Austria, England, Ireland and Sweden: Voters from all sides are more satisfied if there are more parties to choose from; the positive effect is stronger among the higher educated

Do voters prefer more parties on the ballot? John Högström, André Blais & Carolina Plescia. Acta Politica, May 6 2021. https://rd.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41269-021-00203-w

Abstract: Citizens’ evaluation of how well the system works is central to the legitimacy of a democratic system. Elections and voting are crucial parts of the democratic system, and therefore, it is very important to evaluate voter satisfaction with the electoral process. In this study, we evaluate one aspect of the electoral process: the supply of parties on the ballot paper, and we use a direct measure of satisfaction with the party choices available on the ballot. We performed a survey experiment with a representative sample of citizens in four Western European democracies: Austria, England, Ireland and Sweden. The results point to a clear answer: voters are more satisfied if there are more parties to choose from. The findings also show that the positive effect is stronger among the higher educated. We also examined if it is the presence of an ideologically close option that really matters. The results show that respondents in every ideological position prefer more parties. This strongly suggests that it is the number of parties, as such that matters.

 

Beauty perceptions causally influenced moral standing attributions across a wide range of animal species independently from perceived patiency, agency, and harmfulness

Beauty of the Beast: Beauty as an important dimension in the moral standing of animals. Christoph Klebl et al. Journal of Environmental Psychology, May 7 2021, 101624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101624

Highlights

• Beauty perceptions predicted moral standing attributions across a wide range of animal species independently from perceived patiency, agency, and harmfulness.

• Beauty causally influenced moral standing attributions to animals independently from other factors likely to influence moral standing.

• The findings may help conservationists to identify the most effective ways to attract funds for the conservation of endangered species.

Abstract: Conservationists have sought to identify avenues through which to gain public support for efforts to halt the accelerating decline in animal diversity. Previous research has identified perceived internal qualities of animals that lead people to view them as deserving of protection for their own sake; that is, increase their moral standing. In two studies, we found that perceived beauty is an external aesthetic quality that leads people to attribute moral standing to animals independently from animals’ perceived mental capacities associated with patiency or agency, and dispositional harmfulness, as well as other factors likely to influence moral standing. In Study 1, we found that beauty perceptions predicted moral standing across a wide range of animal species from 12 biological categories independently from perceived patiency, agency, and harmfulness. In Study 2 (pre-registered), we found that beauty causally influenced moral standing attributions to animals independently from animals’ perceived internal qualities, as well as their perceived similarity to humans, familiarity, and edibility. Our findings provide insight into another factor which contributes to the perceived moral status of animals, and therefore may help conservationists to identify the most effective ways to attract funds for conservation efforts.

Keywords: beautyattractivenessmoral standinganimal conservation

Greater likelihood of substance use when a worker receives performance pay: Result supports conjectures that stress & effort increase with performance pay & that alcohol & drug use is a coping mechanism for workers

From 2020... Does performance pay increase alcohol and drug use? Benjamin Artz, Colin P. Green & John S. Heywood. Journal of Population Economics volume 34, pages969–1002. Jun 2020. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00148-020-00776-4

Abstract: Using US panel data on young workers, we demonstrate that those who receive performance pay are more likely to consume alcohol and illicit drugs. Recognizing that this likely reflects worker sorting, we first control for risk, ability, and personality proxies. We further mitigate sorting concerns by introducing worker fixed effects, worker-employer match fixed effects, and worker-employer-occupation match fixed effects. Finally, we present fixed effect IV estimates. All of these estimates continue to indicate a greater likelihood of substance use when a worker receives performance pay. The results support conjectures that stress and effort increase with performance pay and that alcohol and drug use is a coping mechanism for workers.

We not only favor our genes (altruism for those with similar genetics), greater memetic similarity (similarity in important attitudes & values) was associated with greater altruism

Baucal, Aleksandar, and Aleksandra Lazić. 2021. “Selfish Genes or Selfish Memes?.” PsyArXiv. May 5. doi:10.31234/osf.io/c4j92

Abstract: When “selfish genes” and “selfish memes” compete, who would one rather help – an ideologically similar acquaintance or a relative with a different worldview? Two preregistered experiments disentangled the effects of selfish genes and selfish memes (operationalized as similarity in important attitudes and values) on participants’ self-reported willingness to help in hypothetical everyday-favor and life-or-death situations. In Study 1 (N = 364), altruism was highest for siblings, and the same for cousins and nonkin; greater memetic similarity was associated with greater altruism, and the interaction term was not significant. Study 2 (N = 252) replicated this during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the effects are not altered in life-threatening situations. Studies suggest that meme selfishness shapes altruism independently of gene selfishness. This becomes especially important in times of rising social polarization.

Violating the male breadwinning norm results in a 35 per cent increase in the likelihood of partner violence and a 20 per cent increase in emotional abuse against women

Gender norms and domestic abuse: Evidence from Australia. Zhang, Y; Breunig, R. Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Working paper 5/2021. May 2021. https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/publication/ttpi-working-papers/18650/gender-norms-and-domestic-abuse-evidence-australia

Abstract: Australia conforms to the gender norm that women should earn less than their male partners. We investigate the impact of violating this cultural norm on the incidence of domestic violence and emotional abuse against women and men in Australia. Violating the male breadwinning norm results in a 35 per cent increase in the likelihood of partner violence and a 20 per cent increase in emotional abuse against women. We find no effect on abuse against men. The strong effect of violating the gender norm on abuse against women is present across age ranges, income groups and cultural and educational backgrounds.

Damselflies: Latitudinal clines in sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism and sex-specific genetic dispersal during a poleward range expansion

Latitudinal clines in sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism and sex-specific genetic dispersal during a poleward range expansion. Rachael Y Dudaniec et al. In Journal of Animal Ecology, May 2021. https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/publication/9833d2c4-cb48-44b4-a762-f66e253670ab

Abstract: Range expansions can be shaped by sex differences in behaviours and other phenotypic traits affecting dispersal and reproduction. Here, we investigate sex differences in morphology, behaviour and genomic population differentiation along a climate-mediated range expansion in the common bluetail damselfly (Ischnura elegans) in northern Europe. We sampled 65 sites along a 583-km gradient spanning the I. elegans range in Sweden and quantified latitudinal gradients in site relative abundance, sex ratio and sex-specific shifts in body size and mating status (a measure of sexual selection). Using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for 426 individuals from 25 sites, we further investigated sex-specific landscape and climatic effects on neutral genetic connectivity and migration patterns. We found evidence for sex differences associated with the I. elegans range expansion, namely (a) increased male body size with latitude, but no latitudinal effect on female body size, resulting in reduced sexual dimorphism towards the range limit, (b) a steeper decline in male genetic similarity with increasing geographic distance than in females, (c) male-biased genetic migration propensity and (d) a latitudinal cline in migration distance (increasing migratory distances towards the range margin), which was stronger in males. Cooler mean annual temperatures towards the range limit were associated with increased resistance to gene flow in both sexes. Sex ratios became increasingly male biased towards the range limit, and there was evidence for a changed sexual selection regime shifting from favouring larger males in the south to favouring smaller males in the north. Our findings suggest sex-specific spatial phenotype sorting at the range limit, where larger males disperse more under higher landscape resistance associated with cooler climates. The combination of latitudinal gradients in sex-biased dispersal, increasing male body size and (reduced) sexual size dimorphism should have emergent consequences for sexual selection dynamics and the mating system at the expanding range front. Our study illustrates the importance of considering sex differences in the study of range expansions driven by ongoing climate change.