR Patterning and Motor Axon Outgrowth during Neuromuscular Junction Formation.

PubMed

Kaplan, Mehmet Mahsum; Sultana, Nasreen; Benedetti, Ariane; Obermair, Gerald J; Linde, Nina F; Papadopoulos, Symeon; Dayal, Anamika; Grabner, Manfred; Flucher, Bernhard E

2018-06-26

Formation of synapses between motor neurons and muscles is initiated by clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the center of muscle fibers prior to nerve arrival. This AChR patterning is considered to be critically dependent on calcium influx through L-type channels (Ca V 1.1). Using a genetic approach in mice, we demonstrate here that either the L-type calcium currents (LTCCs) or sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium release is necessary and sufficient to regulate AChR clustering at the onset of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) development. The combined lack of both calcium signals results in loss of AChR patterning and excessive nerve branching. In the absence of SR calcium release, the severity of synapse formation defects inversely correlates with the magnitude of LTCCs. These findings highlight the importance of activity-dependent calcium signaling in early neuromuscular junction formation and indicate that both LTCC and SR calcium release individually support proper innervation of muscle by regulating AChR patterning and motor axon outgrowth. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building and degradation of secondary cell walls: are there common patterns of lamellar assembly of cellulose microfibrils and cell wall delamination?

PubMed

De Micco, Veronica; Ruel, Katia; Joseleau, Jean-Paul; Aronne, Giovanna

2010-08-01

During cell wall formation and degradation, it is possible to detect cellulose microfibrils assembled into thicker and thinner lamellar structures, respectively, following inverse parallel patterns. The aim of this study was to analyse such patterns of microfibril aggregation and cell wall delamination. The thickness of microfibrils and lamellae was measured on digital images of both growing and degrading cell walls viewed by means of transmission electron microscopy. To objectively detect, measure and classify microfibrils and lamellae into thickness classes, a method based on the application of computerized image analysis combined with graphical and statistical methods was developed. The method allowed common classes of microfibrils and lamellae in cell walls to be identified from different origins. During both the formation and degradation of cell walls, a preferential formation of structures with specific thickness was evidenced. The results obtained with the developed method allowed objective analysis of patterns of microfibril aggregation and evidenced a trend of doubling/halving lamellar structures, during cell wall formation/degradation in materials from different origin and which have undergone different treatments.

Formation mechanism of dot-line square superlattice pattern in dielectric barrier discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Weibo; Dong, Lifang, E-mail: donglfhbu@163.com, E-mail: pyy1616@163.com; Wang, Yongjie

We investigate the formation mechanism of the dot-line square superlattice pattern (DLSSP) in dielectric barrier discharge. The spatio-temporal structure studied by using the intensified-charge coupled device camera shows that the DLSSP is an interleaving of three different subpatterns in one half voltage cycle. The dot square lattice discharges first and, then, the two kinds of line square lattices, which form square grid structures discharge twice. When the gas pressure is varied, DLSSP can transform from square superlattice pattern (SSP). The spectral line profile method is used to compare the electron densities, which represent the amounts of surface charges qualitatively. Itmore » is found that the amount of surface charges accumulated by the first discharge of DLSSP is less than that of SSP, leading to a bigger discharge area of the following discharge (lines of DLSSP instead of halos of SSP). The spatial distribution of the electric field of the surface charges is simulated to explain the formation of DLSSP. This paper may provide a deeper understanding for the formation mechanism of complex superlattice patterns in DBD.« less

Social Story Effectiveness on Social Interaction for Students with Autism: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karal, Muhammed A.; Wolfe, Pamela S.

2018-01-01

Social stories frequently have been used to improve the social interaction of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This literature review examines the effectiveness of social story interventions on the social interactions of students with ASD including with whom, where, and what formats have been implemented, as well as the methodological…

Social determinants for infant mortality in the Nordic countries, 1980-2001.

PubMed

Arntzen, Annett; Nybo Andersen, Anne Marie

2004-01-01

Social equity in health is an important goal of public health policies in the Nordic countries. Infant mortality is often used as an indicator of the health of societies, and has decreased substantially in the Nordic welfare states over the past 20 years. To identify social patterns in infant mortality in this context the authors set out to review the existing epidemiological literature on associations between social indicators and infant mortality in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden during the period 1980-2000. Nordic epidemiological studies in the databases ISI Web of Science, PubMed, and OVID, published between 1980 and 2000 focusing on social indicators of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality, were identified. The selected keywords on social indicators were: education, income, occupation, social factors, socioeconomic status, social position, and social class. Social inequality in infant mortality was reported from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and it was found that these increased during the study period. Post-neonatal mortality showed a stronger association with social indicators than neonatal mortality. Some studies showed that neonatal mortality was associated with social indicators in a non-linear fashion, with high rates of mortality in both the lowest and highest social strata. The pattern differed, however, between countries with Finland and Sweden showing consistently less social inequalities than Denmark and Norway. While the increased inequality shown in most studies was an increase in relative risk, a single study from Denmark demonstrated an absolute increase in infant mortality among children born to less educated women. Social inequalities in infant mortality are observed in all four countries, irrespective of social indicators used in the studies. It is, however, difficult to draw inferences from the comparisons between countries, since different measures of social position and different inclusion criteria are used in the studies. Nordic collaborative analyses of social gradients in infant death are needed, taking advantage of the population-covering registers in longitudinal designs, to explore the mechanisms behind the social patterns in infant mortality.

Social Information Processing Patterns, Social Skills, and School Readiness in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziv, Yair

2013-01-01

The links among social information processing, social competence, and school readiness were examined in this short-term longitudinal study with a sample of 198 preschool children. Data on social information processing were obtained via child interview, data on child social competence were obtained via teacher report, and data on school readiness…

Toward a Methodology for Conducting Social Impact Assessments Using Quality of Social Life Indicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Marvin E.; Merwin, Donna J.

Broadly conceived, social impacts refer to all changes in the structure and functioning of patterned social ordering that occur in conjunction with an environmental, technological, or social innovation or alteration. Departing from the usual cost-benefit analysis approach, a new methodology proposes conducting social impact assessment grounded in…

Parental Socialization of Emotion: How Mothers Respond to Their Children's Emotions in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ersay, Ebru

2014-01-01

Several research studies suggest a link between parents' emotion socialization and children's social competence and behavior problems. Parents contribute to their children's emotion socialization, more directly, through responses to their children's emotions. Early emotion socialization experiences with parents establish patterns of emotion…

Social stories: mechanisms of effectiveness in increasing game play skills in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder using a pretest posttest repeated measures randomized control group design.

PubMed

Quirmbach, Linda M; Lincoln, Alan J; Feinberg-Gizzo, Monica J; Ingersoll, Brooke R; Andrews, Siri M

2009-02-01

An increasing body of literature has indicated that social stories are an effective way to teach individuals diagnosed with autism appropriate social behavior. This study compared two formats of a social story targeting the improvement of social skills during game play using a pretest posttest repeated measures randomized control group design. A total of 45 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 7-14 were randomly assigned to standard, directive, or control story conditions. Results demonstrated that the standard and directive story formats were equally as effective in eliciting, generalizing and maintaining the targeted social skills in participants who had prior game play experience and Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) scores from the WISC-IV intelligence test in the borderline range or above.

The role of social class in the formation of identity: a study of public and elite private college students.

PubMed

Aries, Elizabeth; Seider, Maynard

2007-04-01

The authors explored the influence of social class on identity formation in an interview study of 15 lower income students and 15 affluent students from a highly selective liberal arts school and 15 lower income students from a state college. Students ranked occupational goals as 1st in importance to identity and social class as 2nd. The affluent students regarded social class as significantly more important to identity than did the lower income students, were more aware of structural factors contributing to their success, and had higher occupational aspirations. Social class was an area of exploration for half the students, with higher levels of exploration shown by the lower income private school students than by the state college students. Lower income students developed an ideology that rationalized their social class position.

Co-residence patterns in hunter-gatherer societies show unique human social structure.

PubMed

Hill, Kim R; Walker, Robert S; Bozicević, Miran; Eder, James; Headland, Thomas; Hewlett, Barry; Hurtado, A Magdalena; Marlowe, Frank; Wiessner, Polly; Wood, Brian

2011-03-11

Contemporary humans exhibit spectacular biological success derived from cumulative culture and cooperation. The origins of these traits may be related to our ancestral group structure. Because humans lived as foragers for 95% of our species' history, we analyzed co-residence patterns among 32 present-day foraging societies (total n = 5067 individuals, mean experienced band size = 28.2 adults). We found that hunter-gatherers display a unique social structure where (i) either sex may disperse or remain in their natal group, (ii) adult brothers and sisters often co-reside, and (iii) most individuals in residential groups are genetically unrelated. These patterns produce large interaction networks of unrelated adults and suggest that inclusive fitness cannot explain extensive cooperation in hunter-gatherer bands. However, large social networks may help to explain why humans evolved capacities for social learning that resulted in cumulative culture.

Neural mechanisms of social dominance

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Noriya; Yamamoto, Miyuki

2015-01-01

In a group setting, individuals' perceptions of their own level of dominance or of the dominance level of others, and the ability to adequately control their behavior based on these perceptions are crucial for living within a social environment. Recent advances in neural imaging and molecular technology have enabled researchers to investigate the neural substrates that support the perception of social dominance and the formation of a social hierarchy in humans. At the systems' level, recent studies showed that dominance perception is represented in broad brain regions which include the amygdala, hippocampus, striatum, and various cortical networks such as the prefrontal, and parietal cortices. Additionally, neurotransmitter systems such as the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, modulate and are modulated by the formation of the social hierarchy in a group. While these monoamine systems have a wide distribution and multiple functions, it was recently found that the Neuropeptide B/W contributes to the perception of dominance and is present in neurons that have a limited projection primarily to the amygdala. The present review discusses the specific roles of these neural regions and neurotransmitter systems in the perception of dominance and in hierarchy formation. PMID:26136644

Prenatal β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade regulates adult social and stereotypic behaviors

PubMed Central

Belinson, H; Nakatani, J; Babineau, BA; Birnbaum, RY; Ellegood, J; Bershteyn, M; McEvilly, RJ; Long, JM; Willert, K; Klein, OD; Ahituv, N; Lerch, JP; Rosenfeld, GM; Wynshaw-Boris, A

2015-01-01

Social interaction is a fundamental behavior in all animal species, but the developmental timing of the social neural circuit formation and the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing its formation are poorly understood. We generated a mouse model with mutations in two Dishevelled genes, Dvl1 and Dvl3, that displays adult social and repetitive behavioral abnormalities associated with transient embryonic brain enlargement during deep layer cortical neuron formation. These phenotypes were mediated by the embryonic expansion of basal neural progenitor cells (NPCs) via deregulation of a β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade. Transient pharmacological activation of the canonical Wnt pathway during this period of early corticogenesis rescued the β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade and the embryonic brain phenotypes. Remarkably, this embryonic treatment prevented adult behavioral deficits and partially rescued abnormal brain structure in Dvl mutant mice. Our findings define a mechanism that links fetal brain development and adult behavior, demonstrating a fetal origin for social and repetitive behavior deficits seen in disorders such as autism. PMID:26830142

Prenatal β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade regulates adult social and stereotypic behaviors.

PubMed

Belinson, H; Nakatani, J; Babineau, B A; Birnbaum, R Y; Ellegood, J; Bershteyn, M; McEvilly, R J; Long, J M; Willert, K; Klein, O D; Ahituv, N; Lerch, J P; Rosenfeld, M G; Wynshaw-Boris, A

2016-10-01

Social interaction is a fundamental behavior in all animal species, but the developmental timing of the social neural circuit formation and the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing its formation are poorly understood. We generated a mouse model with mutations in two Disheveled genes, Dvl1 and Dvl3, that displays adult social and repetitive behavioral abnormalities associated with transient embryonic brain enlargement during deep layer cortical neuron formation. These phenotypes were mediated by the embryonic expansion of basal neural progenitor cells (NPCs) via deregulation of a β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade. Transient pharmacological activation of the canonical Wnt pathway during this period of early corticogenesis rescued the β-catenin/Brn2/Tbr2 transcriptional cascade and the embryonic brain phenotypes. Remarkably, this embryonic treatment prevented adult behavioral deficits and partially rescued abnormal brain structure in Dvl mutant mice. Our findings define a mechanism that links fetal brain development and adult behavior, demonstrating a fetal origin for social and repetitive behavior deficits seen in disorders such as autism.

Situating emotional experience

PubMed Central

Wilson-Mendenhall, Christine D.; Barrett, Lisa Feldman; Barsalou, Lawrence W.

2013-01-01

Psychological construction approaches to emotion suggest that emotional experience is situated and dynamic. Fear, for example, is typically studied in a physical danger context (e.g., threatening snake), but in the real world, it often occurs in social contexts, especially those involving social evaluation (e.g., public speaking). Understanding situated emotional experience is critical because adaptive responding is guided by situational context (e.g., inferring the intention of another in a social evaluation situation vs. monitoring the environment in a physical danger situation). In an fMRI study, we assessed situated emotional experience using a newly developed paradigm in which participants vividly imagine different scenarios from a first-person perspective, in this case scenarios involving either social evaluation or physical danger. We hypothesized that distributed neural patterns would underlie immersion in social evaluation and physical danger situations, with shared activity patterns across both situations in multiple sensory modalities and in circuitry involved in integrating salient sensory information, and with unique activity patterns for each situation type in coordinated large-scale networks that reflect situated responding. More specifically, we predicted that networks underlying the social inference and mentalizing involved in responding to a social threat (in regions that make up the “default mode” network) would be reliably more active during social evaluation situations. In contrast, networks underlying the visuospatial attention and action planning involved in responding to a physical threat would be reliably more active during physical danger situations. The results supported these hypotheses. In line with emerging psychological construction approaches, the findings suggest that coordinated brain networks offer a systematic way to interpret the distributed patterns that underlie the diverse situational contexts characterizing emotional life. PMID:24324420

Social contact patterns relevant to the spread of respiratory infectious diseases in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Leung, Kathy; Jit, Mark; Lau, Eric H Y; Wu, Joseph T

2017-08-11

The spread of many respiratory infections is determined by contact patterns between infectious and susceptible individuals in the population. There are no published data for quantifying social contact patterns relevant to the spread of respiratory infectious diseases in Hong Kong which is a hotspot for emerging infectious diseases due to its high population density and connectivity in the air transportation network. We adopted a commonly used diary-based design to conduct a social contact survey in Hong Kong in 2015/16 using both paper and online questionnaires. Participants using paper questionnaires reported more contacts and longer contact duration than those using online questionnaires. Participants reported 13 person-hours of contact and 8 contacts per day on average, which decreased over age but increased with household size, years of education and income level. Prolonged and frequent contacts, and contacts at home, school and work were more likely to involve physical contacts. Strong age-assortativity was observed in all age groups. We evaluated the characteristics of social contact patterns relevant to the spread of respiratory infectious diseases in Hong Kong. Our findings could help to improve the design of future social contact surveys, parameterize transmission models of respiratory infectious diseases, and inform intervention strategies based on model outputs.

Lateralized behaviour of a non-social cichlid fish (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) in a social and a non-social environment.

PubMed

Moscicki, Michele K; Reddon, Adam R; Hurd, Peter L

2011-09-01

Cerebral lateralization, the partitioning of cognitive function preferentially into one hemisphere of the brain, is a trait ubiquitous among vertebrates. Some species exhibit population level lateralization, where the pattern of cerebral lateralization is the same for most members of that species; however, other species show only individual level lateralization, where each member of the species has a unique pattern of lateralized brain function. The pattern of cerebral lateralization within a population and an individual has been shown to differ based on the stimulus being processed. It has been hypothesized that sociality within a species, such as shoaling behaviour in fish, may have led to the development and persistence of population level lateralization. Here we assessed cerebral lateralization in convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata), a species that does not shoal as adults but that shoals briefly as juveniles. We show that both male and female convict cichlids display population level lateralization when in a solitary environment but only females show population level lateralization when in a perceived social environment. We also show that the pattern of lateralization differs between these two tasks and that strength of lateralization in one task is not predictive of strength of lateralization in the other task. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of Disagreement: Large-Scale Temporal Network Analysis Reveals Negative Interactions in Online Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsvetkova, Milena; García-Gavilanes, Ruth; Yasseri, Taha

2016-11-01

Disagreement and conflict are a fact of social life. However, negative interactions are rarely explicitly declared and recorded and this makes them hard for scientists to study. In an attempt to understand the structural and temporal features of negative interactions in the community, we use complex network methods to analyze patterns in the timing and configuration of reverts of article edits to Wikipedia. We investigate how often and how fast pairs of reverts occur compared to a null model in order to control for patterns that are natural to the content production or are due to the internal rules of Wikipedia. Our results suggest that Wikipedia editors systematically revert the same person, revert back their reverter, and come to defend a reverted editor. We further relate these interactions to the status of the involved editors. Even though the individual reverts might not necessarily be negative social interactions, our analysis points to the existence of certain patterns of negative social dynamics within the community of editors. Some of these patterns have not been previously explored and carry implications for the knowledge collection practice conducted on Wikipedia. Our method can be applied to other large-scale temporal collaboration networks to identify the existence of negative social interactions and other social processes.

Exploring the influence of social activity on scientific career

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zonglin; Xie, Zheng; Li, Jianping; Yang, Qian

2018-06-01

For researchers, does activity in academic society influence their careers? In scientometrics, the activity can be expressed through the number of collaborators and scientific careers through the number of publications and citations of authors. We provide empirical evidence from four datasets of representative journals and explore the correlations between each two of the three indices. By using a hypothetical extraction method, we divide authors into patterns which can reflect the different extent of preference for social activity, according to their contributions to the correlation between the number of collaborators and that of papers. Furthermore, we choose two of the patterns as a sociable one and an unsociable one and then compare both of the expected value and the distribution of publications and citations for authors between sociable pattern and unsociable pattern. Finally, we draw a conclusion that social activity could be favorable for authors to promote academic outcomes and obtain recognition.

From atomistic interfaces to dendritic patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galenko, P. K.; Alexandrov, D. V.

2018-01-01

Transport processes around phase interfaces, together with thermodynamic properties and kinetic phenomena, control the formation of dendritic patterns. Using the thermodynamic and kinetic data of phase interfaces obtained on the atomic scale, one can analyse the formation of a single dendrite and the growth of a dendritic ensemble. This is the result of recent progress in theoretical methods and computational algorithms calculated using powerful computer clusters. Great benefits can be attained from the development of micro-, meso- and macro-levels of analysis when investigating the dynamics of interfaces, interpreting experimental data and designing the macrostructure of samples. The review and research articles in this theme issue cover the spectrum of scales (from nano- to macro-length scales) in order to exhibit recently developing trends in the theoretical analysis and computational modelling of dendrite pattern formation. Atomistic modelling, the flow effect on interface dynamics, the transition from diffusion-limited to thermally controlled growth existing at a considerable driving force, two-phase (mushy) layer formation, the growth of eutectic dendrites, the formation of a secondary dendritic network due to coalescence, computational methods, including boundary integral and phase-field methods, and experimental tests for theoretical models-all these themes are highlighted in the present issue. This article is part of the theme issue `From atomistic interfaces to dendritic patterns'.

Pattern formation by curvature-inducing proteins on spherical membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agudo-Canalejo, Jaime; Golestanian, Ramin

2017-12-01

Spatial organisation is a hallmark of all living cells, and recreating it in model systems is a necessary step in the creation of synthetic cells. It is therefore of both fundamental and practical interest to better understand the basic mechanisms underlying spatial organisation in cells. In this work, we use a continuum model of membrane and protein dynamics to study the behaviour of curvature-inducing proteins on membranes of spherical shape, such as living cells or lipid vesicles. We show that the interplay between curvature energy, entropic forces, and the geometric constraints on the membrane can result in the formation of patterns of highly-curved/protein-rich and weakly-curved/protein-poor domains on the membrane. The spontaneous formation of such patterns can be triggered either by an increase in the average density of curvature-inducing proteins, or by a relaxation of the geometric constraints on the membrane imposed by the membrane tension or by the tethering of the membrane to a rigid cell wall or cortex. These parameters can also be tuned to select the size and number of the protein-rich domains that arise upon pattern formation. The very general mechanism presented here could be related to protein self-organisation in many biological processes, ranging from (proto)cell division to the formation of membrane rafts.

Taming contact line instability for pattern formation

PubMed Central

Deblais, A.; Harich, R.; Colin, A.; Kellay, H.

2016-01-01

Coating surfaces with different fluids is prone to instability producing inhomogeneous films and patterns. The contact line between the coating fluid and the surface to be coated is host to different instabilities, limiting the use of a variety of coating techniques. Here we take advantage of the instability of a receding contact line towards cusp and droplet formation to produce linear patterns of variable spacings. We stabilize the instability of the cusps towards droplet formation by using polymer solutions that inhibit this secondary instability and give rise to long slender cylindrical filaments. We vary the speed of deposition to change the spacing between these filaments. The combination of the two gives rise to linear patterns into which different colloidal particles can be embedded, long DNA molecules can be stretched and particles filtered by size. The technique is therefore suitable to prepare anisotropic structures with variable properties. PMID:27506626

Taming contact line instability for pattern formation.

PubMed

Deblais, A; Harich, R; Colin, A; Kellay, H

2016-08-10

Coating surfaces with different fluids is prone to instability producing inhomogeneous films and patterns. The contact line between the coating fluid and the surface to be coated is host to different instabilities, limiting the use of a variety of coating techniques. Here we take advantage of the instability of a receding contact line towards cusp and droplet formation to produce linear patterns of variable spacings. We stabilize the instability of the cusps towards droplet formation by using polymer solutions that inhibit this secondary instability and give rise to long slender cylindrical filaments. We vary the speed of deposition to change the spacing between these filaments. The combination of the two gives rise to linear patterns into which different colloidal particles can be embedded, long DNA molecules can be stretched and particles filtered by size. The technique is therefore suitable to prepare anisotropic structures with variable properties.

Spatial Complexity Due to Bulk Electronic Liquid Crystals in Superconducting Dy-Bi2212

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Erica; Phillabaum, Benjamin; Dahmen, Karin

2012-02-01

Surface probes such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have detected complex electronic patterns at the nanoscale in many high temperature superconductors. In cuprates, the pattern formation is associated with the pseudogap phase, a precursor to the high temperature superconducting state. Rotational symmetry breaking of the host crystal (i.e. from C4 to C2) in the form of electronic nematicity has recently been proposed as a unifying theme of the pseudogap phase [Lawler Nature 2010]. However, the fundamental physics governing the nanoscale pattern formation has not yet been identified. Here we use universal cluster properties extracted from STM studies of cuprate superconductors to identify the funda- mental physics controlling the complex pattern formation. We find that due to a delicate balance between disorder, interactions, and material anisotropy, the rotational symmetry breaking is fractal in nature, and that the electronic liquid crystal extends throughout the bulk of the material.

Dewetting-mediated pattern formation inside the coffee ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weibin; Lan, Ding; Wang, Yuren

2017-04-01

The rearrangement of particles in the final stage of droplet evaporation has been investigated by utilizing differential interference contrast microscopy and the formation mechanism of a network pattern inside a coffee ring has been revealed. A tailored substrate with a circular hydrophilic domain is prepared to obtain thin liquid film containing monolayer particles. Real-time bottom-view images show that the evolution of a dry patch could be divided into three stages: rupture initiation, dry patch expansion, and drying of the residual liquid. A growing number of dry patches will repeat these stages to form the network patterns inside the ringlike stain. It can be shown that the suction effect promotes the rupture of the liquid film and the formation of the dry patch. The particle-assembling process is totally controlled by the liquid film dewetting and dominated by the surface tension of the liquid film, which eventually determine the ultimate deposition patterns.

Pattern formation in three-dimensional reaction-diffusion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, T. K.; Knobloch, E.

1999-08-01

Existing group theoretic analysis of pattern formation in three dimensions [T.K. Callahan, E. Knobloch, Symmetry-breaking bifurcations on cubic lattices, Nonlinearity 10 (1997) 1179-1216] is used to make specific predictions about the formation of three-dimensional patterns in two models of the Turing instability, the Brusselator model and the Lengyel-Epstein model. Spatially periodic patterns having the periodicity of the simple cubic (SC), face-centered cubic (FCC) or body-centered cubic (BCC) lattices are considered. An efficient center manifold reduction is described and used to identify parameter regimes permitting stable lamellæ, SC, FCC, double-diamond, hexagonal prism, BCC and BCCI states. Both models possess a special wavenumber k* at which the normal form coefficients take on fixed model-independent ratios and both are described by identical bifurcation diagrams. This property is generic for two-species chemical reaction-diffusion models with a single activator and inhibitor.

Formation mechanism and mechanics of dip-pen nanolithography using molecular dynamics.

PubMed

Wu, Cheng-Da; Fang, Te-Hua; Lin, Jen-Fin

2010-03-02

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the mechanisms of molecular transference, pattern formation, and mechanical behavior in the dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) process. The effects of deposition temperature were studied using molecular trajectories, the meniscus characteristic, surface absorbed energy, and pattern formation analysis. At the first transferred stage (at the initial indentation depth), the conformation of SAM molecules lies almost on the substrate surface. The molecules start to stand on the substrate due to the pull and drag forces at the second transferred stage (after the tip is pulled up). According to the absorbed energy behavior, the second transferred stage has larger transferred amounts and the transfer rate is strongly related to temperature. When molecules were deposited at low temperature (e.g., room temperature), the pattern shape was more highly concentrated. The pattern shape at high temperatures expanded and the area increased because of good molecular diffusion.

Growth-mediated autochemotactic pattern formation in self-propelling bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Mrinmoy; Ghosh, Pushpita

2018-01-01

Bacteria, while developing a multicellular colony or biofilm, can undergo pattern formation by diverse intricate mechanisms. One such route is directional movement or chemotaxis toward or away from self-secreted or externally employed chemicals. In some bacteria, the self-produced signaling chemicals or autoinducers themselves act as chemoattractants or chemorepellents and thereby regulate the directional movements of the cells in the colony. In addition, bacteria follow a certain growth kinetics which is integrated in the process of colony development. Here, we study the interplay of bacterial growth dynamics, cell motility, and autochemotactic motion with respect to the self-secreted diffusive signaling chemicals in spatial pattern formation. Using a continuum model of motile bacteria, we show growth can act as a crucial tuning parameter in determining the spatiotemporal dynamics of a colony. In action of growth dynamics, while chemoattraction toward autoinducers creates arrested phase separation, pattern transitions and suppression can occur for a fixed chemorepulsive strength.

The French 35-hour workweek: a wide-ranging social change.

PubMed

Prunier-Poulmaire, S; Gadbois, C

2001-12-01

The reduction of the legal working week to 35 hours in France has generated wide-ranging social change. We examine the resulting changes in working-time patterns as well as their repercussions on the use of the time gained and on the quality of life and health. To compensate the reduction in the length of the working week, companies have modified the working-time patterns, by extending operation time (shiftwork, atypical schedules) and by matching the on-site workforce to production requirements (flexible working hours). They have sought to make more efficient use of working time: job intensification or job compression. The effects on the off-the-job life and health are linked to the shiftwork and atypical schedules designed to increase the company's operating time, and adjustments to the company's need for flexibilization impose working time/free time patterns that are at odds with biological rhythms and social life patterns. Changes to working-time patterns have unexpected consequences for work organization: heightened difficulties for the individual and the crew. These changes may generate a range of health problems related to overwork and stress. The way some companies have adapted may call into question the usefulness of work done by employees, thus damaging their social identity and mental well-being.

Biological patterns: Novel indicators for pharmacological assays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Jacqueline U.

1991-01-01

Variable gravity testing using the KC-135 demonstrated clearly that biological pattern formation was definitely shown to result from gravity alone, and not from oxygen gradients in solution. Motile pattern formation of spermatozoa are driven by alternate mechanisms, and apparently not affected by short-term changes in gravity. The chemical effects found appear to be secondary to the primary effect of gravity. Cryopreservation may be the remedy to the problem of 'spare' or 'standing order' biological samples for testing of space lab investigations, but further studies are necessary.

A model of the transverse modes of stable and unstable porro-prism resonators using symmetry considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, Liesl; Forbes, Andrew

2007-09-01

A simple model of a Porro prism laser resonator has been found to correctly predict the formation of the "petal" mode patterns typical of these resonators. A geometrical analysis of the petals suggests that these petals are the lowest-order modes of this type of resonator. Further use of the model reveals the formation of more complex beam patterns, and the nature of these patterns is investigated. Also, the output of stable and unstable resonator modes is presented.

How can social network analysis contribute to social behavior research in applied ethology?

PubMed

Makagon, Maja M; McCowan, Brenda; Mench, Joy A

2012-05-01

Social network analysis is increasingly used by behavioral ecologists and primatologists to describe the patterns and quality of interactions among individuals. We provide an overview of this methodology, with examples illustrating how it can be used to study social behavior in applied contexts. Like most kinds of social interaction analyses, social network analysis provides information about direct relationships (e.g. dominant-subordinate relationships). However, it also generates a more global model of social organization that determines how individual patterns of social interaction relate to individual and group characteristics. A particular strength of this approach is that it provides standardized mathematical methods for calculating metrics of sociality across levels of social organization, from the population and group levels to the individual level. At the group level these metrics can be used to track changes in social network structures over time, evaluate the effect of the environment on social network structure, or compare social structures across groups, populations or species. At the individual level, the metrics allow quantification of the heterogeneity of social experience within groups and identification of individuals who may play especially important roles in maintaining social stability or information flow throughout the network.

Evo-devo: Hydra raises its Noggin.

PubMed

Chandramore, Kalpana; Ghaskadbi, Surendra

2011-08-01

Noggin, along with other secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitors, plays a crucial role in neural induction and neural tube patterning as well as in somitogenesis, cardiac morphogenesis and formation of the skeleton in vertebrates. The BMP signalling pathway is one of the seven fundamental pathways that drive embryonic development and pattern formation in animals. Understanding its evolutionary origin and role in pattern formation is, therefore, important to evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo). We have studied the evolutionary origin of BMP-Noggin antagonism in hydra, which is a powerful diploblastic model to study evolution of pattern-forming mechanisms because of the unusual cellular dynamics during its pattern formation and its remarkable ability to regenerate. We cloned and characterized the noggin gene from hydra and found it to exhibit considerable similarity with its orthologues at the amino acid level. Microinjection of hydra Noggin mRNA led to duplication of the dorsoventral axis in Xenopus embryos, demonstrating its functional conservation across the taxa. Our data, along with those of others, indicate that the evolutionarily conserved antagonism between BMP and its inhibitors predates bilateral divergence. This article reviews the various roles of Noggin in different organisms and some of our recent work on hydra Noggin in the context of evolution of developmental signalling pathways.

Boundary-induced pattern formation from uniform temporal oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohsokabe, Takahiro; Kaneko, Kunihiko

2018-04-01

Pattern dynamics triggered by fixing a boundary is investigated. By considering a reaction-diffusion equation that has a unique spatially uniform and limit cycle attractor under a periodic or Neumann boundary condition, and then by choosing a fixed boundary condition, we found three novel phases depending on the ratio of diffusion constants of activator to inhibitor: transformation of temporally periodic oscillation into a spatially periodic fixed pattern, travelling wave emitted from the boundary, and aperiodic spatiotemporal dynamics. The transformation into a fixed, periodic pattern is analyzed by crossing of local nullclines at each spatial point, shifted by diffusion terms, as is analyzed by using recursive equations, to obtain the spatial pattern as an attractor. The generality of the boundary-induced pattern formation as well as its relevance to biological morphogenesis is discussed.

Dorsal and ventral aspects of the most caudal medullary reticular formation have differential roles in modulation and formation of the respiratory motor pattern in rat.

PubMed

Jones, Sarah E; Stanić, Davor; Dutschmann, Mathias

2016-12-01

The respiratory pattern generator of mammals is anatomically organized in lateral respiratory columns (LRCs) within the brainstem. LRC compartments serve specific functions in respiratory pattern and rhythm generation. While the caudal medullary reticular formation (cMRF) has respiratory functions reportedly related to the mediation of expulsive respiratory reflexes, it remains unclear whether neurons of the cMRF functionally belong to the LRC. In the present study we specifically investigated the respiratory functions of the cMRF. Tract tracing shows that the cMRF has substantial connectivity with key compartments of the LRC, particularly the parafacial respiratory group and the Kölliker-Fuse nuclei. These neurons have a loose topography and are located in the ventral and dorsal cMRF. Systematic mapping of the cMRF with glutamate stimulation revealed potent respiratory modulation of the respiratory motor pattern from both dorsal and ventral injection sites. Pharmacological inhibition of the cMRF with the GABA-receptor agonist isoguvacine produced significant and robust changes to the baseline respiratory motor pattern (decreased laryngeal post-inspiratory and abdominal expiratory motor activity, delayed inspiratory off-switch and increased respiratory frequency) after dorsal cMRF injection, while ventral injections had no effect. The present data indicate that the ventral cMRF is not an integral part of the respiratory pattern generator and merely serves as a relay for sensory and/or higher command-related modulation of respiration. On the contrary, the dorsal aspect of the cMRF clearly has a functional role in respiratory pattern formation. These findings revive the largely abandoned concept of a dorsal respiratory group that contributes to the generation of the respiratory motor pattern.

Videos of conspecifics elicit interactive looking patterns and facial expressions in monkeys.

PubMed

Mosher, Clayton P; Zimmerman, Prisca E; Gothard, Katalin M

2011-08-01

A broader understanding of the neural basis of social behavior in primates requires the use of species-specific stimuli that elicit spontaneous, but reproducible and tractable behaviors. In this context of natural behaviors, individual variation can further inform about the factors that influence social interactions. To approximate natural social interactions similar to those documented by field studies, we used unedited video footage to induce in viewer monkeys spontaneous facial expressions and looking patterns in the laboratory setting. Three adult male monkeys (Macaca mulatta), previously behaviorally and genetically (5-HTTLPR) characterized, were monitored while they watched 10 s video segments depicting unfamiliar monkeys (movie monkeys) displaying affiliative, neutral, and aggressive behaviors. The gaze and head orientation of the movie monkeys alternated between "averted" and "directed" at the viewer. The viewers were not reinforced for watching the movies, thus their looking patterns indicated their interest and social engagement with the stimuli. The behavior of the movie monkey accounted for differences in the looking patterns and facial expressions displayed by the viewers. We also found multiple significant differences in the behavior of the viewers that correlated with their interest in these stimuli. These socially relevant dynamic stimuli elicited spontaneous social behaviors, such as eye-contact induced reciprocation of facial expression, gaze aversion, and gaze following, that were previously not observed in response to static images. This approach opens a unique opportunity to understanding the mechanisms that trigger spontaneous social behaviors in humans and nonhuman primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Cells as strain-cued automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, Brian N.; Snead, Malcolm L.

2016-02-01

We argue in favor of representing living cells as automata and review demonstrations that autonomous cells can form patterns by responding to local variations in the strain fields that arise from their individual or collective motions. An autonomous cell's response to strain stimuli is assumed to be effected by internally-generated, internally-powered forces, which generally move the cell in directions other than those implied by external energy gradients. Evidence of cells acting as strain-cued automata have been inferred from patterns observed in nature and from experiments conducted in vitro. Simulations that mimic particular cases of pattern forming share the idealization that cells are assumed to pass information among themselves solely via mechanical boundary conditions, i.e., the tractions and displacements present at their membranes. This assumption opens three mechanisms for pattern formation in large cell populations: wavelike behavior, kinematic feedback in cell motility that can lead to sliding and rotational patterns, and directed migration during invasions. Wavelike behavior among ameloblast cells during amelogenesis (the formation of dental enamel) has been inferred from enamel microstructure, while strain waves in populations of epithelial cells have been observed in vitro. One hypothesized kinematic feedback mechanism, "enhanced shear motility", accounts successfully for the spontaneous formation of layered patterns during amelogenesis in the mouse incisor. Directed migration is exemplified by a theory of invader cells that sense and respond to the strains they themselves create in the host population as they invade it: analysis shows that the strain fields contain positional information that could aid the formation of cell network structures, stabilizing the slender geometry of branches and helping govern the frequency of branch bifurcation and branch coalescence (the formation of closed networks). In simulations of pattern formation in homogeneous populations and network formation by invaders, morphological outcomes are governed by the ratio of the rates of two competing time dependent processes, one a migration velocity and the other a relaxation velocity related to the propagation of strain information. Relaxation velocities are approximately constant for different species and organs, whereas cell migration rates vary by three orders of magnitude. We conjecture that developmental processes use rapid cell migration to achieve certain outcomes, and slow migration to achieve others. We infer from analysis of host relaxation during network formation that a transition exists in the mechanical response of a host cell from animate to inanimate behavior when its strain changes at a rate that exceeds 10-4-10-3 s-1. The transition has previously been observed in experiments conducted in vitro.

The Organization of Social Education in Paul Natorp's Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belentsov, Sergei I.; Okulich-Kazarin, Valery; Dyumina, Svetlana V.; Kuznetsova, Alesya A.

2017-01-01

The interest in a problem of social education amplifies in the period of considerable changes in society. It is not casual as it substantially causes nature of development of society, influencing process of socialization of younger generations, formation of mechanisms of transfer of social experience and traditions. Social and pedagogical…

On College Formation of Future Lawyers' Professional Readiness to Work in Social Welfare Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikitina, Natalya Ivanovna; Grebennikova, Veronica Mikhailovna; Nikishina, Irina Nikolaevna; Galkina, Tatyana Engersovna; Tolstikova, Svetlana Nikolaevna

2016-01-01

In Russia today, more than ever, various social welfare institutions (Centers for social services, Social assistance centers for families and children, Rehabilitation centers for disabled children and their families, Centers for work with refugees and IDPs, Centers of medico-social rehabilitation of military men, etc.) require legal profile…

Defining and Measuring Transnational Social Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molina, José Luis; Petermann, Sören; Herz, Andreas

2015-01-01

Transnational social fields and transnational social spaces are often used interchangeably to describe and analyze emergent structures of cross-border formations. In this article, we suggest measuring two key aspects of these social structures: embeddedness and span of migrants' personal networks. While clustered graphs allow assessing…

Social Behavior in Swine and Its Impact on Welfare

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pigs are social animals. From an evolutionary perspective, being social conveys a number of benefits, but potentially some disadvantages, especially for certain individuals within the group. The emphasis of this manuscript will be on those social behaviors that relate to formation and maintenance of...

A Formative Evaluation of Healthy Heroes: A Photo Comic Book-Social Cognitive Theory Based Obesity Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branscum, Paul; Housley, Alexandra; Bhochhibhoya, Amir; Hayes, Logan

2016-01-01

Purpose: Low consumption of fruits and vegetables is often associated with poor diet quality, and childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, and conduct a formative evaluation, of Healthy Heroes, an innovative, social cognitive theory-based program that uses child created photo-comic books to promote fruit and…

Social Influences on Fertility: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study in Eastern and Western Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernardi, Laura; Keim, Sylvia; von der Lippe, Holger

2007-01-01

This article uses a mixed methods design to investigate the effects of social influence on family formation in a sample of eastern and western German young adults at an early stage of their family formation. Theoretical propositions on the importance of informal interaction for fertility and family behavior are still rarely supported by systematic…

The Impact of Family Formation Change on the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Well-Being of the Next Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Paul R.

2005-01-01

How have recent changes in U.S. family structure affected the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the nation's children? Paul Amato examines the effects of family formation on children and evaluates whether current marriage-promotion programs are likely to meet children's needs. Amato begins by investigating how children in households…

Emotional Experiences of Preservice Science Teachers in Online Learning: The Formation, Disruption and Maintenance of Social Bonds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellocchi, Alberto; Mills, Kathy A.; Ritchie, Stephen M.

2016-01-01

The enactment of learning to become a science teacher in online mode is an emotionally charged experience. We attend to the formation, maintenance and disruption of social bonds experienced by online preservice science teachers as they shared their emotional online learning experiences through blogs, or e-motion diaries, in reaction to videos of…

Diagnosis of the Initial State of Formation of Research Competence of a Future Social Pedagogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhexembinova, Ainur K.; Shah, Saeeda; Taubayeva, Sharkul T.

2016-01-01

The article presents the results of the first series of practical research within the scope of an adopted program of pilot testing on "The Technology of Formation of Exploratory Competence in Future Social Teachers within the System of University Education." A set of questionnaires offered to students made it possible to identify the…

Socialization of Emotion: Who Influences Whom and How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zahn-Waxler, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Emotion socialization begins within the family setting and extends outward as children transition into expanded social worlds. Children contribute to their socialization from the first years of life, so the dynamics between parents and children are reciprocal in nature. Because socialization influences are best inferred from patterns that unfold…

The Dynamics of Coalition Formation on Complex Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auer, S.; Heitzig, J.; Kornek, U.; Schöll, E.; Kurths, J.

2015-08-01

Complex networks describe the structure of many socio-economic systems. However, in studies of decision-making processes the evolution of the underlying social relations are disregarded. In this report, we aim to understand the formation of self-organizing domains of cooperation (“coalitions”) on an acquaintance network. We include both the network’s influence on the formation of coalitions and vice versa how the network adapts to the current coalition structure, thus forming a social feedback loop. We increase complexity from simple opinion adaptation processes studied in earlier research to more complex decision-making determined by costs and benefits, and from bilateral to multilateral cooperation. We show how phase transitions emerge from such coevolutionary dynamics, which can be interpreted as processes of great transformations. If the network adaptation rate is high, the social dynamics prevent the formation of a grand coalition and therefore full cooperation. We find some empirical support for our main results: Our model develops a bimodal coalition size distribution over time similar to those found in social structures. Our detection and distinguishing of phase transitions may be exemplary for other models of socio-economic systems with low agent numbers and therefore strong finite-size effects.

Four not six: Revealing culturally common facial expressions of emotion.

PubMed

Jack, Rachael E; Sun, Wei; Delis, Ioannis; Garrod, Oliver G B; Schyns, Philippe G

2016-06-01

As a highly social species, humans generate complex facial expressions to communicate a diverse range of emotions. Since Darwin's work, identifying among these complex patterns which are common across cultures and which are culture-specific has remained a central question in psychology, anthropology, philosophy, and more recently machine vision and social robotics. Classic approaches to addressing this question typically tested the cross-cultural recognition of theoretically motivated facial expressions representing 6 emotions, and reported universality. Yet, variable recognition accuracy across cultures suggests a narrower cross-cultural communication supported by sets of simpler expressive patterns embedded in more complex facial expressions. We explore this hypothesis by modeling the facial expressions of over 60 emotions across 2 cultures, and segregating out the latent expressive patterns. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we first map the conceptual organization of a broad spectrum of emotion words by building semantic networks in 2 cultures. For each emotion word in each culture, we then model and validate its corresponding dynamic facial expression, producing over 60 culturally valid facial expression models. We then apply to the pooled models a multivariate data reduction technique, revealing 4 latent and culturally common facial expression patterns that each communicates specific combinations of valence, arousal, and dominance. We then reveal the face movements that accentuate each latent expressive pattern to create complex facial expressions. Our data questions the widely held view that 6 facial expression patterns are universal, instead suggesting 4 latent expressive patterns with direct implications for emotion communication, social psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and social robotics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Exercise contagion in a global social network.

PubMed

Aral, Sinan; Nicolaides, Christos

2017-04-18

We leveraged exogenous variation in weather patterns across geographies to identify social contagion in exercise behaviours across a global social network. We estimated these contagion effects by combining daily global weather data, which creates exogenous variation in running among friends, with data on the network ties and daily exercise patterns of ∼1.1M individuals who ran over 350M km in a global social network over 5 years. Here we show that exercise is socially contagious and that its contagiousness varies with the relative activity of and gender relationships between friends. Less active runners influence more active runners, but not the reverse. Both men and women influence men, while only women influence other women. While the Embeddedness and Structural Diversity theories of social contagion explain the influence effects we observe, the Complex Contagion theory does not. These results suggest interventions that account for social contagion will spread behaviour change more effectively.

Links between patterns of racial socialization and discrimination experiences and psychological adjustment: a cluster analysis.

PubMed

Ajayi, Alex A; Syed, Moin

2014-10-01

This study used a person-oriented analytic approach to identify meaningful patterns of barriers-focused racial socialization and perceived racial discrimination experiences in a sample of 295 late adolescents. Using cluster analysis, three distinct groups were identified: Low Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination, High Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination, and High Barrier Socialization-High Discrimination clusters. These groups were substantively unique in terms of the frequency of racial socialization messages about bias preparation and out-group mistrust its members received and their actual perceived discrimination experiences. Further, individuals in the High Barrier Socialization-High Discrimination cluster reported significantly higher depressive symptoms than those in the Low Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination and High Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination clusters. However, no differences in adjustment were observed between the Low Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination and High Barrier Socialization-Low Discrimination clusters. Overall, the findings highlight important individual differences in how young people of color experience their race and how these differences have significant implications on psychological adjustment. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geographical Topics Learning of Geo-Tagged Social Images.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoming; Ji, Shufan; Wang, Senzhang; Li, Zhoujun; Lv, Xueqiang

2016-03-01

With the availability of cheap location sensors, geotagging of images in online social media is very popular. With a large amount of geo-tagged social images, it is interesting to study how these images are shared across geographical regions and how the geographical language characteristics and vision patterns are distributed across different regions. Unlike textual document, geo-tagged social image contains multiple types of content, i.e., textual description, visual content, and geographical information. Existing approaches usually mine geographical characteristics using a subset of multiple types of image contents or combining those contents linearly, which ignore correlations between different types of contents, and their geographical distributions. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a novel method to discover geographical characteristics of geo-tagged social images using a geographical topic model called geographical topic model of social images (GTMSIs). GTMSI integrates multiple types of social image contents as well as the geographical distributions, in which image topics are modeled based on both vocabulary and visual features. In GTMSI, each region of the image would have its own topic distribution, and hence have its own language model and vision pattern. Experimental results show that our GTMSI could identify interesting topics and vision patterns, as well as provide location prediction and image tagging.

Who 'likes' alcohol? Young Australians' engagement with alcohol marketing via social media and related alcohol consumption patterns.

PubMed

Carrotte, Elise R; Dietze, Paul M; Wright, Cassandra J; Lim, Megan S

2016-10-01

To describe patterns of 'liking' alcohol marketing social media pages, and determine related alcohol consumption patterns among young Australians. Participants were 1,001 Australians aged 15-29 years who completed a cross-sectional online survey. Logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression were used. A quarter (249/1001, 24.9%) liked at least one of the alcohol marketing social media pages, most commonly brands of spirits, cider and alcohol retailers. Underage participants were as likely as older participants to report liking these pages. Alcohol marketing social media use was significantly and independently associated with male gender, living outside a major city, ever using illegal drugs and early age of first alcohol consumption (all p<0.05). Alcohol marketing social media use (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5-2.8, p=<0.001) was independently associated with higher categories on the AUDIT-C, indicating riskier alcohol consumption. Liking or following alcohol marketing pages is common regardless of age, and associated with riskier alcohol consumption, among young Australians. There is a need to develop strategies to reduce the exposure to, and potential impact of, alcohol marketing social media pages on young Australians, and ensure these pages are neither accessible to nor targeting underage social media users. © 2016 Public Health Association of Australia.

Patterns and Trends of Canadian Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothwell, David W.; Lach, Lucyana; Blumenthal, Anne; Akesson, Bree

2015-01-01

The first social work doctoral program in Canada began in 1952. Relatively recently, the number of programs has grown rapidly, doubling in the past 10 years to 14 programs. Despite the expansion there is no systematic understanding of the patterns and trends in doctoral research. In this study we review 248 publicly available dissertations from…

Location, Timing, and Social Structure Patterns Related to Physical Activity Participation in Weight Loss Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gay, Jennifer L.; Trevarthen, Grace

2013-01-01

Less than half of the adults in the United States meet national guidelines for physical activity. Physical activity programs can induce short-term improvements in physical activity. To develop effective interventions, researchers and practitioners should consider the timing, location, and social structure patterns of participants. Using a pretest,…

Studies of Day Care Center Climate and Its Effect on Children's Social and Emotional Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekholm, Bodil; Hedin, Anna

School climates at 12 day care centers in Sweden were compared to investigate effects of center climates on children's social and emotional behavior. Observations and interviews conducted at the day care centers revealed differences in center climates related to child-rearing patterns, patterns of interaction, the distribution of power, and in…

A Case Study of Israeli Higher-Education Institutes Sharing Scholarly Information with the Community via Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forkosh-Baruch, Alona; Hershkovitz, Arnon

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine cases in which Social Networking Sites (SNS) are being utilized for scholarly purposes by higher-education institutes in Israel. The research addresses questions regarding content patterns, activity patterns, and interactivity within Facebook and Twitter accounts of these institutes. Research…

Patterns of Internet Usage in the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labucay, Iremae D.

2014-01-01

This chapter reports on the patterns of Internet use in the Philippines using survey data gathered by Social Weather Stations (SWS), a social research institute in the Philippines. As of March 2014, Internet usage rose to 35 percent of the population compared to 9 percent in 1998. However, the data indicates the presence of digital divide in…

Urban Spatial Pattern and Interaction based on Analysis of Nighttime Remote Sensing Data and Geo-social Media Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnasari, Nila; Dwi Candra, Erika; Herdianta Saputra, Defa; Putra Perdana, Aji

2016-11-01

Urban development in Indonesia significantly incerasing in line with rapid development of infrastructure, utility, and transportation network. Recently, people live depend on lights at night and social media and these two aspects can depicted urban spatial pattern and interaction. This research used nighttime remote sensing data with the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) day-night band detects lights, gas flares, auroras, and wildfires. Geo-social media information derived from twitter data gave big picture on spatial interaction from the geospatial footprint. Combined both data produced comprehensive urban spatial pattern and interaction in general for Indonesian territory. The result is shown as a preliminary study of integrating nighttime remote sensing data and geospatial footprint from twitter data.

Category Formation in Autism: Can Individuals with Autism Form Categories and Prototypes of Dot Patterns?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gastgeb, Holly Zajac; Dundas, Eva M.; Minshew, Nancy J.; Strauss, Mark S.

2012-01-01

There is a growing amount of evidence suggesting that individuals with autism have difficulty with categorization. One basic cognitive ability that may underlie this difficulty is the ability to abstract a prototype. The current study examined prototype and category formation with dot patterns in high-functioning adults with autism and matched…

The Impact of Course Delivery Format on Wellness Patterns of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everhart, Kim; Dimon, Chelsea

2013-01-01

University students (N = 103) enrolled in multiple wellness courses at a small northeastern public university completed a questionnaire measuring wellness patterns at the beginning and end of a wellness course delivered totally on line (web-based), in the traditional classroom, or in a mix of the two formats (blended). Attrition of participants…

Self-organized pattern formation at organic-inorganic interfaces during deposition: Experiment versus modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szillat, F.; Mayr, S. G.

2011-09-01

Self-organized pattern formation during physical vapor deposition of organic materials onto rough inorganic substrates is characterized by a complex morphological evolution as a function of film thickness. We employ a combined experimental-theoretical study using atomic force microscopy and numerically solved continuum rate equations to address morphological evolution in the model system: poly(bisphenol A carbonate) on polycrystalline Cu. As the key ingredients for pattern formation, (i) curvature and interface potential driven surface diffusion, (ii) deposition noise, and (iii) interface boundary effects are identified. Good agreement of experiments and theory, fitting only the Hamaker constant and diffusivity within narrow physical parameter windows, corroborates the underlying physics and paves the way for computer-assisted interface engineering.

Social protection and people with disabilities in Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Nilson do Rosário; Marcelino, Miguel Abud; Duarte, Cristina Maria Rabelais; Uhr, Deborah

2016-10-01

The article analyzes the social protection policy for people with disabilities in Brazil. It describes the patterns of demand and eligibility for Continued Benefit of Social Assistance (Benefício de Prestação Continuada - BPC) in the 1996-2014 period. The article argues that BPC is a direct result of the social pact achieved by the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988. BPC is a social assistance benefit consisting in an unconditional and monthly transference of the equivalent of a minimum wage, to poor people with deficiency and elders with more than 65 years. Disabled person eligibility depends on means-test, and social and medical evaluation by public bureaucracy. The research strategy was based on time series, and cross-sectional data collection and analysis. Dummy qualitative variables were also used to describe the pattern of demand and eligibility. The article demonstrates that BPC has provided income to disabled and elder people. However, systematic barriers were identified to disabled people's access to BPC. The work suggests that the pattern of refusal could be associated to a means testing application by street-level-bureaucracy. In this sense, the work draws attention to the necessary revision of street-level-bureaucracy tools and procedures to increase BPC positive discrimination.

Associations between social vulnerabilities and dietary patterns in European children: the Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS (IDEFICS) study.

PubMed

Iguacel, Isabel; Fernández-Alvira, Juan M; Bammann, Karin; De Clercq, Bart; Eiben, Gabriele; Gwozdz, Wencke; Molnar, Dénes; Pala, Valeria; Papoutsou, Stalo; Russo, Paola; Veidebaum, Toomas; Wolters, Maike; Börnhorst, Claudia; Moreno, Luis A

2016-10-01

Socio-economic inequalities in childhood can determine dietary patterns, and therefore future health. This study aimed to explore associations between social vulnerabilities and dietary patterns assessed at two time points, and to investigate the association between accumulation of vulnerabilities and dietary patterns. A total of 9301 children aged 2-9 years participated at baseline and 2-year follow-up examinations of the Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS study. In all, three dietary patterns were identified at baseline and follow-up by applying the K-means clustering algorithm based on a higher frequency of consumption of snacks and fast food (processed), sweet foods and drinks (sweet), and fruits and vegetables (healthy). Vulnerable groups were defined at baseline as follows: children whose parents lacked a social network, children from single-parent families, children of migrant origin and children with unemployed parents. Multinomial mixed models were used to assess the associations between social vulnerabilities and children's dietary patterns at baseline and follow-up. Children whose parents lacked a social network (OR 1·31; 99 % CI 1·01, 1·70) and migrants (OR 1·45; 99 % CI 1·15, 1·83) were more likely to be in the processed cluster at baseline and follow-up. Children whose parents were homemakers (OR 0·74; 99 % CI 0·60, 0·92) were less likely to be in the processed cluster at baseline. A higher number of vulnerabilities was associated with a higher probability of children being in the processed cluster (OR 1·78; 99 % CI 1·21, 2·62). Therefore, special attention should be paid to children of vulnerable groups as they present unhealthier dietary patterns.

Pattern of social cognition deficits in individuals with borderline personality disorder.

PubMed

Anupama V; Bhola, Poornima; Thirthalli, Jagadisha; Mehta, Urvakhsh Meherwan

2018-03-01

Social cognition deficits have been implicated in the affect regulation and interpersonal difficulties seen in borderline personality disorder (BPD). The study examined patterns of social cognition abilities, using self-report and task-based measures, among individuals diagnosed with BPD. The sample included a clinical group of 20 patients diagnosed with BPD and 20 age and gender-matched control group participants from the community with no psychiatric diagnosis. The measures included the Mentalization Questionnaire, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and the Social Cognition Rating Tool in Indian Setting. Results indicated that the clinical group had lower self-reported mentalizing ability. Facial emotion recognition ability was significantly lower for the clinical group, particularly for photographs of the eye region with positive and neutral valences. The clinical group had significantly higher personalizing bias, and greater difficulties in social perception. The two groups did not differ on first and second order theory of mind, recognition of faux pas and externalizing bias. The results point to the links between social cognition deficits and interpersonal difficulties among persons with BPD. Implications include the need for pre-therapy assessment of the magnitude and patterns of social cognition difficulties in BPD, the development of culturally and ecologically valid assessments and the evaluation of interventions for social cognition vulnerabilities among individuals with BPD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social Smoking among Intermittent Smokers

PubMed Central

Shiffman, Saul; Li, Xiaoxue; Dunbar, Michael S.; Ferguson, Stuart G.; Tindle, Hilary A.; Scholl, Sarah M.

2015-01-01

Background “Social smoking” - smoking mostly or even only with others – may be an important pattern that implies smoking motivated extrinsically by social influences. Non-daily smokers (intermittent smokers; ITS) are often assumed to be social smokers, with some authors even assuming that all ITS are social smokers (SS+). We sought to identify and characterize social smokers in a sample of ITS. Methods 204 adult ITS (smoking 4–27 days/month) recorded the circumstances of smoking in their natural settings using Ecological Momentary Assessment, while also recording their circumstances in nonsmoking moments. SS+ were defined as ITS who were with others when they smoked most of their cigarettes, and who were ≥ 50% more likely to be with others when smoking than when not. Results Only 13% of ITS were SS+. Although defined solely on the basis of presence of others, SS+ showed a distinct pattern of smoking across multiple dimensions: Compared to other ITS (who were significantly less likely to smoke when with others), SS+ smoking was more associated with socializing, being with friends and acquaintances, drinking alcohol, weekends, evening or nighttime, being in other people’s homes, but not their own home. SS+ smoking was low in the morning and increased in the evening. SS+ smoked fewer days/week and were less dependent, but did not differ demographically. Conclusions Social smoking does constitute a highly distinct smoking pattern, but is not common among adult ITS. PMID:26205313

Social bonding: regulation by neuropeptides.

PubMed

Lieberwirth, Claudia; Wang, Zuoxin

2014-01-01

Affiliative social relationships (e.g., among spouses, family members, and friends) play an essential role in human society. These relationships affect psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. As positive and enduring bonds are critical for the overall well-being of humans, it is not surprising that considerable effort has been made to study the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie social bonding behaviors. The present review details the involvement of the nonapeptides, oxytocin (OT), and arginine vasopressin (AVP), in the regulation of social bonding in mammals including humans. In particular, we will discuss the role of OT and AVP in the formation of social bonds between partners of a mating pair as well as between parents and their offspring. Furthermore, the role of OT and AVP in the formation of interpersonal bonding involving trust is also discussed.