Neurodevelopmental Differences, Pedohebephilia, and Sexual Offending: Findings from Two Online Surveys

The neurodevelopmental theory of pedohebephilia states that sexual interests in children arise from early neurodevelopmental perturbations, as, for example, evidenced by increased non-right-handedness, more childhood head injuries, and reduced intelligence and height. As corroborating evidence largely rests on samples of convicted men, we conducted online surveys among German-speaking (Study 1, N = 199) and English-speaking men (Study 2, N = 632), specifically targeting community members with pedohebephilic or teleiophilic interests. Although we detected theoretically meaningful sexual interest patterns in an embedded viewing time task, we could not detect expected neurodevelopmental differences between teleiophilic and pedohebephilic men in either of the two studies. Strikingly, pedohebephilic men who reported convictions for sexual offenses emerged as shorter and less intelligent than pedohebephilic men without convictions in Study 2. While elucidating possible third variable confounds, results have to be interpreted cautiously because of the methodological problems inherent to non-matched case control designs.

Emerging Platform Work in the Context of the Regulatory Loophole (The Uber Fiasco in Hungary)

Platform works are swiftly turning into a big, perhaps game-changing force in the labor market. From low-skilled, low-paid services (like passenger transport) to high-skilled, high-paying project-based labor (like developing artificial intelligence algorithms), digital platforms can handle a wide range of tasks. Our paper discusses the platform-based content, working conditions, employment status, and advocacy problems. Terminological and methodological problems are dealt with in-depth in the course of the literature review, together with the ‘gray areas’ of work and employment regulation. To examine some of the complex dynamics of this fast-evolving arena, we focus on the unsuccessful market entry of the digital platform company Uber in Hungary 2016 and the relationship to institutional-regulatory platform-based work standards. Dilemmas about the enforcement of labor law regarding platform-based work are also paid special attention to the study. Employing a digital workforce is a challenge not only for labor law regulation but also for stakeholder advocacy.

STATISTICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE OF THE REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

The article discusses the main approaches to the definition of a relatively new term for economic science - economic resilience of territories. The author made an attempt to assess the level of economic resilience of the regions of Belarus on the basis of the 2015-2016 recession resistance index. and the index of recovery of economic dynamics in the post-recession period (2017-2019). This is the first time an analytical work of this level has been carried out in Belarus. It has been established that the central regions of the country - Minsk and the Minsk region - have high economic resilience. The author outlines the prospects for the use and methodological problems of assessing the economic resilience of regions in statistical science.

Current Issues in Conceptualisation, Measurement, and Research of Problematic Use of the Internet

Problematic use of the Internet (PUI) generally refers to use of different types of Internet content which is not under control and leads to difficulties in everyday functioning. It involves generalised PUI but also specific forms such as problematic use of videogames, social media, and pornography. The main aim of this paper is to offer a basic review of current trends in defining, measurement and research of PUI. The review of available papers points at methodological problems related to determining the prevalence of PUI, and insufficient direct investigation of postulates of existing models regarding the onset and maintenance of PUI. Moreover, this paper offers a critical review of existing instruments for measuring PUI and its specific forms, and recommends the most appropriate instruments. A short review of PUI research methodology and important findings is given. Finally, guidelines for future research in this area are provided, which enable us to investigate these phenomena of contemporary society in a comprehensive and sound way.

Lowland amphibians - recalculation of data on effects of diluted thyroxine

Our previous paper described methodological problems and a generally acceptable pooling method for metamorphosis experiments and application of that method to the results of multicentre experiments performed over the course of two decades (1990 - 2010) on highland amphibians (Rana temporaria) treated with a homeopathically prepared high dilution of thyroxine (“30x”). Differences between treatment groups thus calculated were in line with those obtained with other pooling methods: Thyroxine 30x does slow down metamorphosis in highland amphibians. This follow up paper provides a broader background on metamorphosis physiology and describes application of the pooling method to experiments with Rana temporaria from lowland biotopes both with a moderate dilution of thyroxine (“8x”) and with 30x. Analogously prepared water was used for control (water 8x or 30x). Development was, again as above, monitored by documenting the number of animals that had entered the 4-legged stage. Experiments were carried out between 1990 and 2000 by different researchers independently and in blind. As it is well known, metamorphosis can be speeded up by thyroxine 10-8 mol/l; interestingly, thyroxine 8x may produce a reverse, i.e. inhibiting effect (p < 0.01). In contrast to the inhibiting effect of thyroxine 30x on highland larvae (see above), 2-legged lowland larvae did not react to thyroxine 30x (p > 0.05). However, an inhibiting effect on lowland larvae was found when animals were treated from the spawn stage on (p < 0.01).

CONCEPTUAL FUNDAMENTALS OF FORMATION OF THE CONCEPT OF ECONOMIC MAN: EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPMENT

The article considers the evolution of the formation of approaches to defining the essence of man in the economy. The theo­retical foundations of the concept of «economic man» are described and its correspondence to modern processes is shown. The perception of the «economic man» model in economic discourse is analyzed. A comparative analysis of the views of different economic schools on the place and role of man in the economy makes it possible to argue that the analysis of models of economic man has not yet stood out in an independent area of research in world economics. In the framework of rather infrequent attempts in the literature to comprehensively analyze the theoretical and methodological problems associated with the economic person, there is not yet a clear definite definition. Some identify the economic person as «a rational individual who has stable advantages and seeks to maximize their own benefits in terms of complete information, freedom of choice and quality evaluation of alternatives». Others believe that «economic man is a metaphorical or figurative concept that means a prerequisite for a hypothetical­deductive system of economic theory». There is also the opinion that the economic person is characterized by goals based on self­interest and rational choice of means, but the rationality of the economic person does not extend to the choice of goals themselves. It is purely in-strumental in nature and is associated exclusively with the choice of optimal means of self­interest, which is equivalent to maximizing the individual objective function. The models of the economic person formulated above have developed in the course of more than two centuries of evolution of economic science. During this time, some features of the economic man, previously considered basic, have disappeared as optional. These signs include the inevitable selfishness, completeness of information, instant reaction. Entre-preneurial abilities have been added to the main features, where an economic person can work to satisfy his own needs constantly, or become the driving force of this process and then simply control this process, thus satisfying all his needs.Keywords: man, economic man, model of «economic man», sociological man. У статті розглянуто еволюцію формування підходів до визначення сутності людини в економіці. Охарактеризовано теоретичні засади концепції «економічної людини» та показано її відповідність сучасним процесам. Проаналізовано сприйняття моделі «економічної людини» в економічному дискурсі. Порівняльне аналізування поглядів різних економічних шкіл на місце і роль людини в економіці дає можливість стверджувати те, що економічна людина розглядалася не як фактичний суб’єкт, який володіє волею, приймає конкретні господарські рішення, а як пасивний носій тієї чи іншої соціальної ролі. Лише в останні роки з’явилася низка праць економістів, соціологів, філософів, у яких людина економічна розглядається як сукупність економічних потреб, цілей індивіда та розкривається у суперечливій єдності людини, працівника як основ­ного елемента системи продуктивних сил та суб’єкта економічних відносин.Ключові слова: людина, економічна людина, модель «економічної людини», соціологічної людини.

Mastering a second language as a theoretical and linguodidactic problem in the aspect of neuro-linguistics

This article arose from the need to comprehend, firstly, methodological and linguodidactic problems (by linguodidactics we understand the principles of language description for learning purposes) to mastering any non-native language, not only widespread foreign languages, and, secondly, from the need to comprehend not only the teaching of a second foreign language itself but also the content of training professionals of a second foreign language (students of universities and faculties of foreign languages). Theoretical and methodological problems associated with mastering any non-native language are especially acute when we are dealing not with the first, but with the second, third, etc. non-native language. This may be a second foreign language (for example, at school), a second foreign language as the language of a pedagogical specialty (for example, at a pedagogical university), the language of ethnic (self) identification (among members of national diasporas), etc. Therefore, in this paper, along with discussing general issues of mastering a non-native language, we focus on various situations of teaching a language as a second non-native.