Note on lexicographic‐order preservation and stochastic dominance

This note concerns two issues left unresolved in our study of lexicographic‐order preservation and stochastic dominance in settings where preferences are represented by utility vectors, ordered lexicographically, and judgements emerge as matrices that premultiply utility vectors in expected utility sums. First, a generalization of the ‘Conjecture Σ’, which implied transitivity of a stochastic dominance relation under non‐vacuous resolution‐level information, is proved. Second, this paper comments on using resolution‐level information in higher as well as in first degree stochastic dominance analysis. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using attribute trade‐off information in investment

The paper describes use of trade‐off information to create effective stock portfolio characterized by desired values of selected stock attributes. Basic notions behind such portfolio creation processes are discussed and related to the multiattribute analysis performed by evaluating compensations among the attributes’ values. A framework to construct a portfolio using only compensatory information is presented and applied to the analysis of the stocks traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A non-linear utility theory with multiple objectives

The aim of this paper is to make optimum several objectives at the same time which would enable a measurement of utility for several possible alternatives. The problem is solved if a strong or weak dominance exists between the alternatives, otherwise a set of incomparable alternatives would be present. Therefore, indifference curve analysis offers the outcome but as these indifference loci are difficult to determine only the characteristics of this analysis are maintained viz. decreasing marginal utility, non-linearity and even non-convexity. Indifference and reference point theory with the Minkowski min–max-metric only respond to these characteristics. Also the problem of generating alternatives during the process is taken into consideration. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Attack and defense in conspecific fighting in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri)

Principles of conspecific defense have been analyzed for rodents, in which specific target sites for biting by attackers on defenders serve as an important determinant of the actions involved in both attacker and defender behavior. In an effort to determine the generality of these principles, attack and defensive behaviors and target sites for biting attack were evaluated in a nonrodent species, the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri). Brief daily and repeated conspecific dyadic encounters between adult, socially experienced males (dominants, attackers), and adult, socially naive males (subordinates, defenders) that had been transferred into the territory of the dominants, produced a polarization of attack and defense. The dominant males showed chase, chase attack, jump attack, and biting behaviors, while the subordinates displayed flight and freezing. The vast majority of bites, as well as wounds and bruises, were on the subordinates’ backs. These patterns are very similar to those previously found in rats and mice and suggest that the organization of fighting, with targets of biting (or other painful) attack serving as an important determinant of both attacker (dominant) and defender (subordinate) behavior, may show considerable generality across nonrodent as well as rodent species. Although relatively few wounds were found after 28 days of repeated and daily encounters, the subordinate tree shrews show a variety of behavioral, neuroendocrine, and central nervous changes, indicating that they are stressed by these encounters per se. Aggr. Behav. 27:139–148, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The Common Beliefs Survey-III, The Situational Self-Statement, and Affective State Inventory and Their Relationship to Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation

The concept of irrational beliefs is central to rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). These beliefs are defined by their absolutist and dogmatic qualities. The terms absolutist and dogmatic are also characteristic of some personality constructs, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) being foremost among these. A relatively new personality construct, social dominance orientation (SDO) is similar to RWA in that both are excellent predictors of prejudice. As these two constructs are independent of each other, it has been suggested that they have different etiological underpinnings. The present study examined the relationship between the presence of irrational beliefs in people scoring high in RWA and SDO. Results suggest that high RWAs are more likely than high SDOs to endorse irrational beliefs. These findings add to the growing literature examining the relationship between these two personality constructs as well as suggesting possible implications for the use of REBT with clients scoring high on these personality dimensions.     

Dominance and age-related changes in the play fighting of intact and post-weaning castrated male rats (Rattus norvegicus)

The play fighting behaviour of male rats (Rattus norvegicus) castrated at weaning was compared to that of intact controls during the juvenile and post-pubertal phases of development. Following puberty, both the castrated and intact animals exhibited an age-related change in their play fighting; the frequency of initiating play fighting decreased and juvenile patterns of playful defense were replaced by more adult-like patterns. As these changes occurred even in the absence of the pubertal surge of gonadal hormones, they were more likely to result from the organizational effects of gonadal hormones in the perinatal period than the activational effects of these hormones at puberty. Although the castrated animals exhibited the age-related changes in behaviour, they did not exhibit the asymmetries in play associated with dominance relationships. As demonstrated in previous studies, in pairs of intact rats, the animal that attacks the most and uses more juvenile defenses during play fighting and weighs the least is typically the subordinate. In the castrates, asymmetries in weight and playful defense are not related to play frequency, indicating the absence of a dominance relationship. Although the characteristic changes in male play fighting at puberty are independent of the activational effects of gonadal hormones, dominance relationships and their associated changes in play fighting are dependent on these hormones. Therefore, in the perinatal period gonadal hormones most likely organize the age-related changes in play behaviour, whereas post-pubertally gonadal hormones activate dominance relationships and thus, indirectly modify play fighting by affecting dominance-associated assymetries in behaviour. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A dual-process motivational model of attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans

Vegetarians and vegans comprise a minority of most western populations. However, relatively little research has investigated the psychological foundations of attitudes towards this minority group. The following study employs a dual process model of intergroup attitudes to explore the motivational basis of non-vegetarians' attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans. Participants were 1,326 individuals recruited through advertisements in a national newspaper in New Zealand. Non-vegetarian participants first completed measures of ideological attitudes and social worldviews, and then were randomly assigned to complete a measure of outgroup attitudes towards either vegetarians or vegans. Although non-vegetarians' attitudes towards both vegetarians and vegans were generally positive, attitudes towards vegans were significantly less positive than attitudes towards vegetarians, and male participants expressed significantly less positive attitudes towards both outgroups than female participants. The structural equation model predicting attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans fit the data well and explained a significant amount of the variance in attitudes.     

Competitive fighting for shells in the hermit crab,Clibanarius vittatus

The aggressive behavior of large Clibanarius vittatus against small C. vittatus was investigated. Large C. vittatus were more aggressive and showed fewer fear reactions in all conditions tested. The degree of dominance of large over small C. vittatus was much more marked and more predictable when the smaller crab occupied a Polinices rather than a Littorina shell and the large crab occupied a Littorina shell in both conditions. Evidence is given to suggest that C. vittatus reacts more to the shape than the size dimensions of a Polinices shell, and that small crabs occupying a Polinices shell are less active than other crabs occupying a Littorina shell.     

Rank and reproduction among female langur monkeys: Aging and improvement (They're not just getting older,they're getting better)

An investigation of the social rank, reproduction, and ages of adult female Indian gray langur monkeys (Presbytis entellus) living in two colony social groups revealed that rank based on displacements is neither correlated with nor best predicted by female age or reproductive value. The hierarchy of female ranks is best conceptualized as a layered ranking system in which there are clusters of females of the same dominance rank forming layers within the structure. Statistical significance in frequencies of displacement differs between but not within these layered groups of females. Factors such as group composition, presence of uterine kin, reproductive state, and individual personality are hypothesized to predict changes in female rank far better than does reproductive value. Our data show that reproductive success increases with age. The infant survival record for the six oldest females in our colony was much better than for the five youngest adult females.     

U.S. Patriotism and Ideologies of Group Dominance: A Tale of Asymmetry

Abstract

Using a random sample (N = 405) of White and Latino Americans from Los Angeles County, the authors explored whether there is an asymmetrical relationship between U.S. patriotism and two different dimensions of social dominance orientation: group antiegalitarianism and group dominance. Although there was no evidence of asymmetry in the relationship between U.S. patriotism and group antiegalitarianism, there was evidence of consistent asymmetry in the relationship between U.S. patriotism and group dominance. Among Whites (the dominant North American ethnic group) and depending on demographic variables such as age, education, income, and gender, the greater the respondents' tendency to subordinate “inferior groups,” the greater their level of U.S. patriotism. In contrast, among Latino Americans (the major subordinate group in Southern California), the opposite trend was found. Here, higher levels of group dominance orientation were associated with lower levels of U.S. patriotism. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.