La Bella Figura: The role of a cultural philosophy on Italian consumerism

The La Bella Figura concept extends to many Italian cultural dimensions including physical appearance, perception of self, and behaviours. La Bella Figura plays an essential role in shaping Italian consumer behaviour and consumerism. The current study sought to understand how women living in Italy conceptualize La Bella Figura and how it affects their day‐to‐day lives, attitudes, and consumption behaviours. This research extracted concepts from Consumer Culture Theory to construct a qualitative codebook and structure thematic data analyses. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 30 women aged 18–50 years living in Florence, Italy. Participants were recruited through study flyers, social media, and snowball sampling. Open and axial coding were facilitated by HyperRESEARCH 4.0.1 software to generate key themes. Data were collected and analyzed by trained researchers living in Florence, Italy, who utilized grounded theory techniques to identify emergent themes. Results indicated various components of La Bella Figura contributed to consumer behaviour, namely its influence on identity (i.e., appearance, confidence), lifestyle goals (i.e., health, consumerism), and social norms (i.e., perceptions of others, media). Findings offer practical recommendations for marketers and retailers to appeal to the Italian market through effective and informed mediums.     

Examining the narrative roles in suicide notes

The present study examines suicide notes, using a sample of suicide notes from published corpora (N = 50), combined with a sample of recent suicide notes from a suicide website (N = 50). The present study proposes a model of differentiation in completed suicides. The characteristics of the suicide notes were analysed using a content dictionary developed by Giles in 2007, and the data subjected to smallest space analysis. Four themes of suicide completer were discovered: Egoistic Victim, Anomic Hero, Altruistic Professional and Fatalistic Revenger. The implications of these findings and the potential use in therapy work with suicide survivors and those with suicidal ideation are discussed, as well as suggestions for the direction of future research.     

Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation,emotion, and interpersonal processes

Theory and research on self‐regulation, emotional adjustment, and interpersonal processes focus increasingly on parasympathetic functioning, using measures of vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) or respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). This review describes models of vmHRV in these areas, and issues in measurement and analysis. We propose a framework organizing theory and research as examining (a) vmHRV as an individual difference or a situational response, and (b) resting, reactive, or recovery levels. Evidence supports interpretation of individual differences in resting vmHRV as a broad biomarker for adaptive functioning, but its specificity and underlying mechanisms require elaboration. Individual differences in vagal reactivity (i.e., trait‐like differences in vmHRV decreases during challenge or stress) are less commonly studied in adults and results are mixed. Many stressors and challenges evoke temporary decreases in vmHRV, and in some research self‐regulatory effort evokes increases. In a smaller literature, positive interpersonal experiences and some restorative processes increase resting vmHRV, whereas depletion of self‐regulatory capacity through related effort decreases it. Greater attention to conceptual distinctions regarding vmHRV constructs and several methodological issues will strengthen future research. Importantly, researchers should exercise caution in equating vmHRV with specific psychosocial constructs, especially in the absence of converging assessments and precise experimental manipulations.     

Simple disturbance of the dam in the neonatal period can alter haloperidol-induced catalepsy in the adult offspring

Three experiments were performed to determine whether apparently minimal disturbances of dams and litters would influence haloperidol-induced akinesia. In Experiment I, Long-Evans hooded rats (a) were left unmanipulated, (b) received nestcage relocation and observation, (c) received nestcage relocation/observation and maternal separation, or (d) received nestcage relocation/observation and pup handling. The male adult offspring received open-field testing and later received forepaw-on-dowel catalepsy testing following saline, morphine (20 mg/kg), or haloperidol (2 mg/kg). In Experiment II, hooded rats received (a) no manipulation, (b) nestcage relocation, (c) maternal separation, or (d) pup handling. At weaning, dams were tested in the open-field. Activity wheel locomotion of the offspring was assessed following saline or haloperidol for 3 days/week for 3 weeks; then, 5 and 7 days later, rats received haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) and catalepsy testing. In both experiments, manipulations involving the dam reduced the offsprings' haloperidol-induced catalepsy, but, in Experiment II, a history of haloperidol administration distinguished between the effects of nestcage relocation and maternal separation. In Experiment III, Swiss albino mice received (a) no treatment, (b) nestcage relocation and maternal separation, (c) relocation/separation and mild cold stress of pups, (d) relocation/separation and pup handling, or (e) relocation/separation and severe cold stress of pups. Adult male mice received saline or haloperidol (2.5 mg/kg) and inclined grid catalepsy testing. Mice receiving relocation/separation and mice receiving relocation/separation and severe cold stress showed enhanced catalepsy versus control mice. Thus, it was concluded that seemingly innocuous events in infancy can influence the intensity of extrapyramidal side effects of neuroleptics in adulthood.     

Enhancing social diffusion theory as a basis for prevention intervention: A conceptual and strategic framework

Social diffusion theory has recently been recognized as a promising approach for large-scale disease prevention and health promotion efforts. This paper describes how principles and tactics from social cognitive theory, operant psychology, social psychology, social marketing, and the overarching stages of change model can be used to further develop the conceptual and strategic (technological) bases of social diffusion theory. Within an integrative framework, we discuss in detail more effective ways to train peer mediators of behavior change as one example of how social diffusion theory can benefit from this conceptual and strategic reformulation. We then further illustrate the use of peer mediators of change in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cancer prevention intervention studies with both interventions training peer mediators to diffuse information, norms, and risk reduction strategies. Although the results of these studies showed reductions in high-risk behaviors across population segments, more closely following the framework discussed in this article should further increase the behavior change potential of future interventions based on social diffusion theory.     

Offence and defence in fights between young pigs (Sus scrofa)

Fights were observed between young, unacquainted, domestic pigs. These fights were described in terms of the frequency of bites and the time spent in each of five spatial configurations of the animals. Depending on the rate that bites were given or received, each spatial configuration was characterized as resulting from offence or defence by one of the pigs. Bites were mainly directed at the head and ears, and defensive moves placed these areas out of reach. The most effective offensive move was an attack from the side. Pigs that lost fights tended to turn away from such attacks: winners were as likely to turn towards the attacker. Whether turning away is submission or simply defence is not clear. Factor analysis showed that fights could be described on three dimensions: offence by the loser along with mutual offence and mutual defence: offence by the winner and defence by the loser: and defence by the winner. Long fights involved much offence by the loser and defence by the winner: short fights involved much defence by the loser. When the pigs met again after 24 h, the fights were shorter and involved less offence and more defence by the loser. The transitions between the configurations reflect a balance of offence and defence by the pig responsible making for the transition. This balance is, in turn, affected by attacks from the opponent, fatigue, and the pig's assessment of its relative fighting ability. Retaliation against attacks is partly responsible for the persistence of fighting.