A new American dilemma? The effect of ethnic identification and public service on the national inclusion of ethnic minorities

Three experiments integrate research from political science and social psychology to examine the consequences of two competing visions of American national identity. American identity has been defined not only in terms of shared ethnocultural heritage originating in Europe (the ethnocultural prototype) but also in terms of shared commitment to civic service (the civic responsibility prototype). Three experiments tested the consequence of highlighting each of these national prototypes on perceivers' inclusion of ethnic minorities as legitimately American. Experiments 1–3 showed that highlighting ethnic minorities' allegiance to their ethnic subgroup (versus downplaying it) challenges the ethnocultural prototype and makes ethnic minorities appear less American. Process data showed that this effect was mediated by increased threats to American distinctiveness. By contrast, emphasizing ethnic minorities' national service (versus local community service) highlights ethnic minorities' fit with the civic responsibility prototype and makes ethnic minorities appear more American (Experiments 2–3). Process data showed that this effect was mediated by enhanced American distinctiveness. Collectively, these experiments highlight how inclusion of ethnic minorities in the nation can wax and wane depending on which definition of national character is salient in the social context. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Rāga Bhāva in the Sāṁkhya Kārikā: Rectifying an Age-Old Mistake

The last foot of the 23rd verse of the Sā?khya Kārikā (SK)—‘tāmasam asmāt viparyastam’—is in need of reinterpretation. Prevailing interpretations are generally based on the primary meaning of the verse. In that sense, it is understood as a declaration of the four tāmasika bhāva that are contrary to the sāttvika ones. Taking the primary meaning of the verse is problematic because it contradicts the gu?a-bhāva coherence required by the doctrine of satkārya. The doctrine of satkārya is one of the foundational principles of Sā?khya. The avirāga or rāga bhāva shows coherence to rajas rather than tamas. I show that the verse needs to be interpreted by taking the secondary meaning. Accordingly, avirāga or rāga is established as a bhāva of rajas rather than tamas. Further, I also show that the idea of bhāva in the Sā?khya Kārikā and the Bhagavadgītā may be closely related.     

Prior Related Work Experience and Job Performance: Role of personality

In contrast to the general notion, recent studies presented a negative or insignificant relationship between prior related work experience (PRWE) and job performance (JP) and suggestively attributed the theoretically inconsistent results to individual factors. Using a sample of 688 sales persons in the insurance industry, the present study found support for the positive relationship between PRWE and JP. Further, the study found the moderation effect of personality factors on the above relationship. Implication of the study to the practitioners and the academia is discussed.     

Has Industrialization Benefited No One? Climate Change and the Non-Identity Problem

Within the climate justice debate, the ‘beneficiary pays’ principle holds that those who benefit from greenhouse emissions associated with industrialization ought to pay for the costs of mitigating and adapting to their adverse effects. This principle constitutes a claim of inter-generational justice, and it is widely believed that the non-identity problem raises serious difficulties for any such claim. After briefly sketching the rationale behind ‘beneficiary pays,’ this paper offers a new way of understanding the claim that persons in developed societies have benefited from industrialization. It argues that when we think of the claim in this new way, it evades the non-identity problem entirely. Some objections to this approach are then considered and rebutted. The paper concludes by comparing the present, relatively modest solution to the nonidentity problem with a much more ambitious attempt from the recent literature.     

Disclosure of Genetic Research Results to Members of a Founder Population

There is currently extensive discussion and debate in the literature on how, when, and to whom genetic research results should be returned (see Genetics in Medicine, April 2012 issue). Here, we describe our experience in disclosing genetic information on Mendelian disorders discovered during the course of our research in the Hutterites. We first assessed attitudes toward the disclosure of carrier results, which revealed that many individuals wanted carrier information and that many intended to use the information in family planning. Based on this information, we developed a pilot study to test and disclose cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier status. Next, a larger scale project was developed in order to disclose genetic research results for 14 diseases to those interested in receiving the information. We developed brochures, offered a live interactive educational program, conducted a consent process, and disclosed results in letters mailed to the consented individuals. Overall, ~80 % of individuals who participated in the educational program signed consent forms for the release of their results for 14 diseases. We describe our experience with returning individual genetic research results to participants in a population-based research study.     

Perception of individuality in bat vocal communication: discrimination between, or recognition of, interaction partners?

Different cognitive processes underlying voice identity perception in humans may have precursors in mammals. A perception of vocal signatures may govern individualised interactions in bats, which comprise species living in complex social structures and are nocturnal, fast-moving mammals. This paper investigates to what extent bats recognise, and discriminate between, individual voices and discusses acoustic features relevant for accomplishing these tasks. In spontaneous presentation and habituation–dishabituation experiments, we investigated how Megaderma lyra perceives and evaluates stimuli consisting of contact call series with individual-specific signatures from either social partners or unknown individuals. Spontaneous presentations of contact call stimuli from social partners or unknown individuals elicited strong, but comparable reactions. In the habituation–dishabituation experiments, bats dishabituated significantly to any new stimulus. However, reactions were less pronounced to a novel stimulus from the bat used for habituation than to stimuli from other bats, irrespective of familiarity, which provides evidence for identity discrimination. A model separately assessing the dissimilarity of stimuli in syllable frequencies, syllable durations and inter-call intervals relative to learned memory templates accounted for the behaviour of the bats. With respect to identity recognition, the spontaneous presentation experiments were not conclusive. However, the habituation–dishabituation experiments suggested that the bats recognised voices of social partners as the reaction to a re-habituation stimulus differed after a dishabituation stimulus from a social partner and an unknown bat.     

When multiple identities compete: The role of centrality in self‐brand connections

The current research provides a framework for understanding how centrality impacts people's choice of brands and related brand connectedness. Motivated by the need to validate their self‐image, individuals use brands to express and confirm their identities. The authors hypothesize that greater centrality of the identity to the self strengthens the connectedness an individual has for brands with value‐expressive properties. Three studies using experimental designs examined whether people whose identity is central to their self‐conception leads to stronger self‐brand connectedness than peripheral identities. In study 1, the results showed that people whose shopping identity was central (versus peripheral) to their self‐concept led to stronger self‐brand connections. Study 2 replicated the findings of study 1 employing brand symbolism as a moderator. Brands high in symbolic properties led to stronger brand connections for an individual's central identities compared with their peripheral identities. Study 3 replicated the influence of centrality on brand choice and self‐brand connections by generalizing this effect to reference group identities. Collectively, the studies provide evidence that individuals integrate brand associations into their self‐concept on the basis of both the centrality of the identity and the level of symbolism the brands holds for an identity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Sn on microstructure and mechanical properties of (Ti–Cu)-based bulk metallic glasses

A Ti₄₃Zr₇Cu₄₃Ni₇ bulk metallic glass (BMG) exhibits a plastic strain of less than 0.2% under room-temperature compression. However, a Ti₄₅Zr₅Cu₄₀Ni_7.5Sn_2.5 BMG developed by addition of Sn to Ti₄₃Zr₇Cu₄₃Ni₇ shows a significant improvement of ～14.8% to the plastic strain with work hardening. Microstructural comparison of these BMGs reveals that the addition of Sn leads to formation of nano-scale chemical heterogeneities throughout the material. These nano-scale chemical fluctuations play an important role in enhancing the plastic strain of (Ti–Cu)-based BMGs.     

Attainment of an exceptionally high strength in low-carbon steel along with modest ductility through a novel heat treatment route

ABSTRACT

Over the last few decades, the use of steel (the most significant structural engineering material) is facing a significant challenge due to its replacement by other materials (such as composites) possessing higher strength-to-weight ratio/specific strength. This necessitates further enhancement in the strength of steel. In particular, low-carbon steel, in the annealed condition, suffers from inherent problems of poor strength and discontinuous yielding. In this research work a novel heat treatment route of incomplete austenitisation-based cyclic ice-brine quenching has been adopted on low-carbon steel (AISI 1010 steel containing 0.1 wt.% C) without considering any costly alloying or thermo-mechanical treatment. Accordingly, exceptionally high strength (UTS?=?1.7?GPa) and specific strength (226?MPa?g^?1cm³) are achieved after three cycles along with a modest ductility (% Elongation?=?9). This is the highest strength reported so far for low-carbon steel containing 0.1 wt.% C. Yield point phenomenon is also eliminated. This is attributed to a novel microstructure consisting of highly sub-structured fine plate martensite crystals containing internal twin and dislocation tangles along with dispersion of nano-sized cementite particles and clusters of cementite particles.