Collective decisions divert regret and responsibility away from the individual

Author(s):  
Marwa El Zein ◽  
Bahador Bahrami

It has recently been proposed that a key motivation for joining group decisions is to be protected from negative consequences of these decisions. To test this claim we investigated how experienced outcomes that trigger loss and regret impacted people’s tendency to make decisions alone or in a group, and how these decisions differed when voluntarily made alone vs in group. Replicated across two experiments, participants (N=125 and N=451) first selected whether to play alone or in a group with majority rule. Next, they chose between two lotteries with different probabilities and magnitudes of winning and losing. Experienced outcomes affected participants’ propensity to join a group: the higher the negative outcome, the more participants switched from deciding alone to with others. When choosing the lottery collectively (vs alone), choices were less driven by anticipation of loss and regret. Moreover, negative outcomes led to worse subsequent choices but only when outcome was experienced alone. Together, these results confirm the protective role of group decisions against blame and responsibility and reveal an alarming consequence of group decisions: when collective choice leads to unpalatable outcomes, the protective shield of the collective reduces the influence of negative emotions that could have helped individuals re-evaluate their past choice and possibly avoid repeating their mistakes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1922) ◽  
pp. 20192251
Author(s):  
Marwa El Zein ◽  
Bahador Bahrami

It has recently been proposed that a key motivation for joining groups is the protection from the negative consequences of undesirable outcomes. To test this claim, we investigated how experienced outcomes triggering loss and regret impacted people's tendency to decide alone or join a group, and how decisions differed when voluntarily made alone versus in group. Replicated across two experiments, participants ( n = 125 and n = 496) selected whether to play alone or contribute their vote to a group decision. Next, they chose between two lotteries with different probabilities of winning and losing. The higher the negative outcome, the more participants switched from deciding alone to with others. When joining a group to choose the lottery, choices were less driven by outcome and regret anticipation. Moreover, negative outcomes experienced alone, not part of a group vote, led to worse subsequent choices than positive outcomes. These results suggest that the protective shield of the collective reduces the influence of negative emotions that may help individuals re-evaluate past choices.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 682
Author(s):  
Serena Coppola ◽  
Carmen Avagliano ◽  
Antonio Calignano ◽  
Roberto Berni Canani

Worldwide obesity is a public health concern that has reached pandemic levels. Obesity is the major predisposing factor to comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The common forms of obesity are multifactorial and derive from a complex interplay of environmental changes and the individual genetic predisposition. Increasing evidence suggest a pivotal role played by alterations of gut microbiota (GM) that could represent the causative link between environmental factors and onset of obesity. The beneficial effects of GM are mainly mediated by the secretion of various metabolites. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate, propionate and butyrate are small organic metabolites produced by fermentation of dietary fibers and resistant starch with vast beneficial effects in energy metabolism, intestinal homeostasis and immune responses regulation. An aberrant production of SCFAs has emerged in obesity and metabolic diseases. Among SCFAs, butyrate emerged because it might have a potential in alleviating obesity and related comorbidities. Here we reviewed the preclinical and clinical data that contribute to explain the role of butyrate in this context, highlighting its crucial contribute in the diet-GM-host health axis.


Lex Russica ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 121-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. N. Maleina

The use of modern genomic technologies, along with the benefits to the man and society, can lead to negative consequences. Such risks exist both in the process and after the production, isolation, modification, storage of DNA. Prior to detailed legislative regulation of relations regarding the use of genomic technologies for medicinal purposes and not for medical reasons, legal principles become vital.The paper formulates the following basic legal principles of genomic technologies application: the principle of preventive actions of the state to protect citizens from the risks of using genomic technologies; the principle of preserving the human genome as a special species; the principle of guaranteeing the inviolability of the individual of every citizen when using genomic technologies; the principle of priority of life and health of citizens over the interests of science and society; the principle of equality of citizens regardless of genetic characteristics; the principle of protection of genetic information of every citizen as part of personal data; the principle of guaranteeing access to the citizen’s own genetic information. Legal principles can be used to resolve a dispute by analogy of law.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
Bogdan Oprea ◽  
Dragos Iliescu ◽  
Vlad Burtăverde ◽  
Miruna Dumitrache

Purpose Boredom at work is associated with negative consequences, therefore it is important to investigate whether employees engage in job crafting behaviors that reduce boredom and what are the individual differences associated with these behaviors. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire study was designed to examine the mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between conscientiousness and emotional stability and boredom among 252 employees (Study 1) and in the relationship between Machiavellianism and psychopathy and boredom among 216 employees (Study 2). Findings The results showed that conscientiousness is negatively related to work-related boredom. This relationship is mediated by job crafting. Neuroticism and psychopathy are positively associated with boredom at work, but these relationships are not mediated by job crafting behaviors. Research limitations/implications The study was based on self-reported measures, which might raise questions of common-method bias, and the research samples contained mostly women and young employees, which raises questions about generalizability of our findings. At the same time, the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inferences. Practical implications Organizations can select employees based on their personality for jobs that predispose to boredom and give them enough autonomy to be able to craft them. Moreover, they can identify employees who need support to manage their boredom and include them in job crafting interventions. Originality/value Traditionally, boredom at work has been considered as resulting from characteristics of tasks and jobs. The findings indicate that some employees can make self-initiated changes to their work in order to reduce their boredom and possibly its negative consequences.


Author(s):  
Divya Jyothi Palati ◽  
Swaroopa Rani Vanapatla

Objective: The present study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of methanolic extract of the whole plant of Aerva monsoniae (MEAM) and selenium on cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative liver damage in experimental rats.Methods: In the present study, albino Wistar rats were treated with Cd (5 mg/kg), selenium (1 mg/kg), and MEAM (250 and 500 mg/kg) for 21days. After 21 days of the treatment, the rats were sacrificed, and blood was collected for estimation of biochemical parameters and liver was used for histopathological studies.Results: Oral administration of Cd significantly elevated the levels of hepatic markers such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, cholesterol, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and decreased levels of total proteins and albumin. We also observed that elevated oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde reduced the enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as reduced glutathione in the liver. Co-administration of MEAM and selenium in Cd-intoxicated rats, the altered biochemical parameters, and pathological changes were recovered significantly (p>0.01) than the individual effects of MEAM and selenium.Conclusion: From the above findings, it was concluded that combination of MEAM and selenium exhibited remarkable protective effects against Cd-induced oxidative liver damage in rats.


Author(s):  
Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden ◽  
Suzanne M. Geurts ◽  
Tom F.M. ter Bogt ◽  
Vincent G. van der Rijst ◽  
Ina M. Koning

The popularity of social media use among adolescents has raised concerns about the potentially harmful effects of social media use on adolescents’ sleep. Since longitudinal research considering this relationship is scarce, the present two-wave longitudinal study of 2021 secondary school students (Mage = 13.86, SD = 1.25) examined whether frequency of social media use and problematic social media use predicted adolescents’ bedtime and quality of sleep. Moreover, the protective role of parental rules regarding Internet and smartphone use one hour before sleep was examined. The findings indicated that strict parental rules about Internet and smartphone use before sleep might prevent negative consequences of social media use on bedtime and sleep quality, but only among less engaged social media users. Once adolescents are highly engaged social media users, strict parental rules do not seem to prevent negative media influences on sleep. This implies that limiting Internet accessibility before bedtime can help prevent adolescents’ sleep problems, but that regulation is less effective for adolescents who are already highly involved in social media use.


2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Stouten

Emotions and distributive justice in organizations: The role of coordination rules Emotions and distributive justice in organizations: The role of coordination rules J. Stouten, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 19, November 2006, nr. 4, pp. 387-402 Distributive justice is an important factor in the emergence of emotional reactions in organizations. The present paper argues that two distributive coordination rules (the equality and proportionality rule) are especially related to people's emotions in situations in which there is a conflict between the individual and collective interests. If these coordination rules (or the conditions that give rise to these rules) are violated people react with negative emotions because important values are broken. In addition, it is shown that these emotional reactions induce retributive reactions, such as excluding or punishing the person who is responsible. A better understanding of these distributive coordination rules is needed in order to create a more complete picture of the influence of emotional reactions on behavior in organizations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ginés Navarro-Carrillo ◽  
Ana M. Beltrán-Morillas ◽  
Inmaculada Valor-Segura ◽  
Francisca Expósito

AbstractDespite the fact that literature regarding the implications of envy in the work environment has generated growing interest in recent years, the role of malicious and benign envy in the workplace has scarcely been studied. Therefore, the present study, using an experimental design, N = 213 (140 female and 73 male; Mage = 31.05, SD = 10.01; range from 18 to 68), aims to examine the effects of malicious (vs. benign) envy on perceived injustice, negative emotions, and the individual tendency to express counterproductive work behaviors. The results obtained showed that the mere activation of malicious envy (vs. benign envy) leads to an increased perceived injustice (p < .001, ηp2= .15), and to higher levels of negative emotions (p < .001, ηp2= .18) and counterproductive (harmful) behaviors toward the envied co-worker (p < .001, ηp2= .16). Additionally, we found that perceptions of injustice and negative emotions mediated the effect of malicious (vs. benign) envy on the inclination to express counterproductive work behaviors (Indirect Effect (IE) = .227, SE = .064, 95% CI [.127, .386]. Finally, these findings and their possible implications are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Kaitlin Riegel

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>Emotions are an integral part of problem-solving, but must emotions traditionally conceptualised as "negative" have negative consequences in learning? Frustration is one of the most prominent emotions reported during mathematical problem-solving across all levels of learning. Despite research aiming to mitigate frustration, it can play a positive role during mathematical problem solving. A systematic review method was used to explore how frustration usually appears in students during mathematical problem-solving and the typical patterns of emotions, behaviours, and cognitive processes that are associated with its occurrence. The findings are mixed, which informs the need for further research in this area. Additionally, there are theories and qualitative findings about the potential positive role of frustration that have not been followed up with empirical investigations, which illuminate how our findings about negative emotions may be limited by the questions we ask as researchers. With the support of research, I consider how educators may directly or indirectly address rethinking the role and consequences of frustration during problem-solving with their students.</p>


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