Calculation of the radiance distribution at the boundary of an isotropically scattering slab

The radiance arising from an anisotropically scattering illuminated stack of n slabs is calculated using the equation of radiative transfer. It appears to be unnecessary to calculate the radiance inside the material; including only the radiance at the boundary surfaces is sufficient to obtain the desired result. The novel method used for the solution of this problem leads immediately in a straightforward and systematic way to the known appropriate basic equations valid for the problem at hand, otherwise derived by ad hoc methods. A new simple set of linear equations for the radiance at the boundary surfaces is derived. This method applies equally well to similar problems with other geometries. Apart from this analytical derivation, this paper presents the results of the numerical solution of the set of equations that we obtained from the equation of radiative transfer, for n = 1. The results of the numerical calculations are compared with what is found in the literature and are found to give very good agreement.

La crisis económica y los imaginarios de futuro: ¿qué efecto ha tenido la crisis económica en nuestra manera de imaginar el futuro?

Aquest estudi examina com construïm els nostres imaginaris de futur i quina influència ha tingut la crisi econòmica de 2008-2009 en aquest sentit. Els imaginaris de futur es conceben com un espai de plans i desitjos per al futur, que no depenen solament de la història de vida d’una persona, sinó també del context historicosocial (Cantó-Milà i Seebach, 2015). La crisi econòmica, que ha afectat tots els països europeus, s’ha descrit com un fet social de gran abast, de manera que pot tenir una repercussió important en la nostra manera d’imaginar el futur. Per a aquest estudi, s’han fet entrevistes biogràfiques a diferents persones a Alemanya i Espanya, dos països que han viscut la crisi de manera diferent. Les entrevistes s’han analitzat utilitzant un mètode inspirat en la teoria fonamentada, partint dels conceptes d’imatges del futur, figures i imaginaris de futur desenvolupats per Cantó-Milà i Seebach (2015). La crisi econòmica ha influït de manera diferent en els imaginaris de futur dels entrevistats espanyols i alemanys. Mentre que la perspectiva de futur dels entrevistats alemanys s’ha mantingut inalterada al llarg de la crisi, les respostes dels entrevistats espanyols indiquen tres canvis de mentalitat: el mercat de treball es considera menys estable que abans de la crisi; els joves han d’estar més preparats, és a dir, necessiten un nivell superior de formació; els joves espanyols volen viure i treballar a l’estranger. S’analitzen les raons i la dinàmica d’aquest canvi de mentalitat.This study looks at how people construct future imaginaries and how this has been influenced by the economic crisis of 2008/2009. Future imaginaries are conceived as a realm of plans and wishes for the future, which depend not only on an individual’s personal life history, but also on the given social/historical context (Cantó-Milà and Seebach, 2015). The economic crisis, which affected all European countries, has been portrayed as a far-reaching societal event; therefore, it may have an impact on people’s future imaginaries. For this study, life story interviews were conducted in Germany and Spain, two countries with different experiences of the economic crisis. The interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory-inspired approach guided by the concepts of images of the future, figures, and imaginaries of the future developed by Cantó-Milà and Seebach (2015). The economic crisis affected participants’ future imagination in Spain and Germany in different ways. While German participants’ outlook on the future remained unchanged by the crisis, Spanish interviewees’ accounts indicated three changes in mentality: the labor market is now perceived as less stable than before; young people have to be more prepared – meaning they need higher-level qualifications; younger Spaniards aim to live and work in foreign countries. The reasons and dynamics behind this mentality change are discussed.Este estudio examina cómo construimos nuestros imaginarios de futuro y qué influencia ha tenido la crisis económica de 2008-2009 en este sentido. Los imaginarios de futuro se conciben como un espacio de planes y deseos para el futuro, que no dependen solamente de la historia de vida de una persona, sino también del contexto historicosocial (Cantó-Milà y Seebach, 2015). La crisis económica, que ha afectado a todos los países europeos, se ha descrito como un hecho social de gran alcance, por lo que puede tener una repercusión importante en nuestra manera de imaginar el futuro. Para este estudio, se han realizado entrevistas biográficas a distintas personas en Alemania y España, dos países que han vivido la crisis de forma diferente. Las entrevistas se han analizado utilizando un método inspirado en la teoría fundamentada, partiendo de los conceptos de imágenes del futuro, figuras e imaginarios de futuro desarrollados por Cantó-Milà y Seebach (2015). La crisis económica ha influido de forma distinta en los imaginarios de futuro de los entrevistados españoles y alemanes. Mientras que la perspectiva de futuro de los entrevistados alemanes se ha mantenido inalterada a lo largo de la crisis, las respuestas de los entrevistados españoles indican tres cambios de mentalidad: el mercado de trabajo se considera menos estable que antes de la crisis; los jóvenes tienen que estar más preparados, es decir, necesitan un mayor nivel de formación; los jóvenes españoles quieren vivir y trabajar en el extranjero. Se analizan las razones y la dinámica de este cambio de mentalidad

Prejudice in the pub: How alcohol and ideology loosen the tongue.

This study (N = 124) tested the main and interactive effects of alcohol consumption, egalitarianism, and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) in relation to prejudice suppression in the natural environment of a British Public House (pub). Employing a quasi-experimental between-subjects design, participants who had consumed alcohol were worse at suppressing their prejudice than participants with no alcohol consumption. Further, the more participants endorsed egalitarian values, the more they were able to suppress their prejudice. This tendency was resistant to the effects of alcohol. By contrast, the stronger participants held RWA beliefs, the less they were able to suppress their prejudice. In addition, this tendency was accentuated by alcohol consumption. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications

Sticking together or falling apart: Group identification as a psychological determinant of group commitment versus individual mobility.

Two experiments investigated how in-group identification, manipulated with a bogus pipeline technique affects group members' desire for individual mobility to another group. In the first experiment (N = 88), the in-group had low status, and group boundaries were either permeable or impermeable. Low identifiers perceived the group as less homogeneous, were less committed to their group, and more strongly desired individual mobility to a higher status group than did high identifiers. The structural possibility of mobility afforded by permeable group boundaries had no comparable effect. The second experiment (N = 51) investigated whether in-group identification can produce similar effects when relative group status is unknown. Even in the absence of an identity threat, low identifiers were less likely to see the groups as homogeneous, felt less committed to their group, and more strongly desired individual mobility than did high identifiers. Results are discussed with reference to social identity and self-categorization theories

Peace vision and its socio-emotional antecedents: The role of forgiveness, trust and inclusive victim perceptions

The present study conceptualized peace vision as the view of peace as desirable, feasible and requiring substantial concessions by both parties and examined the social-emotional factors contributing to its endorsement among Israeli Jews (N = 400). In line with our theorizing, we found that trust in Palestinians and inclusive victim perceptions (the view that both conflicting groups have suffered due to the conflict) were significantly and positively associated with peace vision endorsement both directly and indirectly, through facilitating forgiveness. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results in terms of the sustainability of peaceful co-existence between conflicting groups

Comparing social contact and group identification as predictors of mental health

Current research on social integration and mental health operationalizes social integration as frequency of interactions and participation in social activities (i.e., social contact). This neglects the subjective dimension of social integration, namely group identification. We present two studies comparing the effect exerted by social contact and group identification on mental health (e.g., depression, stress) across two different groups (family; army unit), demonstrating that group identification predicts mental health better than social contact. Methodologically, our findings show the necessity to include group identification measures as indicators of social integration, in empirical research; theoretically, they support social identity researchers’ contention that group identification is a central mechanism in the processes leading from social integration to health

Cognitive consequences of perceiving social exclusion

Although a great deal is now known about how people mentally represent individuals and groups, less attention has been paid to the question of how interpersonal relationships are represented in memory. Drawing on principles of categorization, this paper reports an investigation into how we mentally represent the relationships of others. In three experiments, evidence for assimilation effects following social exclusion (and subsequent categorization) is found. Experiment 1 uses a judgment paradigm to demonstrate that social exclusion influences the perception of interpersonal closeness. Experiments 2 and 3 employ a memory confusion paradigm to establish that representations of relationship partners are assimilated following the exclusion of a third party. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Group-level self-definition and self-investment: A hierarchical (multi-component) model of in-group identification

Recent research shows individuals' identification with in-groups to be psychologically important and socially consequential. However, there is little agreement about how identification should be conceptualized or measured. On the basis of previous work, the authors identified 5 specific components of in-group identification and offered a hierarchical 2-dimensional model within which these components are organized. Studies 1 and 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the proposed model of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions, across 3 different group identities. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated the construct validity of the 5 components by examining their (concurrent) correlations with established measures of in-group identification. Studies 5-7 demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the 5 components by examining their (prospective) prediction of individuals' orientation to, and emotions about, real intergroup relations. Together, these studies illustrate the conceptual and empirical value of a hierarchical multicomponent model of in-group identification