Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Gender similarity'

Technical advancements allow for embodied virtual agents to not only be increasingly human-like, but also to behave and look like particular individuals. As biases towards self-similarity have been found in human-human studies, it is of interest to explore to what extent this applies to virtual characters (VCs). This work set out to extend on previous research that has investigated the effects of facial self-similarity in VCs, and explore it in the context of empathic emotion. For this aim, a method for creating facially similar virtual characters was developed and a user study conducted where 13 participants were told autobiographical stories by a virtual character that either did or did not resemble them facially and/or in gender category. The participants' first impressions and emotional responses were measured. The results showed that even though similarity was not explicitly perceived, a bias might exist towards more positive impressions of self-similar characters, especially in terms of gender category. Regarding the emotional responses, the results did not allow for discovering any difference between conditions but pointed to some interesting differences in comparison to what was hypothesized. The immense ways in which the appearances of virtual characters can be altered provides possibilities to influence the interaction with them. However, although biases might exist on a general level, it is difficult to predict the human responses in individual cases. Virtual characters might make possible a more human-like interaction with technology, however, it might also mean that our reactions to them are influenced by more parameters and our relations to them become even more like those with other humans: complex.
Den tekniska utvecklingen möjliggör numera att virtuella agenter kan göras inte bara människolika, utan även lika specifika individer i hur de beter sig och ser ut. Då tidigare studier påvisat att människor ofta föredrar personer som i någon mån liknar dem själva, är det intressant att utforska i vilken utsträckning detta även gäller virtuella karaktärer. Detta arbete hade som mål att undersöka effekterna av visuella likheter mellan människor och virtuella karaktärer, med fokus på ansikten och genus och i en kontext där empati är betydande. En metod för att konstruera virtuella karaktärer som hade visuella likheter med specifika användare utvecklades, och en användarstudie med 13 deltagare genomfördes. I det konstruerade scenariot berättade en karaktär, som hade likheter med användaren antingen gällande ansiktets utseende och/eller genus, självbiografiska historier. Intrycket av karaktären och den emotionella responsen mättes. Resultaten visade att den visuella likheten inte uppfattades explicit. Dock fanns tendenser som pekar på att likheter framför allt när det gäller sociala kategorier som genus, kan ha en positiv påverkan på hur virtuella karaktärer uppfattas. Det gick inte att upptäcka några skillnader mellan betingelserna gällande den emotionella responsen, men resultaten påvisade intressanta avvikelser från de förväntade reaktionerna. Möjligheterna att designa och anpassa virtuella karaktärer till olika individer och situationer ökar, vilket kan utnyttjas för att försöka påverka hur människor förhåller sig till och interagerar med dem. Det är dock svårt att förutsäga hur människor kommer att reagera och relatera till en virtuell karaktär utifrån generella tendenser, vilket denna studie visar. Virtuella karaktärer kan möjliggöra en mer människolik interaktion med teknik, men det innebär också att många parametrar är inblandade och att relationerna med tekniken blir liksom relationerna mellan människor: komplexa.

In this thesis I explore the knowledge practices of the Pastaza Runa, an indigenous group of the Ecuadorian Amazon. A central claim in my work is that processes of knowledge acquisition among the Runa involve an acknowledgement that human bodies, as well as non-human ones, share a network of ‘likeness’. This is not to be located specifically in the possession of a soul nor in the ‘shared’ substance of the body. For the Runa, humans share with non-humans specific ‘patterns’ of action, which I call ‘forms’. Things can affect humans (and vice versa) because they share a certain formal resemblance. Such resemblance is not found in discrete entities, but rather in the movements between entities. As such, forms cannot be reduced to the physicality of a singular body: they are subject-less and inherently dynamic. The concept of forms developed in this thesis seeks to think about the relationship between human and objects in ways which go beyond ideas of ensoulment or subjectification. Such focus is central to my analysis of the relationship between humans and objects, and, in particular, between women and their ceramic pots. I explore the connection between women and pots by following closely the sequences of elaboration of ceramic vessels. Pottery making is intimately linked to women’s capacity for engendering novelty. I suggest that, for the Runa, the differentiation between women and men is not ‘made’ but rather given a priori. The ‘givenness’ of this difference has major implications for what one - as a Runa woman or man - can know or do. Thus, I explore how women, by virtue of their capacity for giving birth, are thought to be ‘inherently’ inclined towards ‘exteriority’. By virtue of such ‘outward’ propensity, women need to engage in processes of making knowledge visible to the eyes of others. This ‘exteriorizing’ process has important consequences for the ways men and women are respectively thought to become ‘acculturated’. Ultimately this work also aims to examine how processes of ‘change’ - a key concept in Amazonian cosmologies - are inevitably gender inflected.

Role models can serve as a means to counteract the prevalent 'Think Leader, Think Male' stereotype. This study was designed to assess the impact of role model similarity on women's leadership self-efficacy, task performance and future leadership behavior, using two conceptualizations of similarity – match with leadership self-concept and attainability of the role model. Additionally, the process by which one's self-perceptions of leadership impact judgments of one's own behavior was also investigated. Participants were presented with a role model vignette in a laboratory setting, following which they complete a leadership task. Results indicated that there were no significant effects of the interaction of the two role model manipulations of various leadership outcomes. However, match of role model with one's self-concept did impact one's leadership self-efficacy. Results also indicated that agentic leader prototypes partially mediated the relation between individuals' self-concept and self-judgments, such that participants whose self-concept matched the role model activated the agentic leader prototype. Overall findings suggest that match with one's self concept plays an important role in role models being perceived as similar to the self, which can have important implications for women's leadership development.
Master of Science

Research investigating the underlying causes and factors involved in violence and aggression has suggested there is a tendency for aggression to escalate as a means to justify prior aggression. In addition, past research has also examined the effect of perceived similarity towards the target of aggression on intensity and escalation of aggression. This study looked at the relationship between initial level of aggression and the escalation of aggression and at perceived similarity to the target of aggression as a possible factor influencing this escalation. Individuals engaging in severe initial aggression who experience higher perceived similarity to their targets of aggression should be more prone to justifying their actions and so might escalate more. To examine this, subjects could administer any of 10 levels of negative reinforcement (insults) to a learner for incorrect responses. Half of the subjects were required to practice this procedure with a mild and half with a severe insult. Results indicated that an effect of perceived similarity emerged, with individuals using less severe insults when perceived similarity to the learner was high. Contrary to predictions, high-perceived similarity to the learner stemmed escalation for participants insulting the learner with a severe insult initially. Moreover, participants who insulted with a mild insult initially escalated in their aggression when perceived similarity was high. In addition, an interaction effect of gender and perceived similarity was found, with men engaging in more severe subsequent aggression than women when perceived similarity to the target of aggression is high. The limitations, further directions, and implications of this study are discussed.

The aim of this essay is to examine the differences in language use between the genders in game reviews, to find whether there are differences in the use of the language depending on gender. Both sexist language and technical aspects are examined, the technical aspects of writing have been chosen from previous research about gendered differences in writing. The reviews are randomly chosen but the games are selected. There is an equal amount of games with male and female main characters, and the number of reviews is chosen according to the number of reviews written by females, as there are fewer of them, and thus easier to find a matching number of reviews written by males rather than vice versa. The reviews are then examined to find sexist language and differences. This essay finds that there is sexist language in the writing of both genders, such as marked language, but only when the main character of the game is female. Both genders tend to focus on the appearance of female characters and the characteristics of male characters, but there is no known previous research about male and female game characters to compare these results to. However, the technical differences remain consistent with previous research on the same subject, such as female reviewers using more pronouns than male reviewers, and male reviewers using fewer verbs than female reviewers.

Upplevd likhet med målpersonen har ansetts vara viktig för empati och viss forskning har visat att empatin ökar med upplevd etnisk sam-hörighet. Denna studies primära syfte var att experimentellt undersöka om svenska och icke-svenska deltagare kände olika mycket empati beroende på målpersonens etnicitet samt upplevd likhet med mål-personen. Majoriteten av de 160 deltagarna rekryterades från Mälar-dalens högskola, varav 102 var svenska och 84 var kvinnliga. Resultatet visade två signifikanta disordinala interaktioner där svenska deltagare kände signifikant mer empati och upplevd likhet med en svensk än icke-svensk målperson, medan icke-svenska inte visade signifikant mer empati eller upplevd likhet med en icke-svensk än svensk målperson. Ingen signifikant skillnad i empati fanns mellan äldre och yngre deltagare. Män uppvisade signifikant lägre empati än kvinnor och inget av könen väckte mer empati. Orsaken till de disordinala interaktionerna diskuterades i termer av social kategorisering. Vidare forskning med en annan definition av begreppet etnicitet föreslogs.

This doctoral study focuses on upward influence tactics and the social exchange process which takes place between leaders and their followers. The research posits Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) dimensions as a theoretical mechanism for understanding how upward influence tactics work. More specifically, it analyses the roles of LMX dimensions in mediating the relationship between followers’ upward influence tactics and job performance ratings. Furthermore, it seeks to understand the role of gender similarity in moderating the relationship between upward influence tactics and LMX dimensions. It goes on to query upward influence tactics’ direct and non-linear relationships with job performance ratings, the differences between leaders’ and followers’ reporting of the use of follower upward influence tactics and test their relationships with job performance ratings, and the use of these tactics in the Saudi context. The empirical research for the present study took place in public, private, and non-profit organizations in Saudi Arabia. This is a country which has not been the focus of research on influence tactics to date in the literature. Based on a sample of 389 leader-follower pairs, the results show a number of significant relationships. Results revealed that rationality and self-presentation tactics have positive relationships with job performance ratings while exchange of benefits and upward appeal tactics have negative relationships with job performance ratings. Moreover, LMX-loyalty mediates the relationship between upward influence tactics of rationality, ingratiation, upward appeal, coalition, and self-presentation with job performance ratings. LMX-affect mediates the relationship between upward influence tactics of upward appeal and coalition with job performance ratings. Gender similarity moderates the relationship between rationality ingratiation, upward appeal, coalition, and self-presentation tactics and LMX-loyalty. Specifically, the relationship between these tactics and job performance ratings are mediated by LMX-loyalty in case of the leader and the follower having the same gender. Additionally, non-linear relationships have been found between the use of coalition and upward appeal tactics and job performance ratings within Saudi culture. These latter findings suggesting non-linear effects for some upward influence tactics propose new avenues for conducting research in the area of influence tactics within differing cultural contexts. Finally, while rational persuasion and ingratiation were the most-used tactics, self-presentation was moderately used in Saudi culture. Assertiveness, upward appeal, coalition, and exchange of benefits were used far less by comparison in Saudi Arabian culture.

This paper analyses the gender earnings gap in Sweden at career entry, for individuals with comparable educational profile. There are many studies on this topic. Usually, researchers are focusing their attention on the evolution of this gap through individuals’ career. Our paper concentrates only on individual’s career entry, to exclude work experience as an explanatory factor. By studying six different educational fields we can have a precise image of the use of human ressources in the economy.An empirical analysis has been conducted using the method of OLS on a restricted data sample concerning graduates, having accomplished at least two years of university education. The result showed that, even at career entry, the raw gender earnings gap is of 20,2%. After controlling for fields of studies and occupations, the gap is reduced to 15,4%. This gap fluctuates among different fields of education, depending on the society’s perception of these fields. We distinguish male-dominated (i.e. Engineering and manufacturing), female-dominated (i.e. Teaching methods and teacher education) and gender-neutral (i.e. Social sciences, law, commerce and administration) educational fields. Our results depict some large gender earnings gap within male-dominated fields of study – women earn on average 20% less than their male counterparts when studying Engineering and manufacturing – and rather small ones within female-dominated and gender-neutral fields of study but due to statistical insignificance of the gender dummy coefficients we cannot make a conclusion concerning these fields.

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Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
The plants release primary and secondary metabolites in the environment that may influence the development of adjacent vegetation, this interference phenomenon is called allelopathy. It is recognized as an important ecological process because it interferes with the structure, distribution, composition and dynamics of plant communities. Studies on allelopathic interactions may be useful in the search for natural phytotoxins are produced by plants or microorganisms to be used as natural herbicides, more specific and less harmful to the environment. According to floristic survey conducted by IBGE, Myrtaceae family is one of the major in the cerrado ecosystem. This study attempted to clarify the following issues: species of Myrtaceae family present in the cerrado (Brazilian savanna) exhibit allelopathic potential? There is a similar allelopathic response within genera? Among the active species, which is most promising for starting a bioprospecting? Some of these species has potential as a herbicide for use in agroforestry or organic production of food? To answer these questions were conducted experiments of seed germination and seedling growth of target species cultivated and weedy, and chemical extraction of active compounds in leaves of Myrcia tomentosa. The leaves of Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Campomanesia pubescens, Eugenia bimarginata, Eugenia klotzschiana, Eugenia myrcianthes, Eugenia punicifolia, Myrcia bella, Myrcia lingua, Myrcia multiflora, Myrcia splendens, Myrcia tomentosa, Psidium australe, Psidium cinereum, Psidium laruotteanum and Psidium rufum were collected , cleaned, crushed and stored in plastic bags until use. In the first stage, were carried out the germination and growth bioassays using aqueous extracts of leaf in a concentration of 10% (w / v). We selected three target species, Lactuca sativa and Solanum lycopersicum, both eudicotyledonous and a monocotyledonous Allium cepa. The extracts were applied to all Myrtaceae species compared with the control (distilled water). In the second phase, bioassays were carried out using aqueous extracts of leaves at concentrations of 5 and 10% (w / v). We selected as target species three weeds Euphorbia heterophylla, Echinochloa crus-galli and Ipomoea grandifolia. The leaf extracts of B. salicifolius, M. multiflora, M. splendens and M. tomentosa were compared to negative control (distilled water) and positive (herbicide Oxyfluorfen). In the third stage were carried out biotests germination, growth, and coleoptile of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to direct chemical extraction of active compounds of M. tomentosa. The extractions were carried out using dried leaves powdered and organic solvents of different polarity, the extracts were fractionated using chromatographic column and purified by HPLC. The isolated and purified compounds were identified in RMN13C and RMN1H, by comparison of spectra. The results showed that aqueous extracts of twelve out of fifteen donor species evaluated showed allelopathic activity and each species showed a distinct behavior regarding the allelopathic activity, no grouping by taxonomic proximity. Evaluating the four species most active on weeds species, was detected the potential and efficiency of the extracts, since these were more toxic to weeds species than the herbicide. The leaf extracts of M. tomentosa stood out for demonstrating high activity even at low concentrations, so was chemical extraction from powdered of leaves of M. tomentosa were isolated two compounds from the ethyl acetate extract: juglanin and avicularin, the difference between ix both is the presence of one hydroxyl attached to carbon 3' in avicularin molecule, this difference has an phytotoxic effect more pronounced in the juglanin. This paper is the first report of the presence of the flavonoids kaempferol (juglanin) and quercetin (avicularin) in species of Myrtaceae of cerrado (Brazilian savanna) and gave foundation for future studies on bioprospecting of the M. tomentosa, which did not find any reports of allelopathic studies, fractionation and identification of chemical compounds.
Os vegetais liberam metabolitos primarios e secundarios no ambiente que podem influenciar no desenvolvimento da vegetacao adjacente, este fenomeno de interferencia e denominado alelopatia. E reconhecida como um processo ecologico importante, pois interfere na estrutura, distribuicao, composicao e dinamica de comunidades vegetais. Estudos sobre interacoes alelopaticas podem ser uteis na busca por fitotoxinas naturais, produzidas por plantas ou microrganismos a serem empregados como herbicidas naturais, mais especificos e menos prejudiciais ao ambiente. De acordo com inventario floristico realizado pelo IBGE a familia Myrtaceae e uma das principais em riqueza e diversidade no ecossistema de cerrado. Assim, este trabalho tentou esclarecer as seguintes questoes: especies da familia Myrtaceae presentes no cerrado apresentam potencial alelopatico? Existe semelhanca na resposta alelopatica dentro dos generos? Dentre as especies ativas, qual a mais promissora para se iniciar uma bioprospeccao? Alguma dessas especies apresenta potencial para utilizacao como herbicida em sistemas agroflorestais ou de producao organica de alimentos? Para responder essas perguntas foram realizados bioensaios de germinacao de diasporos e crescimento de plantulas, de especies alvo cultivadas e infestantes de cultura, e extracao quimica de compostos ativos em folhas de Myrcia tomentosa. As folhas maduras de Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Campomanesia pubescens, Eugenia bimarginata, Eugenia klotzschiana, Eugenia myrcianthes, Eugenia punicifolia, Myrcia bella, Myrcia lingua, Myrcia multiflora, Myrcia splendens, Myrcia tomentosa, Psidium australe, Psidium cinereum, Psidium laruotteanum e Psidium rufum foram coletadas, higienizadas, trituradas e armazenadas em embalagens plasticas ate a utilizacao. Na primeira etapa, os bioensaios de germinacao e crescimento, foram efetuados utilizando-se extratos aquosos de po de folhas em concentracao de 10% (p/v). Como especies receptoras foram selecionadas duas eudicotiledoneas Lactuca sativa e Solanum lycopersicum e, uma monocotiledonea Allium cepa, nas quais foram aplicados os extratos de todas as especies de Myrtaceae comparadas ao controle (agua destilada). Na segunda etapa, os bioensaios foram efetuados utilizando-se extratos aquosos de po de folhas em concentracao de 5 e 10% (p/v). Como especies receptoras foram selecionadas as infestantes de cultura Euphorbia heterophylla, Echinochloa crus-galli e Ipomoea grandifolia, nas quais foram aplicados os extratos de folhas de B. salicifolius, M. multiflora, M. splendens e M. tomentosa, comparadas ao controle negativo (agua destilada) e ao positivo (herbicida Oxifluorfem). Na terceira etapa, foram efetuados biotestes de germinacao, crescimento e de coleoptilo de trigo para direcionar a extracao quimica de compostos ativos de M. tomentosa. Para tanto as extracoes foram feitas empregando-se o po de folhas e os solventes organicos de diferentes polaridades. Os extratos foram fracionados em coluna cromatografica e purificados em CLAE. Os compostos isolados e purificados foram identificados em RMN13C e RMN1H, por comparacao de espectros. Os resultados mostraram que extratos aquosos de doze das quinze especies doadoras avaliadas apresentaram atividade alelopatica e cada especie demonstrou comportamento distinto em relacao a atividade alelopatica, nao houve agrupamento por proximidade taxonomica. Avaliando as quatro especies mais ativas sobre especies invasoras, constatou-se o potencial e a eficiencia dos extratos, uma vez que estes foram mais fitotoxicos as especies invasoras que o herbicida. O extrato foliar de M. tomentosa destacou-se por demonstrar elevada atividade mesmo em baixa concentracao, assim foi realizada a extracao quimica do po folhas desta especie. Foram isolados dois compostos do extrato acetato de etila: juglanina e avicularina, o que as diferencia e a hidroxila ligada ao carbono 3 na molecula de avicularina, esta diferenca produziu efeito fitotoxico mais acentuado da molecula de vii juglanina. O presente trabalho relatou pela primeira vez a presenca dos flavonoides kaempferol (juglanina) e quercetina (avicularina) em uma especie de Myrtaceae do cerrado e deu embasamento para futuros estudos relativos a bioprospeccao da especie Myrcia tomentosa, da qual nao se encontrou nenhum relato de estudos alelopaticos, fracionamento e identificacao de compostos quimicos.

碩士
明志科技大學
經營管理系碩士班
101
Employees possess knowledge assets accumulated in practical operations, which brought value far better than the assets of capital, land and machineries. Therefore, enterprises’ knowledge exists in individuals. How to hand down knowledge in an enterprise becomes an important issue. By mentorship to pass down knowledge is likely to enhance employees’ innovative behaviors. This study examines the relationship between mentoring functions and innovative behavior as well as explores the moderating effects of gender similarity. Samples of this study are selected from SMEs in Taiwan. A total of 191dyad mentor- protégé samples return their responses and make 191 usable dyad questionnaires. The results shown that protégés perceiving a higher level of vocational function provided by their mentors intend to increase their innovative behaviors; protégés perceiving a higher level of social support function provided by their mentors intend to increase their innovative behaviors; protégés perceiving a higher level of role model function provided by their mentors intend to decrease their innovative behaviors. Furthermore, role model mentorship in same-gender will result in a higher level of innovative behaviors. Finally, after discussing the results, managerial implications are provided and recommendations are proposed for future studies.

碩士
輔仁大學
餐旅管理學系碩士班
100
The purpose of this study was to investigate the similarity between the appeals of leisure motivation and brand image in the beer advertisings, spokesperson, as well as the interactions of the similarity of brand images and leisure motivation and spokesperson. This study adopts a experimental design. This pre-test employs four leisure motivation tends to the find the high similarity and low similarity with beer brand image. Based on the results of the first stage, and adopts the spokesmen of the different gender, this study develops four experimental advertising. Thus, this study employs 2x2 experimental design. The subjects are Adolescent between the ages of 15-17. They are selected stratified cluster random sampling method. Questionnaires were sent to 377 people for survey and 377 responses were valid data and were used in the data analysis by a statistic program, SPSS 18.0. The finding are: 1. Low similarity of Brand images and leisure motivation has a positive impact on future purchase intentions. 2. Female spokesperson has a positive impact on advertising attitude and brand attitude. 3. The interaction between similarity of Brand images and leisure motivation and spokesperson gender have significant influences on image transfer.

Les différences hommes/femmes sont un présupposé que nous considérons souvent comme une évidence. Les similitudes, en revanche, sont présentées comme des particularités propres à certains individus. Elles ne sont souvent pas perçues comme une caractéristique humaine intrinsèque. Il existe cependant un rapport entre similitude et différence. Ce qui sépare fondamentalement les similitudes des différences c'est le point de vue de l'observateur : celui qui décide ce à quoi il va accorder de l'importance, non pas en fonction de critères scientifiques et objectifs, mais plutôt en fonction de croyances et de présupposés. Les scientifiques, eux-mêmes, ne sont pas à l'abri de ce biais, et ce, en dépit du fait que les différences sont scientifiquement observables et mesurables. L'importance qu'on leur accorde n'est pas plus réelle que les similitudes auxquelles on accorde, en revanche, beaucoup moins de valeur, d'attention et que l'on étudie beaucoup moins, mais qui seraient néanmoins mesurables.
Gender differences are a presupposition that we often take for granted. Similarities, however, are presented as the particular traits of individuals. Often they are not perceived as an inherent human characteristic. But there is a relationship between similarity and difference. What fundamentally separates the similarities from the differences is the viewpoint of the observer: The importance accorded to the one or the other is not based on scientific and objectives criteria, but rather the observer's beliefs and assumptions. Scientists themselves are not immune to this bias, even though the differences are scientifically observable and measurable. The significance of differences is no more real than that of similarities which, nonetheless, are granted much less value, attention, and are less often studied, although they are measurable.