Personality and product use.

The answers to the Gordon Personal Profile and a disguised product use questinnaire by 101 college of business students demonstrate that personality traits are often related to product use. Thirteen of a possible 36 such relations were significant at the .05 level or above. A corollary conclusion is that the Gordon Personal Profile distinguishes personality traits related to behavioral differences, although the four traits are not "independent." From Psyc Abstracts 36:05:5LO25T. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Judgment of time and aspects of personality.

The relationship between personality traits and time judgment by 2 methods of reproduction (linear arm movement, key pressing) and by verbal estimation was investigated. None of the measures of personality correlated significantly with verbal estimates. Only Extraversion correlated significantly and positively with time reproduced by linear movement (contrary to Eysenck's prediction), but several correlations between reproduced time and measures of personality approached significance. Speed of movement was positively associated with swift Metaphor Preference and n Ach. Variability in speed of movement was positively and significantly associated with Manifest Anxiety and n Ach, and significantly and negatively associated with Extraversion, which is also contrary to Eysenck's hypothesis. It was concluded that our results contradict Eysenck's hypotheses, and that personality traits and reproduced time may reveal more relationships than personality and verbally estimated time. (29 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chromatin Profiling Techniques: Exploring the Chromatin Environment and Its Contributions to Complex Traits

The genetic architecture of complex traits is multifactorial. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified risk loci for complex traits and diseases that are disproportionately located at the non-coding regions of the genome. On the other hand, we have just begun to understand the regulatory roles of the non-coding genome, making it challenging to precisely interpret the functions of non-coding variants associated with complex diseases. Additionally, the epigenome plays an active role in mediating cellular responses to fluctuations of sensory or environmental stimuli. However, it remains unclear how exactly non-coding elements associate with epigenetic modifications to regulate gene expression changes and mediate phenotypic outcomes. Therefore, finer interrogations of the human epigenomic landscape in associating with non-coding variants are warranted. Recently, chromatin-profiling techniques have vastly improved our understanding of the numerous functions mediated by the epigenome and DNA structure. Here, we review various chromatin-profiling techniques, such as assays of chromatin accessibility, nucleosome distribution, histone modifications, and chromatin topology, and discuss their applications in unraveling the brain epigenome and etiology of complex traits at tissue homogenate and single-cell resolution. These techniques have elucidated compositional and structural organizing principles of the chromatin environment. Taken together, we believe that high-resolution epigenomic and DNA structure profiling will be one of the best ways to elucidate how non-coding genetic variations impact complex diseases, ultimately allowing us to pinpoint cell-type targets with therapeutic potential.     

Longitudinal changes in macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Meuse River: anthropogenic effects versus natural change

A collaborative study among three nations (France, Belgium, Netherlands) along the Meuse River developed a consistent approach for collecting and interpreting macroinvertebrate data. Specific mesohabitats were sampled in 16 locations along an 800‐km stretch of this lowland regulated river. The objective was to assess the ‘river health’ using macroinvertebrate communities as indicators of biological and ecological variation in space. The main changes in assemblages were investigated using multimetric and multivariate approaches. The authors examined relationships between faunal variations and both physico‐chemical gradients and man‐made disturbances. We related species traits to faunal changes and habitat characteristics. Both a gradual shift from a macroinvertebrate assemblage dominated by insects to a community dominated by crustaceans and molluscs and a drastic decrease in biotic index values were observed along the longitudinal gradient. Taxa were distributed according to oxygen, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, pH, conductivity and summer hydraulic conditions. But major faunal differences among sites could not be explained simply by physico‐chemical variables. The trait analysis underlined the role of temporary habitats in structuring the summer macroinvertebrate community of sites of the uppermost French sector, which supported the most diverse community in terms of trait combination. Downstream the macroinvertebrate community exhibited a more simple and less stable functional organization. We concluded that the Meuse River exhibited both a high biodiversity and a ‘reasonably good’ water quality in the upper reaches. Two transition zones highlighted the influence of a high degree of human impact on stream integrity. Regulation for navigation, ship traffic and heavily polluted effluent discharges influenced instream conditions via multiple processes determining a decline of both habitat stability and diversity. However, the rare occurrence of habitat‐sensitive species in the lower reaches indicated that a partial recovery of communities may be predicted if restoration and protection of disturbed (especially riparian) habitats are fulfilled. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing political second screening behavior and personality traits: The roles of economic development,freedom of expression and monochromatic vs. polychromatic cultures

This study focuses on an emerging media multitasking phenomenon called second screening or dual screening. Employing two-wave panel-data from 19 countries, we test whether the Big Five personality traits help explain the use of an additional screen or device while watching political content on TV to discuss the program with others or to look up for additional information. Results show that extraversion positively predicts political second screening. In contrast, agreeableness and openness to new experience are negatively related to political second screening. Moreover, multilevel analysis is performed to test whether the between-country variation is related to economic, political and cultural indicators.     

Accuracy of interpersonal perception: A general trait?

After viewing filmed interviews, judges made predictions in regard to behavior which would be subsequent to certain stated conditions, personality traits, how an opinion might be expressed by the observed S, and how the observed S might complete certain sentences. A general ability to perceive others accurately was isolated, and seen to be related to the factor of "sensitivity to the generalized other" and "interpersonal sensitivity." The relationship to related empirical and theoretical work is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative psychological studies of Negroes and whites in the United States.

In the areas of psychophysical, psychomotor, and intellectual functions as well as temperament traits, the problems of separating genetic and environmental contributions to performance have not been solved. In terms of the first 3 functions studies published between 1943-58 reveal a general superiority of whites in comparison with Negroes, though the differences are smaller among young children. Likenesses, on temperament traits appear more extensive than differences, although on certain tests Negroes have displayed a greater tendency toward neuroticism. (248 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in personality traits across cultures: Robust and surprising findings.

Secondary analyses of Revised NEO Personality inventory data from 26 cultures (N =23,031) suggest that gender differences are small relative to individual variation within genders; differences are replicated across cultures for both college-age and adult samples, and differences are broadly consistent with gender stereotypes: Women reported themselves to be higher in Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Warmth, and Openness to Feelings, whereas men were higher in Assertiveness and Openness to Ideas. Contrary to predictions from evolutionary theory, the magnitude of gender differences varied across cultures. Contrary to predictions from the social role model, gender differences were most pronounced in European and American cultures in which traditional sex roles are minimized. Possible explanations for this surprising finding are discussed, including the attribution of masculine and feminine behaviors to roles rather than traits in traditional cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contingencies of self-worth.

Research on self-esteem has focused almost exclusively on level of trait self-esteem to the neglect of other potentially more important aspects such as the contingencies on which self-esteem is based. Over a century ago, W. James (1890) argued that self-esteem rises and falls around its typical level in response to successes and failures in domains on which one has staked self-worth. We present a model of global self-esteem that builds on James' insights and emphasizes contingencies of self-worth. This model can help to (a) point the way to understanding how self-esteem is implicated in affect, cognition, and self-regulation of behavior, (b) suggest how and when self-esteem is implicated in social problems; (c) resolve debates about the nature and functioning of self-esteem; (d) resolve paradoxes in related literatures, such as why people who are stigmatized do not necessarily have low self-esteem and why self-esteem does not decline with age; and (e) suggest how self-esteem is causally related to depression. In addition, this perspective raises questions about how contingencies of self-worth are acquired and how they change, whether they are primarily a resource or a vulnerability, and whether some people have noncontingent self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)