Individual's Reproductive Strategies Moderates the Association Between Facial Width-to-Height and Risk-Taking Propensity.

Previous research has yielded mixed findings on the relationship between facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), an androgen-dependent feature, and risk-taking propensity. We argue that mixed findings might result from overlooked variables. Given that risk-taking propensity might be ultimately linked to a search for mating opportunities, we analyze if reproductive strategies moderate the relationship between fWHR and risk-taking propensity. Our results, obtained from a sample of 434 male participants, show a positive association between fWHR and recreational and social risk-taking only for men who are more motivated to focus on mating effort over offspring survival. This finding aligns with research arguing that risk-taking may be a mating strategy since being social and recreational risk-prone might illustrate physical and psychological qualities and improve one's ability to attract mates. Our results support the notion that risk-taking might be a domain-specific construct. Overall, our research is in line with recent findings suggesting that the impact of testosterone exposure on risk-taking propensity is best understood when considering the role of contextual variables. Consequently, we add to previous research that studies related to risk-taking propensity should account for reproductive strategies.

The association between testosterone and unethical behaviours, and the moderating role of intrasexual competition.

Researchers have called for a greater use of neuroscientific methods to advance theories in ethical behaviour. Our research takes a neuroscientific approach to investigating unethical behaviour by examining the roles of testosterone and intrasexual competition. We propose that unethical behavioural intentions will be greater for high-testosterone individuals in response to highly intrasexually competitive situations as a means of enhancing status. In an experiment, we measure baseline testosterone and assign participants to an intrasexually competitive or control condition. We demonstrate that in men, but not in women, testosterone is positively associated with unethical behavioural intentions in response to an intrasexual competition prime. Furthermore, using textual analysis, we find that testosterone is positively associated with the usage of anger-related words in response to an intrasexual competition prime among men. In turn, anger-related words are positively associated with unethical behaviour, suggesting that anger may play a role in motivating high-testosterone men to behave unethically. Overall, our findings contribute to the literature by suggesting that testosterone and competition lead to greater unethical behaviour in men, and that anger plays a role in promoting unethical behaviour.

Avanços teóricos e metodológicos das pesquisas sobre julgamento e significado do produto no Brasil / Theoretical and methodological advances in research on judgment and product meaning in Brazil

O modelo de duas rotas proposto por Allen (2001), referente à relação entre valores pessoais, julgamento e significado do produto, é objeto de amplas pesquisas realizadas no Brasil e no exterior. Os estudos, na realidade brasileira, têm demonstrado que o modelo necessita de adaptação (Nepomuceno e Torres, no prelo). O objetivo deste artigo é relatar os achados de pesquisas nacionais que demonstram os avanços conceituais e metodológicos do referido modelo no Brasil. O estudo 1 demonstra a importância dos valores humanos e julgamento e significado do produto sobre a preferência por carros, indicando que o primeiro prediz em maior grau a preferência por automóveis. O estudo 2 apresenta uma escala de julgamento e significado do celular para adolescentes, demonstrando que esta possui índices de confiabilidade consistentes e que a possibilidade de utilizar o modelo de Allen para produtos específicos é um caminho promissor para pesquisas futuras. Nesses estudos fica clara a necessidade de adaptação do modelo. Implicações práticas dos achados também são relatadas.(AU)

The two way model proposed by Allen (2001), referring to the relation between human values, judgment and product meaning, have been tested by several researches in Brazil. The studies in the Brazilian reality have shown the need of adaptation of the model (Nepomuceno and Torres, in press). The objective of this article is to show the findings of national’s researches demonstrating the conceptual and methodological advances of the model in Brazil. The Study 1 shows the importance of the human values and product judgment and meaning over the preference of cars, indicating that the first predicts, in a greater way, this preference. The Study 2 presents one scale of Judgment and Meaning of the Mobile Phone for the Adolescents, showing that it has consistent indices of trustworthiness and that the possibility of using the Allen’s model for specific products is one promising way for future researches. In these studies the need for adaptation of the model is clear. Practical implications of the findings are also discussed.(AU)

Validação da Escala de Julgamento e Significado do Produto / Validation of the Scale of Judgment and Meaning of the Product

O significado que um produto tem para o consumidor - considerado como simbólico ou utilitário - e o julgamento que o indivíduo realiza para avaliar o significado do produto têm sido variáveis estudadas na predição do comportamento de compra. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a fidedignidade e confiabilidade do modelo teórico proposto por Allen (1997), através da tradução e validação da Escala de Significado e Julgamento do Produto. A amostra foi composta de 588 participantes, possuindo uma boa distribuição demográfica entre sexos e idade. Os resultados desta pesquisa indicaram dois fatores: Julgamento e Significado Racional (variância explicada de 18,33; alfa de 0,76) e Julgamento e Significado Emotivo (variância explicada de 15,97; alfa de 0,73). Após as análises, todos os 19 itens iniciais permaneceram na escala. Os dados encontrados indicam a necessidade de adaptação e melhoria da escala para a realidade nacional. Aparentemente, a contradição encontrada entre o modelo proposto por Allen (1997) e os resultados advêm de problemas psicométricos da escala, o que sugere a necessidade de novas pesquisas para confirmação dessa possibilidade.

The meaning that a product has for the consumer - which can be considered as symbolic or utilitarian - and the judgment made by an individual to evaluate the product meaning are both variables that have been studied to predict the buying behavior. The objective of this study was to verify the reliability of the model proposed by Allen (1997), through the translation and validation of the Scale of Judgment and Meaning of the Product. The study sample was composed by 588 participants, with a good distribution between sex and age. Results indicated the presence of two factors: Rational Judgment and Meaning (18.33 percent of explained variance, with alpha of 0.76) and Emotional Judgment and Meaning (15.97 percent of explained variance, with alpha of 0.73). After the analysis, all 19 original items of the scale were retained. The obtained data indicated the need for adaptation and enhancement of the scale to the national reality. Apparently, the contradiction between the model proposed by Allen (1997) and results found in this study reveals psychometric problems of the scale, suggesting the need for new studies to confirm this possibility.

Validação da Escala de Julgamento e Significado do Produto / Validation of the Scale of Judgment and Meaning of the Product

O significado que um produto tem para o consumidor - considerado como simbólico ou utilitário - e o julgamento que o indivíduo realiza para avaliar o significado do produto têm sido variáveis estudadas na predição do comportamento de compra. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a fidedignidade e confiabilidade do modelo teórico proposto por Allen (1997), através da tradução e validação da Escala de Significado e Julgamento do Produto. A amostra foi composta de 588 participantes, possuindo uma boa distribuição demográfica entre sexos e idade. Os resultados desta pesquisa indicaram dois fatores: Julgamento e Significado Racional (variância explicada de 18,33; alfa de 0,76) e Julgamento e Significado Emotivo (variância explicada de 15,97; alfa de 0,73). Após as análises, todos os 19 itens iniciais permaneceram na escala. Os dados encontrados indicam a necessidade de adaptação e melhoria da escala para a realidade nacional. Aparentemente, a contradição encontrada entre o modelo proposto por Allen (1997) e os resultados advêm de problemas psicométricos da escala, o que sugere a necessidade de novas pesquisas para confirmação dessa possibilidade.(AU)

The meaning that a product has for the consumer - which can be considered as symbolic or utilitarian - and the judgment made by an individual to evaluate the product meaning are both variables that have been studied to predict the buying behavior. The objective of this study was to verify the reliability of the model proposed by Allen (1997), through the translation and validation of the Scale of Judgment and Meaning of the Product. The study sample was composed by 588 participants, with a good distribution between sex and age. Results indicated the presence of two factors: Rational Judgment and Meaning (18.33 percent of explained variance, with alpha of 0.76) and Emotional Judgment and Meaning (15.97 percent of explained variance, with alpha of 0.73). After the analysis, all 19 original items of the scale were retained. The obtained data indicated the need for adaptation and enhancement of the scale to the national reality. Apparently, the contradiction between the model proposed by Allen (1997) and results found in this study reveals psychometric problems of the scale, suggesting the need for new studies to confirm this possibility.(AU)