An event-coding account of attitudes

Attitudes (or opinions, preferences, biases, stereotypes) can be considered bindings of the perceptual features of the attitudes’ object to affective codes with positive or negative connotations, which effectively renders them “event files” in terms of the Theory of Event Coding. We tested a particularly interesting implication of this theoretical account: that affective codes might “migrate” from one event file to another (i.e., effectively function as a component of one while actually being part of another), if the two files overlap in terms of other features. We tested this feature-migration hypothesis by having participants categorize pictures of fictitious outer space characters as members of two fictitious races by pressing a left or right key, and to categorize positive and negative pictures of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) as positive and negative by using the same two keys. When the outer space characters were later rated for likability, members of the race that was categorized by means of the same key as positive IAPS pictures were liked significantly more than members of the race that was categorized with the same key as negative IAPS pictures – suggesting that affective feature codes from the event files for the IAPS pictures effectively acted as an ingredient of event files for the outer space characters that shared the same key. These findings were fully replicated in a second experiment in which the two races were replaced by two unfamiliar fonts. These outcomes are consistent with the claim that attitudes, opinions, and preferences are represented in terms of event files and created by feature binding.

Generic Overlap Between Publication Genres: The Case of Biology Research Articles’ and Research Letters’ Introductions in the Journal Nature

The present paper explores aspects of similarity and difference between the generic structure of research letters’ abstracts (henceforth RLsA) and research articles’ abstracts (henceforth RAsA). It aims at investigating and documenting the different rhetorical patterns of 19 RLsA and 19 RAsA in order to identify if there is any unique shared way to write them, determine the most publishable way of writing this genre, and detect any possibility of generic overlap between the two genres. Melliti (2016, 2017) CARL model has been adopted to identify the kind, frequency, and overlap of moves in RLsA and RAsA of the Journal Nature. The results indicate that although the RAs are longer than the RLs, the number of sentences in the RLsA is more than the RAsA. Results show also that there are fundamental as well as expendable sets of keys in both genres. The study succeeded also in identifying the number of sentences required to write a publishable research letter abstract and research article abstract in the field of biology. These findings have interesting implication on teaching academic writing and teaching English for publication purposes.

Trust in the sharing economy: the AirBnB case

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine sharing economy online marketplaces with the aim of understanding how trust perceptions form and get communicated through sharing economy platforms. Design/methodology/approach The authors build on online user comments and reviews as aggregated by independent third-party websites, and apply a qualitative analysis. Findings The findings show that the quantity of information and communication are important drivers towards building trust perceptions, while an overall lack of interaction between users and the marketplace provider intensifies perceived risks. Originality/value The authors validated the importance of trust and the authors have illustrated that the critical conditions that hinder trust formation are information asymmetry as well as the lack of interaction. What is also an interesting implication is that the impact of both of these can be exacerbated when there is a perceived lack of support among users and between them and the marketplace operator.

Monitoring CEOs: can insider-dominated boards do a good job?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the monitoring effectiveness of insider-dominated boards and outsider-dominated boards on different types of CEOs. Design/methodology/approach – To test whether boards monitor inside CEOs and outside CEOs differently and to compare the sizes of the effects across board types, the paper relates CEO resignations to performance measure. The paper tests the hypotheses using logit models to estimate the probability of a CEO change. Findings – It is widely believed that only an outsider-dominated board can provide effective management oversight. The paper finds evidence supporting this view after categorized CEOs based on their affiliation with their firms upon hire. However, the paper also documents that after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), an insider-dominated board is just as effective as an outsider board in monitoring if the CEO was initially hired from outside of the firm. This suggests that there is no difference between insider and outsider board monitoring of outside CEOs. Therefore, after SOX, as far as board monitoring is concerned, what matters is the independence between the CEO and the firm rather than the board structure itself. Research limitations/implications – If effective board monitoring is the reason of the revised listing standards approved by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2003 to require companies listed on NYSE or Nasdaq to have a board that is composed of a majority of independent (or outsider) directors, the paper has provided more flexibility and choices to the listed firms. For example, firms that will be better off with insider boards can choose to hire outside CEOs because monitoring effects on outside CEOs are the same regardless of board types after SOX. Originality/value – The results of this paper have interesting implication. First, the paper has shown that an outsider-dominated board is still a better monitor even after categorized CEOs based on their affiliation with their firms upon hire. Second, if effective board monitoring is the reason of the revised listing standards approved by SEC in 2003 to require companies listed on NYSE or Nasdaq to have a board that is composed of a majority of independent (or outsider) directors, the paper has provided more flexibility and choices to the listed firms. For example, firms that will be better off with insider boards can choose to hire outside CEOs because monitoring effects on outside CEOs are the same regardless of board types after SOX.

Odds Theorem with Multiple Selection Chances

We study the multi-selection version of the so-called odds theorem by Bruss (2000). We observe a finite number of independent 0/1 (failure/success) random variables sequentially and want to select the last success. We derive the optimal selection rule when m (≥ 1) selection chances are given and find that the optimal rule has the form of a combination of multiple odds-sums. We provide a formula for computing the maximum probability of selecting the last success when we have m selection chances and also provide closed-form formulae for m = 2 and 3. For m = 2, we further give the bounds for the maximum probability of selecting the last success and derive its limit as the number of observations goes to ∞. An interesting implication of our result is that the limit of the maximum probability of selecting the last success for m = 2 is consistent with the corresponding limit for the classical secretary problem with two selection chances.

Odds Theorem with Multiple Selection Chances

We study the multi-selection version of the so-called odds theorem by Bruss (2000). We observe a finite number of independent 0/1 (failure/success) random variables sequentially and want to select the last success. We derive the optimal selection rule when m (≥ 1) selection chances are given and find that the optimal rule has the form of a combination of multiple odds-sums. We provide a formula for computing the maximum probability of selecting the last success when we have m selection chances and also provide closed-form formulae for m = 2 and 3. For m = 2, we further give the bounds for the maximum probability of selecting the last success and derive its limit as the number of observations goes to ∞. An interesting implication of our result is that the limit of the maximum probability of selecting the last success for m = 2 is consistent with the corresponding limit for the classical secretary problem with two selection chances.

Implied Volatility Asymmetries in Kospi 200 Option Markets

This paper examines implied volatility asymmetries in KOSPI200 option markets. The empirical results show that the unexpected negative return has a more remarkable effect on implied volatility than the unexpected positive one in the early stages of markets. In the recent stages, markets do not show implied volatility asymmetries. These results give and interesting implication to option market participants. In addition, this paper examines whether trading activity in option markets has an effect on implied volatility. The paper finds that in the second stages of markets trading activity has a negative effect on implied volatility while trading activity do not have effect on implied volatility in the early stages of markets. When trading activity is partitioned into expected and unexpected components, the empirical result shows that all trading activities have a significant negative effect on the implied volatility of option markets.

SEX-LINKED GENES AND SPECIES DIFFERENCES IN LEPIDOPTERA

I review reports on the genetic basis for species differences in the Lepidoptera. In the six best-studied species complexes, more than half of all ecological, behavioral, or physiological differences among species are controlled by X-linked genes. Because Lepidoptera have about 30 pairs of chromosomes, this finding clearly indicates strong bias toward X-linkage of genes for species differences. The proportion of X-linked species differences ranges from complete X-linkage in Colias butterflies, to almost none in Yponomeuta moths. Four other complexes all have at least one X-linked gene that is crucial to species differences, including the Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens, Papilio glaucus L., and Papilio machaon L. species groups, and Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner pheromone strains. The mechanisms that account for this phenomenon are open to speculation. Nonetheless, an interesting implication of disproportionate X-linkage is that reproductive isolation may frequently arise by selection on linkage complexes, rather than as a random byproduct of evolution in geographically isolated populations. If confirmed, the bias toward X-linked species differences may also help efforts to find characters that distinguish host races and sibling species, as well as provide an avenue by which genes crucial to speciation can be more easily mapped and characterized at the molecular level.

Pulmonary gas exchange during altered density gas breathing

The alveolar-arterial O2 partial pressure difference (PAO2 - PaO2) has been shown to decrease as carrier-gas density increases. This study was designed to confirm or deny the hypothesis that the improvement in O2 exchange is a result of density-dependent changes in the alveolar ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) distribution. On changing from heliox breathing to air breathing, there was an improvement in oxygen exchange along with a slight worsening of VA/Q distribution. The conclusion is reached that changes in VA/Q distribution due to altered carrier-gas density are not responsible for changes in O2 exchange. A possible explanation is related to the interaction of diffusion and convection on inspiration, which may cause inspired gas distribution to be different from overall ventilation distribution. The interesting implication is that gas exchange properties of gases eliminated from the blood and exhaled are not necessarily symmetrical to the properties of gases inhaled and taken up by the blood.