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Consumers are known to seek out and display conspicuous goods—items that are exclusive and signal wealth and high social standing. Though many factors can drive such conspicuous consumption, the present work looks at an unexplored element: whether consumers find themselves in a dominance versus prestige-based hierarchy. Dominance-based hierarchies encourage consumers to use threatening, assertive, and manipulative behaviors to navigate the hierarchy. In contrast, prestige-based hierarchies encourage consumers to show their talent, skills, and motivation to operate within the hierarchy. The present research reveals how these two main bases of hierarchy shape consumers' consumption of conspicuous goods. Specifically, dominance, relative to prestige hierarchies, is proposed to foster greater social anxiety, which leads people to seek conspicuous goods as a means of psychological security. Consequently, dominance-based hierarchies are more likely to encourage conspicuous consumption relative to prestige-based hierarchies. Multiple experiments, which utilize real employees' behaviors, experimental manipulations of hierarchy, as well as incentivize-compatible decisions, reveal that dominance-based hierarchies, relative to prestige-based hierarchies, increase consumers' preference for conspicuous goods. Moreover, evidence for a psychological mechanism in the form of social anxiety is demonstrated via both mediation and moderation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do affluent people drive used cars, elite chefs praise basic ingredients, and upper‐middle couples arrange backyard weddings? What makes senior professors feel comfortable dressing down and allows men to bring their kids into the office? This article takes a formal sociological approach to explore the cultural phenomenon of "Status Downplay"—a paradoxical type of status display, where more social status is signaled through a subtraction of status symbols. The trans‐contextual analysis of diverse manifestations of status downplay uncovers the inverted cultural presumptions of "doing" and "being" and the hierarchical classifications underlying such parodical presentation of self. The proposed semiotic model articulates the social privilege of unmarked actors' performative flexibility: the social license of those considered "normals" to deviate from the performative norm. Under this asymmetrical structure, status underdoings are revealed as markers of cultural dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linking of school choice and charter schools to the legacy of Black alternative education and civil rights initiatives is a central discursive galvanizing and organizing tool for charter proponents, as it aims to provide legitimacy to the charter movement, while simultaneously coopting Black critiques of the institution of education to advance neoliberal restructurings of the state. In this paper, I posit there exists a conceptual and political distinction between school choice and efforts of Black educational self-determination, an approach to challenge white dominance and supremacy. The paper engages in a historical analysis exploring the history of school choice and Black educational self-determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's autonomy in decision making has important sexual and reproductive health implications. This study uses a nationwide analysis in Nepal to examine women's autonomy, attitude toward intimate partner violence (IPV) behaviors, and HIV-related knowledge in the execution of HIV protective behaviors such as having one sexual partner or getting an HIV test to prevent HIV transmission. Secondary data analysis was conducted using the nationally represented Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (2016–2021) dataset. The sample included 9,904 women ages 15 to 49 who self-identified as ever married. Factor analysis for women's autonomy, attitude toward IPV behaviors, and HIV-related knowledge were conducted based on social dominance theory. Structural equation modeling was conducted, and the results indicated that higher autonomy decreased the risk of HIV infection through having one sexual partner. Factors related to multiple sex partners included unemployment, religious affiliation, and age. Similarly, higher autonomy, HIV-related knowledge, having a formal job, and urban residence increased women's likelihood of taking an HIV test. Women's higher education, greater wealth, religious affiliation, and youth also correlate with HIV testing. Future HIV prevention interventions should include strategies that support women's social and economic empowerment and enhance women's ability to make informed choices about their health and risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The (Random Intercept) Cross-Lagged Panel Model ((RI-)CLPM) is increasingly used in psychology and related fields to assess the longitudinal relationship of two or more variables on each other. Researchers are interested in the question which of the lagged effects is causally dominant receives considerable attention. However, currently used methods do not allow for the evaluation of causal dominance hypotheses. This paper will show the performance of the Generalized Order-Restricted Information Criterion Approximation (GORICA), an extension of Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), in the context of causal dominance hypotheses using a simulation study. The GORICA proves to be an adequate method to evaluate causal dominance in lagged effects models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated longitudinal relations between siblings' problem and prosocial behavior, measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, among different sibship sizes in the UK's Millennium Cohort Study. We identified 3436 families with two children and 1188 families with three children. All children (cohort members and their older sibling [OS]) had valid data on behavior at two time points (in 2004 and 2006). Using structural equation model, we found that for internalizing and externalizing problems, OSs (MOS1 = 6.3 years, MOS2 = 9.1 years at T1) exerted a dominant effect on younger siblings (Mage = 3.12 years at T1; 49.7% boys) across sibship sizes. For prosocial behavior, there was OS dominance in two‐child families and youngest sibling dominance in three‐child families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth work's informal and youth-centred nature raises challenges for evaluation, challenges that are intensified by the growing dominance of measurement, market values and surveillance in the context of the neoliberal restructuring of youth services. This article builds on Griffiths' (2012, Why Joy in Education Is an Issue for Socially Just Policies. Journal of Education Policy 27 (5): 655–670) philosophical argument for valuing the intrinsic contribution of education, thus conceptualising evaluation as encompassing more than measuring outcomes. It reports the findings of a three-year qualitative study in eight open youth work settings in England that investigated the perspectives of 143 young people, youth workers and policy makers on evaluation in youth work. While young people and youth workers had often participated in evaluations they found meaningful, some approaches to impact measurement were experienced as too formal, intrusive, insensitive and burdensome. The article argues that evaluation and accountability processes must be practice-informed, youth-centred, and anti-oppressive. It recommends the participatory and collaborative development of diverse methods and approaches to evaluation that 'capture the magic' of youth work while enabling further reflection and development of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and draws lessons relevant to a potential future invasion to capture Taiwan. An overview of Operation Iceberg outlines the massive assault by U.S. forces to seize Okinawa from entrenched Japanese defenders over 91 days of combat. Three key lessons emerge: (1) ground forces are paramount, requiring full naval and air support until objectives are secured; (2) airpower dominance decides the offshore battle for surface supremacy; (3) nearby land bases are essential for staging, sustaining, and reinforcing the invasion. While not a replay of past battles, a hypothetical Taiwan campaign would likely feature similar operational challenges as Okinawa involving complex joint operations, need for air supremacy, undersea warfare, and disputes over vital offshore islands and bases. As a seminal Pacific battle, Okinawa's harsh lessons merit thorough analysis by modern planners and strategists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public sector professions are highly gender‐dominant (e.g., police officers, teachers) and determined not only by professionals but also by gender roles. According to the role congruity theory, these social roles result in perceived (in)congruities between the jobholders' gender and gender‐dominant professions. This research investigates this intersection for several professions. Throughout three large‐scale surveys (conducted in Austria), we first document the gender dominance of various public sector professions, and further analyze the effects from (in)congruities in gender‐dominant professions. The findings are two‐fold: First, for police officers, firefighters, politicians, nurses, and teachers, (in)congruities of job‐holder's gender with gender dominance of the profession result in positive (negative) ascriptions of job‐related traits. However, (in)congruity effects are not confirmed for other gender‐dominant professions outside the public sector. Second, no (in)congruity effects are found for perceived professionalism. Findings are important for policy makers, as well as recruiters and employers who aim to reduce gender‐related disadvantages within public sector employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrete choice experiments (DCE) are often used to elicit preferences, for instance, in health preference research. However, DCEs only provide binary responses, whilst real-life choices are made with varying degrees of conviction. We aimed to verify whether eliciting self-reported convictions on a 0–100 scale adds meaningful information to the binary choice. Eighty three respondents stated their preferences for health states using DCE and the time trade-off method (TTO). In TTO, utility ranges were also elicited to account for preference imprecision. We verified the properties of the conviction across three areas: (1) response to various choice task modifications (e.g. dominance, increase in complexity, distance from the status quo) and association with rationality violations (e.g. intransitivity); (2) association with test–retest results; (3) relation to the utility difference and imprecision estimated in TTO. Regarding (1), conviction increased in choice tasks with lower complexity, larger relative attractiveness, and lower distance to the status quo. Regarding (2), choices made with above-median conviction were sustained in 90% of the cases, compared to 68% for below-median conviction. Regarding (3), the conviction increases with utility difference and it decreases with utility imprecision; overconfidence seems to prevail: non-zero conviction is reported even for identical utilities. Self-reported conviction in DCE is associated in an intuitive way with the observed choices. It may, therefore, be useful in explaining or predicting behaviour or bridging the gap between the results of various elicitation tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, diverse actors around the world have protested the growing dominance of standardised testing in education policy and practice, citing racial equity as one reason, among many, to oppose standardised tests. Education activists have also argued, on the other hand, that standardised assessments can be used to bring attention to systemic racial inequities. This study explores these dynamics in a United States context, asking, 'In what ways was race discussed, and not discussed, in conversations among opt-out activists, and what were the potential consequences of such references and omissions?' We focus on a small-group dialogue of White opt-out activists (activists protesting standardised tests) in order to explore how a 'color-evasive' ideology operates through discourse. Findings from this study suggest that there are ways in which the topic of race was elided in the opt-out movement and that elisions, or silences, around race can be contagious in White-majority spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant variation exists in bilinguals' experiences with code-switching, from dense code-switching in multiple interactional contexts to minimal switching. Although recent research has demonstrated that a bilingual's experience with code-switching is a crucial factor for determining both linguistic and cognitive behaviors, there currently is no commonly accepted method of measuring of a bilingual's code-switching practices. Responding to this need, this paper presents a new tool to assess a bilingual's experience and engagement with code-switching – the Bilingual Code-Switching Profile (BCSP) – and assesses its validity and reliability. The BCSP incorporates a multifaceted conceptualization of code-switching experience, drawing on previous research in bilingual proficiency, and addresses a bilingual's code-switching history, use, proficiency, and attitudes. To assess the validity and reliability of the BCSP, Spanish–English bilinguals (N = 454) from a wide range of ages, ethnic backgrounds, national origins, and language dominance profiles completed the questionnaire. Results of an exploratory factor analysis and intraclass correlation on test-retest data (N = 248) demonstrate that the BCSP is a valid and reliable method of assessing a bilingual's code-switching profile. The BCSP can be easily and practically incorporated into future research on bilinguals to provide a systematic measure of an individual's code-switching profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study covered the assessment by the 26 heads and 189 teachers in public elementary schools at Mulanay District II, Quezon Province on the level of the teachers teaching competency in terms of Social Regard for Learning; Learning Environment; Diversity of the Learners; Curriculum; Planning, Assessing, and Reporting; Community Linkages; and Personal Growth and Professional Development. This information was tested for its relationship with the teacher's Individual Performance Commitment Rating (IPCR). Most heads are veterans while teachers are middle aged. In total, there is a female dominance in this study. Majority from both groups of respondents are committed and engaged in marital relationship. Plenty of teacher are in entry level teaching position; while on heads, most participants are teachers who take charge of school in lieu of the principal. Heads and teachers efficiently follow procedures. They are respectful, caring and considerate among colleagues and students. Both groups are extending their efforts to build clean and positive environment in school. Heads and teachers are adept in catering diversity of learners. They are sensitive on their needs and work on approaches tailor-made for them. Heads and teachers work to follow curriculum standards. They use appropriate techniques and strategies to deliver instruction which is anchored on it. Both groups provide proper monitoring of students' performance. They also conduct dialogues to report and address progress of their growth. Both groups aim to strengthen community relationship. They also let children practice concepts and skills learned in school to be applied for the benefit of the community. Both groups uphold high standard of teaching. They aim to continuously improve themselves for the better. There is a significant difference between the assessments of the two groups of respondents. It also suggests that heads and teachers have mutual understanding on the factors affecting one's performance. They both agree that practices should be standardized and develop to uphold high standard of teaching. There is a significant relationship between the assessments on the teacher's teaching level of competency and their IPCR. Since IPCR is a standardized performance-based assessment, it stipulates uniform criteria that heads and teachers must follow. By doing so, they should do their best because whatever they do it will reflect on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As women in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are increasingly placed in supportive and combat roles in active war zones, they routinely encounter and participate in violent acts. This study focusses on the centrality of gendered inequality and oppression as a factor that shapes not only women’s experience in the military but also their responses in cases of excessive violence. The goal of this study was to explore the ways women veterans of combat or combat-support units conceptualize their stance regarding violent acts which they either committed or witnessed in war zones. Using a qualitative approach, we analyzed the retrospective testimonies of 58 Israeli women veterans from the archives of an NGO that documents veteran combatants exposure to excessive violence. Most women explained their violent acts as inherent to the military system and culture, which in our analysis was categorized as examples of either internalized gender oppression or as identification with the aggressor. A smaller number of women described their attempts to protest, as they took a moral stance rooted in a feminine perspective. The three explanations revealed through the analysis of the testimonies reflect the inner tension experienced by many women in the military, as they navigate between two extreme positions, either as victims of male dominance, or as aggressors that are part of a powerful military system. In this study, gendered inequality provides a framework for analyzing the data. Thus, this study contributes to the theoretical knowledge and methodological approaches concerning violent situations in combat areas, focusing on the various ways in which women veterans subjectively and retroactively conceptualize their participation in and responses to violent acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural alignment of animals into social dominance hierarchies produces adaptive, and potentially maladaptive, changes in the brain that influence health and behavior. Aggressive and submissive behaviors assumed by animals through dominance interactions engage stress-dependent neural and hormonal systems that have been shown to correspond with social rank. Here, we examined the association between social dominance hierarchy status established within cages of group-housed mice and the expression of the stress peptide PACAP in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). We also examined the relationship between social dominance rank and blood corticosterone (CORT) levels, body weight, motor coordination (rotorod) and acoustic startle. Male C57BL/6 mice were ranked as either Dominant, Submissive, or Intermediate based on counts of aggressive/submissive encounters assessed at 12 weeks-old following a change in homecage conditions. PACAP expression was significantly higher in the BNST, but not the CeA, of Submissive mice compared to the other groups. CORT levels were lowest in Submissive mice and appeared to reflect a blunted response following events where dominance status is recapitulated. Together, these data reveal changes in specific neural/neuroendocrine systems that are predominant in animals of lowest social dominance rank, and implicate PACAP in brain adaptations that occur through the development of social dominance hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodents establish dominance hierarchy as a social ranking system in which one subject acts as dominant over all the other subordinate individuals. Dominance hierarchy regulates food access and mating opportunities, but little is known about its significance in other social behaviors, for instance during collective navigation for foraging or migration. Here, we implemented a simplified goal-directed spatial task in mice, in which animals navigated individually or collectively with their littermates foraging for food. We compared between conditions and found that the social condition exerts significant influence on individual displacement patterns, even when efficient navigation rules leading to reward had been previously learned. Thus, movement patterns and consequent task performance were strongly dependent on contingent social interactions arising during collective displacement, yet their influence on individual behavior was determined by dominance hierarchy. Dominant animals did not behave as leaders during collective displacement; conversely, they were most sensitive to the social environment adjusting their performance accordingly. Social ranking in turn was associated with specific spontaneous neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, with dominant mice showing higher firing rates, larger ripple oscillations, and stronger neuronal entrainment by ripples than subordinate animals. Moreover, dominant animals selectively increased their cortical spiking activity during collective movement, while subordinate mice did not modify their firing rates, consistent with dominant animals being more sensitive to the social context. These results suggest that dominance hierarchy influences behavioral performance during contingent social interactions, likely supported by the coordinated activity in the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proposes a radical distinction in understanding human aggression and violence. It will seek to comprehend aggression as an inextricable and also valuable part of life. At the same time, it must be shown that human violence has nothing to do with a vital necessity but is a policy based on the assumption and imposition of a hierarchical conception of existence, from which domination and delegitimization relationships are built, devaluing the "subalterns". This perspective will be imposed by force to later be rationalized, normalized, and legitimized to the extent that in many situations violence ceases to be consciously perceived as such. Those who hold power arrogate to themselves the right to define what is to be considered violent and what will not be, imposing on the victims a double submission through the pedagogy of cruelty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has identified the combined effects of Right‐Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) on individuals' militant attitudes. Much of the existing studies have been conducted in the United States and Europe, where political cleavage is drawn between liberalism and conservatism and where RWA and SDO are aligned with conservatism. In this article, we argue that in a different ideological backdrop where RWA and SDO are not bound by conservative ideology, their influence on war support varies. We use the case study of China, in which socialist ideology upholds authoritarianism but opposes social dominance. We hypothesize that in a war in which the state acquiesces, regime loyalists high on RWA and low on SDO tend to back the war, while regime critics low on RWA and high on SDO are less supportive. Using longitudinal data with a nationwide online sample (Time 1: N = 1000, Time 2: N = 500) collected during the war in Ukraine, we confirmed the opposite effects of RWA (measured by the traditionalism subscale) and SDO (measured by the dominance subscale) on war support. The findings extend our understanding of the impacts of authoritarianism and social dominance in a context beyond the United States and Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the seasonal changes in body condition (BC) of animals is important for understanding their reproduction and survival, as well as human–animal interaction. Visual or photographic assessment of BC has, however, been limited to species in open habitats or to specific times and locations. To noninvasively assess the seasonal changes in the entire local population of brown bears (Ursus arctos) inhabiting the forest habitat in eastern Hokkaido, Japan, we evaluated their BC using camera-trapping during 2015–2017. We assigned a 5-point BC score (BCS) for each individual based on the images, and examined seasonal changes in BCS by sex–age classes. Out of the 1,714 events in which brown bears were recorded, sex–age classes including adult males, subadults, females with offspring, and solitary adult females, could be determined in 887 events. Overall, BCS tended to decrease from spring to summer, with the lowest value in July, and tended to increase toward autumn, with the highest value in November. The BCS of adult male bears showed the highest seasonal variation, whereas that of subadults showed the least variation. Adult females, both solitary and those with offspring, showed intermediate seasonal variation in BCS compared with adult males and subadults. These seasonal changes were considered to be a general pattern and point to the amount of accumulated body fat. Adult males have a larger home range and, because of their social dominance, can exploit higher quality resources than can be exploited by other sex–age classes, which results in them being able to accumulate relatively more fat during hyperphagia. Females with offspring tended to have a lesser increase in BCS after August and lower BCS in autumn than did solitary adults. We were able to demonstrate the possibility of evaluating the BC of individuals and their seasonal changes by examining BCS based on the videos taken by camera traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the motivations and barriers behind the decision of economically disadvantaged Moldovans to refrain from migrating for better economic prospects. Drawing on 30 qualitative interviews with voluntary stayers, it uncovers a range of individual‐level characteristics that impede migration aspirations. These findings highlight the heightened sensitivity of lower‐wage stayers to their perceived social status abroad, their limited adaptability to new cultures and environments and their lower willpower to endure the challenges of long‐term gains. Moreover, this paper sheds light on their contentment with modest material gains and their aversion to migration risks. At the structural level, it emphasizes how social inequalities act as barriers for specific social groups, particularly the economically disadvantaged. These empirical insights challenge prevailing assumptions about the dominance of economic costs and network abroad in migration decision‐making, offering a fresh perspective on the social factors and costs shaping stayers' choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The century-old debate about the origin and evolution of non-additive effects (dominance and epistasis) and their roles in adaptation and speciation is far from settled. Dominance describes the observed relative difference in fitness or phenotype between heterozygotes and the average of homozygotes at a given polymorphic locus. Emerging empirical evidence supports and illustrates how the observed dominance at a locus can vary as a result of multi-locus interactions. Wade proposed a model that explains variable dominance at a focal locus through the change in the frequency of dominance-modifying alleles at other loci. Fitness landscape models that integrate epistasis and dominance may serve to quantify the consequences of variable dominance for adaptation and speciation. Dominance is usually considered a constant value that describes the relative difference in fitness or phenotype between heterozygotes and the average of homozygotes at a focal polymorphic locus. However, the observed dominance can vary with the genetic background of the focal locus. Here, alleles at other loci modify the observed phenotype through position effects or dominance modifiers that are sometimes associated with pathogen resistance, lineage, sex, or mating type. Theoretical models have illustrated how variable dominance appears in the context of multi-locus interaction (epistasis). Here, we review empirical evidence for variable dominance and how the observed patterns may be captured by proposed epistatic models. We highlight how integrating epistasis and dominance is crucial for comprehensively understanding adaptation and speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the exploration of race, race-thinking, and identity in the global Middle Ages, examining the intersection of these concepts with medieval studies and the challenges faced by scholars, particularly those of marginalized backgrounds. Topics discussed include the historical development of race-thinking discourses, the experiences of scholars of color navigating the field of medieval studies, and critical analyses of racial dynamics within medieval texts and societies.

Recent research has shown that by the age of 4, preschool children tend to associate social power with the male gender. The present study examined this association with a group of children from a Maya community in Guatemala, where gender inequalities are high, and tested the prediction that a strong gender hierarchy reduces girls' perception of themselves as being dominant in dyadic power situations. However, contrary to our predictions, we did not find that children associated power with the male gender. In Experiment 1, we asked 4 to 7 years-old children (N = 70) to identify themselves with a dominant or subordinate character in same-gender and mixed-gender relationships. In contrast, to what was previously observed with French children, the results showed no significant difference between male and female participants, both of whom strongly identified with the dominant character. In Experiment 2, we asked 4 to 6 years-old participants (N = 70) to assign a gender to a dominant and subordinate character and found a strong own-gender effect, with all participants, males and females, assigning their own gender to the powerful character. Again, this contrasts with previous findings indicating that children from France, Norway and Lebanon did consistently associate power with the male gender. The absence of a male-power association in Maya children is discussed in terms of cultural differences regarding exposure to gender stereotypes, power values and representations of female-male comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of crime and disorder is increasingly based not only on criminal law, but also on administrative law. This paper deals with the question of how this double strategy can be understood from the perspective of institutional logics. This analysis is based upon a study in the Netherlands about the use of administrative powers in relation to criminal law. Special attention is paid to the relations between local government and the police. The study concentrates on three different administrative powers: the area ban, the closure of premises, and the power to refuse or revoke subsidies and permits if there is a risk that these may facilitate criminal activities. The study shows that the two logics may conflict, but also that new combinations of logics are created. These may create new tensions that result, in particular, from the dominance of criminal law over the administrative logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social interactions are fundamental properties of gregarious species, helping to establish dominance hierarchies and maintain social bonds within groups. Cattle, Bos taurus , are social ungulates which engage in affiliative and agonistic relationships with other individuals. Although there are approximately 1.5 billion cattle on the planet, the opportunity to research cattle behaviour in free-ranging groups is rare, as there are few feral populations worldwide. Cattle engage in positive social behaviours such as allogrooming, where one individual licks the body of another. The relationship between affiliative behaviours and other individual characteristics (such as sex and dominance status) are frequently studied in other gregarious species, but are largely undetermined in cattle. To investigate the relationships between sex, dominance status and allogrooming, we observed a mixed-sex feral cattle herd in Hong Kong, recording dominance interactions and allogrooming events. The hierarchy was linear and stable, consisting of 22 adult males and 33 adult females. We found that dominant females received more allogrooming than subordinate females, but subordinate females did not perform it more. Males performed allogrooming more towards females than other males, but females groomed both sexes equally. Sex affected dominance position, with males obtaining higher status than females, but not all females were subordinate to males. These preferential allogrooming patterns improve our knowledge of sex-specific interactions and help us to understand the dynamics of agonistic and affiliative behaviours in multimale, multifemale ungulate groups. Studying a free-ranging feral population provides us with a unique insight into ungulate behavioural patterns and the evolution of cattle social behaviours. • Cattle are social ungulates that engage in affiliative and agonistic behaviours. • Feral cattle present a novel opportunity to study free-ranging cattle behaviour. • Sex affected dominance status, and both affected allogrooming performance. • High-ranking animals received more allogrooming and exchanged preferential grooming. • Results aid our understanding of cattle sociality, dominance and positive welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After six years, this will be my tenth survey review here – and last. Since these reviews are intended to enable some sense of the state of the evolving field, I thought I might in this swansong try to offer not just the usual smorgasbord of Roman entertainment but an attempt at a synthesis of five key directions in research. A whole host of qualifications immediately raise their heads, of course – anglophone dominance, incomplete representation of presses, and my own not inconsiderable limitations of time, ability, and interest. Still, since opportunities for such overviews over time are sparse, the exercise will hopefully be instructive even so hamstrung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the actor–partner effects of attitudes toward group‐based inequality as measured by social dominance orientation (SDO) and marital quality, and the indirect actor–partner effects of SDO on marital quality via ambivalent sexism and partners' perceptions of their own relationship power toward their partner. Background: Previous research suggests that certain social attitudes play a role in relationship processes. However, it is unclear whether broader views on social inequality could have an effect on partners' marital quality. Method: Ninety heterosexual married couples in Turkey (N = 180) responded via an online survey on SDO, marital quality, relationship power, and ambivalent sexism. Actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) and actor–partner interdependence model of mediation (APIMeM) were conducted to examine the direct and indirect actor–partner effects. Results: For indirect effects, men's SDO was negatively associated with their marital quality through their relationship power and hostile sexism. No significant indirect effects were found for women. However, women's relationship power was positively and their benevolent sexism was negatively associated with their own and their partners' marital quality. Conclusion: Our findings help develop a more comprehensive understanding of how the political, social, and personal aspects of our lives are connected with one another. Implications: Our study points to the importance of exploring the topic of men's and women's views toward social inequality and its effects on their close relationships in clinical practice and relational education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares different methods for quantifying the relationship between feedback loops and behavior in system dynamics models. The methods are divided into two categories: pathway methods and eigenvalue elasticity analysis. The article focuses on the Workforce-Inventory model as a case study and examines the interpretations provided by each method. The scope of the article is limited to the meaning and quantification of the measures used in each method, and it aims to make dominance methods more accessible to a wider audience. The article includes graphs and explanations of the different methods used. [Extracted from the article]

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the landscapes and land cover in the villages of the Ziz Valley from 1965 to 2023. Equally, we evaluated the potential of sustainable tourism in these rural regions with a SWOT analysis. The obtained results showed that the landscapes were deeply changed, with a dominance of farmlands and the appearance of the Ziz reservoir. Rural villages near Errachidia were replaced after the flood of 1965. Errachidia's urbanization increased by 400% and overflowed into certain villages, while the availability of water encouraged the rise of farms. The villages near the city became urbanized, resulting in the development of business zones and tourism destinations that offered the locals bright futures. In contrast to cluster A, the SWOT analysis reveals that strengths exceed vulnerabilities in cluster B and C villages. Despite the alteration of ancient and natural landscapes, the potential for rural tourism appears to be stronger in the villages included in clusters B and C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Global climate change is expected to significantly alter growing conditions along mountain gradients. Landscape ecological patterns are likely to shift significantly as species attempt to adapt to these changes. We evaluated the extent to which spatial (elevation and canopy cover) and temporal (decadal trend and El Niño–Southern Oscillation/Pacific Decadal Oscillation) factors impact seasonal snowmelt and forest community dynamics in the Western Hemlock–True Fir ecotone region of the Oregon Western Cascades, USA. (2) Methods: Tsuga heterophylla and Abies amabilis seedling locations were mapped three times over 20 years (2002–2022) on five sample transects strategically placed to cross the ecotone. Additionally, daily ground temperature readings were collected over 10 years for the five transects using 123 data loggers to estimate below-canopy snow metrics. (3) Results: Based on validation using time-lapse cameras, the data loggers proved highly reliable for estimating snow cover. The method reported fewer days of snow cover as compared to meteorological station-based snow products for the region, emphasizing the importance of direct under-canopy field observations of snow. Snow season variability was most significantly impacted temporally by cyclical ENSO/PDO climate patterns and spatially by differences in canopy cover within the ecotone. The associated seedling analysis identified clear sorting of species by elevation within the ecotone but reflected a lack of a long-term trend, as species dominance in the seedling strata did not significantly shift along the elevation gradient over the 20-year study. (4) Conclusions: The data logger-based approach provided estimates of snow cover at ecologically significant locations and fine enough spatial resolutions to allow for the study of forest regeneration dynamics. The results highlight the importance of long-term, understory snow measurements and the influence of climatic oscillations in understanding the vulnerability of mountain areas to the changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effects of peer interactions on kindergarten children's construction of conservation and conflict resolution knowledge during storybook reading. Previous studies have identified that peer interactions can support the meaning-making processes of children in social relationships and problem-solving, but little is known about whether the interaction with mixedage or more competent peers is more important in supporting knowledge construction. Sixty-four younger children in K2 and older children in K3 with similar socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited from a Montessori kindergarten in Kunming, China. An experimental design was applied to explore age group and conserver dominance effects on conservation and conflict resolution. Children were assigned randomly to eight groups in three 30-to-40-min intervention sessions. Each session had a different theme for the children to learn about conservation and conflict resolution concepts and a handson activity to practice and discuss. ANOVAs were performed to test group effects, while multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore individual variations in age and pre-test scores in predicting post-test scores. Conservation knowledge was significantly better among children who differed in age groups in the post-test, but differences were not found in conflict resolution knowledge. Groups balanced with equal conservers and non-conservers improved the best, suggesting that peer social interactions can facilitate conservation and conflict resolution construction. These results provide new insights for early childhood educators to support peer interactions and children's development. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of self-states is a recurring theme in various psychotherapeutic and counseling methodologies. However, the predominantly unconscious nature of these self-states presents two challenges. Firstly, it renders the process of working with them susceptible to biases and therapeutic suggestions. Secondly, there is skepticism regarding the observability and differentiation of self-states beyond subjective experiences. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of eliciting self-states from clients and objectively distinguishing these evoked self-states through the lens of neutral observers. The self-state constellation method, utilized as an embodied approach, facilitated the activation of diverse self-states. External observers then assessed the nonverbal manifestations of affect along three primary dimensions: emotional valence, arousal, and dominance. Our findings indicate that external observers could reliably discern and differentiate individual self-states based on the bodily displayed valence and dominance. However, the ability to distinguish states based on displayed arousal was not evident. Importantly, this distinctiveness of various self-states was not limited to specific individuals but extended across the entire recording sample. Therefore, within the framework of the self-state constellation method, it is evident that individual self-states can be intentionally evoked, and these states can be objectively differentiated beyond the subjective experiences of the client. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big digital companies have become key elements in economy, communication, education, and politics in 21st century societies. The neutral ideology in their digital platforms, applications, and services, as well as the exponential growth in their activities can be used by world superpowers —especially the United States and China— to implement geostrategical operations, massive social manipulation or influence democratic processes with the objective of increasing their power and dominance over other nations. The aim of this paper is to state the different strategies of digital expansionism performed by the United States and China, and, additionally, to showcase the negative consequences of these strategies on the population and democracies of the European Union. The first section of this paper will define the concepts of digital sovereignty and digital expansionism as well as their importance in 21st century geopolitics. Next, the important role that big digital companies have on digital expansionism will be analysed, and the usage of digital authoritarianism and digital instrumentarianism performed by the United States and China will be further examined. Finally, the negative consequences of the implementation of these methods in the democratic systems of the European Union will be analysed, as well as what possible solutions there might be for said consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumors represent ecosystems where subclones compete during tumor growth. While extensively investigated, a comprehensive picture of the interplay of clonal lineages during dissemination is still lacking. Using patientderived pancreatic cancer cells, we created orthotopically implanted clonal replica tumors to trace clonal dynamics of unperturbed tumor expansion and dissemination. This model revealed the multifaceted nature of tumor growth, with rapid changes in clonal fitness leading to continuous reshuffling of tumor architecture and alternating clonal dominance as a distinct feature of cancer growth. Regarding dissemination, a large fraction of tumor lineages could be found at secondary sites each having distinctive organ growth patterns as well as numerous undescribed behaviors such as abortive colonization. Paired analysis of primary and secondary sites revealed fitness as major contributor to dissemination. From the analysis of pro- and nonmetastatic isogenic subclones, we identified a transcriptomic signature able to identify metastatic cells in human tumors and predict patients' survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial reversals of dominance reduce the costs of genetic trade-offs and can enable selection to maintain genetic variation for fitness. Beneficial dominance reversals are characterized by the beneficial allele for a given context (e.g. habitat, developmental stage, trait or sex) being dominant in that context but recessive where deleterious. This context dependence at least partially mitigates the fitness consequence of heterozygotes carrying one non-beneficial allele for their context and can result in balancing selection that maintains alternative alleles. Dominance reversals are theoretically plausible and are supported by mounting empirical evidence. Here, we highlight the importance of beneficial dominance reversals as a mechanism for the mitigation of genetic conflict and review the theory and empirical evidence for them. We identify some areas in need of further research and development and outline three methods that could facilitate the identification of antagonistic genetic variation (dominance ordination, allele-specific expression and allele-specific ATAC-Seq (assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing)). There is ample scope for the development of new empirical methods as well as reanalysis of existing data through the lens of dominance reversals. A greater focus on this topic will expand our understanding of the mechanisms that resolve genetic conflict and whether they maintain genetic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative real-time PCR of phylogenetic and functional marker genes is among the most commonly used techniques to quantify the abundance of microbial taxa in environmental samples. However, in most environmental applications, the approach is a rough assessment of population abundance rather than an exact absolute quantification method because of PCR-based estimation biases caused by multiple factors. Previous studies on these technical issues have focused on primer or template sequence features or PCR reaction conditions. However, how target gene sequence characteristics (e.g., evenness and dominance) in environmental samples affect qPCR quantifications has not been well studied. Here, we compared three primer sets targeting the beta subunit of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrB) to investigate qPCR quantification performance under different target gene sequence evenness and dominance conditions using artificial gBlock template mixtures designed accordingly. Our results suggested that the qPCR quantification performance of all tested primer sets was determined by the comprehensive effect of the target gene sequence evenness and dominance in environmental samples. Generally, highly degenerate primer sets have equivalent or better qPCR quantification results than a more target-specific primer set. Low template concentration in this study (~105 copies/L) will exaggerate the qPCR quantification results difference among tested primer sets. Improvements to the accuracy and reproducibility of qPCR assays for gene copy number quantification in environmental microbiology and microbial ecology studies should be based on prior knowledge of target gene sequence information acquired by metagenomic analysis or other approaches, careful selection of primer sets, and proper reaction conditions optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In animals, the access to vital resources often relies on individuals' behavioural personality, strength, motivation, past experiences and dominance status. Dominant individuals would be more territorial, providing them with a better access to food resources and mate. The so-called winner and loser effects induce individuals' behavioural changes after experiencing a victory or a defeat, and lead to an individual persistent state influencing the outcome of subsequent fights. However, whether and how development of winner and loser effects affect individuals' fitness is controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate how individuals' fitness can be influenced by previous fighting experience in Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, we assess various behavioural performances as indicators for dominant and subordinate fitness. Our results show that subordinates are less territorial than dominants although their locomotor abilities are not affected. We also demonstrate that in a non-competitive context, experiencing a defeat reduces males' motivation to court females but not the reproductive success while in a competitive context, it negatively affects males' reproductive success. However, we found no impact upon either males' ability to distinguish potential mates nor on females' choice of a specific mating partner. Overall, these results indicate that previous defeats reduce reproductive success, a commonly used estimate of individual fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetive and Provocation: work in finance has historically had a great affinity with positivist and functionalist approaches, as well as alignment with utilitarian and neoliberal ideologies. The objective of this provocation is to reflect on the predominant epistemes in the field of finance, as well as the limitations of such approaches for the development of studies in the area, provoking about the emergence of a movement that has been establishing resistance strategies that can change the status quo of the finance field. Conclusion: bringing new epistemological and methodological approaches, in addition to pointing out more critical approaches and supportive, sustainable and cooperative alternatives to financial and economic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review critically assesses Niko Kolodny's theory of social hierarchy and its importance as articulated in The Pecking Order (2023). After summarizing Kolodny's argument, I raise two critical challenges. First, I ask whether Kolodny leaves us without adequate account of why social hierarchies are, in themselves, objectionable. Second, I query whether Kolodny's defense of representative democracy is decisive, and suggest that egalitarians should be open to alternative ways of mitigating the threat of hierarchy posed by political rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic interactions pose central issues that are not adequately explained by the traditional concepts of dominant strategy equilibrium (DSE), Nash equilibrium (NE), and their refinements. A comprehensive analysis of equilibrium concepts within the von Neumann-Nash framework of n -person optimization reveals a decreasing hierarchy of n nested concepts ranging from DSE to NE. These concepts are defined by the "critical mass," the number of players needed to adopt and sustain the play of a strategy profile as an equilibrium. In games with n > 2 players, the n − 2 intermediate concepts explain strategic issues in large social systems, implementation, decentralization, as well as replication studied in economics, operations management, and political games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this article is to write an original analysis of the work of Annie Ernaux (1940, Lillebonne). The author's production, which is being trans - lated to Spanish and is enjoying popularity in Spain, is inscribed at the intersection between sociology, literature, and history. Methodology. The framework from which we approach this study is the interrelation between critical sociology and feminist theory, taking the concepts that structure the thinking of its two referents: Pierre Bourdieu and Simone de Beauvoir. From the deductive method, we delve into her condition as a "declassed" and female socialization, which commits her to tell, from her experience, the truth of the dominated. Conclusions/discussion. In the conclusions, we highlight the articulation of her subjectivity in a constant conflict between the assimilation of gender roles and her political project: writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we show that the village social structure shapes the learning outcome of marginalised children in rural India. Exploiting the variation in the dominant social group in the village, we find a significant impact of village dominance. The reading and arithmetic skills of Scheduled Castes are better in their own castes-dominated villages compared to higher castes-dominated villages. Our findings show that village dominance affects learning outcomes primarily through differential teachers' behaviour. Children from marginalised castes are more likely to be scolded, beaten up, and treated unfairly by teachers in villages dominated by higher castes compared to their own castes. We do not find evidence of other mechanisms like the difference in parent and children's aspirations, caste diversity, discrimination in the village, or positive group externalities, which could explain why children from Scheduled Castes fare better in their own castes-dominated villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal functioning involves an interplay of subjective perceptions and overt behavior. This study examines alignment between self and informant perceptions of momentary behavior to enrich the nomological networks for the domains of dominance and affiliation. We studied a sample of romantic couples (N = 210 individuals) who rated their own and their partner's interpersonal behavior during a 21-day ambulatory assessment (AA) protocol. We used multi-level structural equation modeling to estimate self-informant agreement on averages and variability of dominance and affiliation (between-person level) and on situational shifts in behavior (within-person level). We also examined convergence between self- and informant reported behavior measured by AA with cross-sectional self-report trait dominance, affiliation, and interpersonal problems. Results showed no self-informant agreement on dominance measured by AA, but moderate to strong agreement on affiliation at the between- and within-person levels. Self- and informant reported average affiliation measured by AA correlated with self-reports of trait affiliation, but only AA self-reports correlated with affiliation problems. Both self- and informant report dominance variability, and informant report affiliation variability, correlated with self-report interpersonal distress. Evidence for (mis)alignment in how dominance and affiliation are perceived by self and others have important implications for the role of these behaviors in everyday interpersonal functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by emerging research that connects officer psychological orientations to policing outcomes, we examine how Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), i.e. preference for group-based social hierarchy, is related to officer attitudes toward democratic policing practices. Analysing survey data collected from officers in a state-level police organization in the United States, we find that high SDO officers are more willing to use force and less willing to report peer misconduct than low SDO officers. High SDO officers are also less supportive of procedurally fair policing practices. These findings contribute to research on factors that may inhibit officer support for democratic policing. We discuss the implications of these results for organizational efforts to inculcate democratic values among frontline officers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of adolescent development, the language, theoretical frameworks, methods for collecting and analyzing data, and ways of interpretation that researchers use may advance notions of white supremacy and perpetuate racist ideas. Understanding how researchers study Black girls and women, in particular, is a critical step in working toward the production of science and knowledge that promotes an anti-racist and anti-sexist agenda and centers the voices of historically marginalized adolescents. Accordingly, we engaged in a systematic review (k = 48) with the goal of taking a critical look at how researchers study Black girls and women. Our synthesis of empirical articles from four prominent adolescent research journals published between 2010 and 2020 revealed themes related to (a) a dearth of critical theoretical frameworks, (b) a lack of acknowledgment of the intersectional experiences of Black girls and women, (c) differences in how researchers incorporate ethnic/racial information, (d) the use of a deficit perspective, and (e) the dominance of quantitative designs. We discuss these themes and conclude with recommendations for incorporating critical frameworks and more varied methodologies, issuing a call for adolescent development scholars to take a deeper, asset-based, and more critical approach to studying Black girls and their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body composition traits are complex traits controlled by minor genes and, in hybrid populations, are impacted by additive and nonadditive effects. We aimed to identify candidate genes and increase the accuracy of genomic prediction of body composition traits in crossbred pigs by including dominance genetic effects. Genomic selection (GS) and genome‐wide association studies were performed on seven body composition traits in 807 Yunong‐black pigs using additive genomic models (AM) and additive‐dominance genomic models (ADM) with an imputed high‐density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and the Illumina Porcine SNP50 BeadChip. The results revealed that the additive heritabilities estimated for AM and ADM using the 50 K SNP data ranged from 0.20 to 0.34 and 0.11 to 0.30, respectively. However, the ranges of additive heritability for AM and ADM in the imputed data ranged from 0.20 to 0.36 and 0.12 to 0.30, respectively. The dominance variance accounted for 23% and 27% of the total variance for the 50 K and imputed data, respectively. The accuracy of genomic prediction improved by 5% on average for 50 K and imputed data when dominance effect were considered. Without the dominance effect, the accuracies for 50 K and imputed data were 0.35 and 0.38, respectively, and 0.41 and 0.43, respectively, upon considering it. A total of 12 significant SNP and 16 genomic regions were identified in the AM, and 14 significant SNP and 21 genomic regions were identified in the ADM for both the 50 K and imputed data. There were five overlapping SNP in the 50 K and imputed data. In the AM, a significant SNP (CNC10041568) was found in both body length and backfat thickness traits, which was in the PLAG1 gene strongly and significantly associated with body length and backfat thickness in pigs. Moreover, a significant SNP (CNC10031356) with a heterozygous dominant genotype was present in the ADM. Furthermore, several functionally related genes were associated with body composition traits, including MOS, RPS20, LYN, TGS1, TMEM68, XKR4, SEMA4D and ARNT2. These findings provide insights into molecular markers and GS breeding for the Yunong‐black pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interview study examines the school choices of white middle class parents who live in a large Northeastern city. Interviewees identify as progressive urbanites and express an appreciation for racial diversity. Simultaneously, interviewees draw on anti-Black stereotypes when evaluating school options and avoiding majority Black schools. While previous studies suggest that diversity-seeking whites are well intentioned and inadvertently reproduce racism through school choice, my analysis allows for greater consideration of white parents' investment in the reproduction of white racial dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that whereas occupying high peer status promotes adolescents' well-being, feeling dominated by friends confers psychological costs. However, little is known about day-to-day power dynamics of adolescents' friendships or their acute affective consequences. This 14-day intensive longitudinal study introduced novel daily assessments of friend dominance and friendship clout, examined their associations with mood, and tested anxiety as a moderator. Participants were 195 11th-graders (Mage = 16.48, SDage = 0.35; 66% female). Multilevel models revealed that adolescents experienced worse mood on days they felt dominated by friends and better mood on days they felt powerful and influential among friends. Associations with negative mood were strongest for adolescents higher in anxiety. The findings underscore the dynamic nature of power in adolescents' friendships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rough set theory is a mathematical tool widely employed in various fields to handle uncertainty. Feature selection, as an essential and independent research area within rough set theory, aims to identify a small subset of important features by eliminating irrelevant, redundant, or noisy ones. In human life, data characteristics constantly change over time and other factors, resulting in ordered datasets with varying features. However, existing feature extraction methods are not suitable for handling such datasets since they do not consider previous reduction results when features change and need to be recomputed, leading to significant time consumption. To address this issue, the incremental attribute reduction algorithm utilizes prior reduction results effectively reducing computation time. Motivated by this approach, this paper investigates incremental feature selection algorithms for ordered datasets with changing features. Firstly, we discuss the dominant matrix and the dominance conditional entropy while introducing update principles for the new dominant matrix and dominance diagonal matrix when features change. Subsequently, we propose two incremental feature selection algorithms for adding (IFS-A) or deleting (IFS-D) features in ordered data set. Additionally, nine UCI datasets are utilized to evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithm. The experimental results validate that the average classification accuracy of IFS-A and IFS-D under four classifiers on twelve datasets is 82.05% and 80.75%, which increases by 5.48% and 3.68% respectively compared with the original data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that interacting with women may encourage civic and prosocial attitudes, yet findings to date have been limited to democracies notable for their egalitarian norms. Using simulated contact experiments under controlled conditions, this article tests hypotheses for the first time in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, arguably "hard cases" given persistent norms of patriarchy and gender segregation. Yet, despite stronger contexts for male dominance, results suggest that interacting with women may indeed steer Saudi and Kuwaiti men toward more civic and other-regarding orientations, including aspects of tolerance, egalitarianism, openness, and community rule-following. These findings add much-needed comparative perspective to experimental research on mixed-gender dynamics and align with broader work highlighting the benefits of diverse interactions for groups and nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]