This thesis investigated whether vocal emotion expressions are conveyed as discrete emotions or as continuous dimensions. Study I consisted of a meta-analysis of decoding accuracy of discrete emotions (anger, fear, happiness, love-tenderness, sadness) within and across cultures. Also, the literature on acoustic characteristics of expressions was reviewed. Results suggest that vocal expressions are universally recognized and that there exist emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues for discrete emotions. In Study II, actors vocally portrayed anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness with weak and strong emotion intensity. The portrayals were decoded by listeners and acoustically analyzed with respect to 20 voice-cues (e.g., speech rate, voice intensity, fundamental frequency, spectral energy distribution). Both the intended emotion and intensity of the portrayals were accurately decoded and had an impact on voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings of both emotion and intensity could be predicted from a selection of voice-cues. In Study III, listeners rated the portrayals from Study II on emotion dimensions (activation, valence, potency, emotion intensity). All dimensions were correlated with several voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings could be successfully predicted from the voice-cues for all dimensions except valence. In Study IV, continua of morphed expressions, ranging from one emotion to another in equal steps, were created using speech synthesis. Listeners identified the emotion of each expression and discriminated between pairs of expressions. The continua were perceived as two distinct sections separated by a sudden category boundary. Also, discrimination accuracy was generally higher for pairs of stimuli falling across category boundaries than for pairs belonging to the same category. This suggests that vocal expressions are categorically perceived. Taken together, the results suggest that a discrete-emotions approach provides the best account of vocal expression. Previous difficulties in finding emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues may be explained in terms of limitations of previous studies and the coding of the communicative process.

Fatal automobile crashes have claimed the lives of over 33,000 people each year in the United States since 1995. As in any point event, fatal crash events do not occur randomly in time or space. The objectives of this study were to identify spatial patterns and hot spots in FARS (Fatal Analysis Reporting System) fatal crash events based on temporal and demographic characteristics. The methods employed included 1) rate calculation using FARS points and average daily traffic flow; 2) planar kernel density estimation of FARS crash events based on temporal and demographic attributes within the data; and 3) two case studies using network kernel density estimation along roadways to determine hot spots fatal crashes in Jefferson County and Warren County. Rate calculation analyses revealed that travel on roads with high speed limits and winding topography led to the highest number of crashes and highest rate of fatal crashesper 1,000 daily vehicles. Planar kernel density estimation results showed temporalpatterns, revealing that ‘hot spots’ and fatalities were highest in the summer, and typically occurred from 2pm-6pm on the weekends. Further, the 16 to 25 year age group was responsible for the most significant ‘hot spots’ and the most fatal accidents. Also showing that the most significant hot spots involving alcohol occurring in close proximity to meeting places such as bars and restaurants. Finally, results from the network kernel density estimation revealed that most hot spots were in high traffic areas of where majorr oads converged with secondary roads.

Today the conception of human rights is an idea that preserves its intransitive, inalienable and indivisible quality with a cross-cultural reference. The idea of human rights, entering our lives from the 18th century onwards, has gained a worldwide recognition through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The idea occupies place both at the level of rules and principles as a project and at the level of our daily problem solutions, modifications and the daily course of our lives as a pragmatics. The political framework provides the idea of human rights such a justification that it constitutes a significant part of our decisions, thoughts and actions. On the other hand, the grounds of the idea has been questioned as a part of the Enlightenment project since it was first articulated and especially in recent decades certain radical criticisms originating from Nietzche&rsquo / s thought became prevalent. The thesis questions this easy alliance between Nietzsche and radical attacks to human rights thought. In the first chapter, I first provided a brief historical overview of the idea of human rights. Then, I had a closer look towards the principles of universality, equality, autonomy and is-ought distinction with special reference to Kantian formulations of these concepts and in the second chapter, I elaborate Nietzsche&rsquo / s perception of these same principles and our understanding of conventional morality in general, to reach an articulated answer to the question: Would Nietzsche be categorically against human rights? I conclude that his philosophical attitude to these four principles differ from each other. In this context the thesis regards Nietzschean informal structures over the Kantian formal ones as complementary for a full grasp of the idea of human rights by offering a connection of the transitionality between Kant and Nietzsche.

過往研究指出當個體受到社會排斥威脅後，可能產生兩種相反的行為，一者是具攻擊性的行為，而另一者則是希冀與其他人連結之親和傾向。本研究提出社會排斥之兩階段模式，認為當個體受到排斥威脅時，會同時有兩種不同的行為反應，一個是『避免傷害』，當此反應被激發時，被排斥個體會展現出『戰或逃』的行為傾向；而另一個反應則為『尋求歸屬』，在此反應被激發時，被排斥個體則會展現出『親近與示好』的行為傾向。而個體會出現何種反應，端視其之後互動的對象本身的屬性而定。若後續互動對象與先前排斥者間具有高相似性，此拒絕相似線索會引發個體展現出較高的戰或逃行為。相對的，若是後續互動對象所具有的特性與其自身之特性具有高相似性，亦即具有接納相似線索時，個體則會出現較多的示好行為。而這種隨著後續屬性，個體會出現不同反應歷程的假設在已完成的四個實驗中獲得初步的驗證。 實驗一（83名實驗參與者）採取2 (社會排斥：有、無) × 5 (類別相似線索：高拒絕線索vs.中拒絕線索 vs.高接納線索 vs.中接納線索 vs. 中性線索)之混合設計，結果發現受社會排斥威脅者會有較高意願加入帶有高可能接受線索之團體、較不願意加入帶有高拒絕線索之團體。實驗二（47名實驗參與者）採取閾下觸發來操弄社會排斥威脅，顯示社會排斥的確會讓人加速處理那些與拒絕者與可能接受者相關之訊息。而實驗三（74名實驗參與者）重複驗證了實驗一之發現，並且發現受社會排斥威脅之參與者在反應時間上會較快決定拒絕帶有高拒絕線索之團體，也會較快決定加入帶有高接納線索的團體（兩者皆對比於對中性線索團體之決策反應時間）。 實驗四（75名實驗參與者）則採取2 (社會排斥：有、無) × 2 (認知負荷：高、低) × 3 (類別相似線索：高拒絕線索vs.高接納線索vs. 中性線索)之混合設計，並發現當被社會排斥者處於高認知負荷狀態時，他們雖然還是能使用拒絕線索來選擇團體，但卻不會使用接受線索，顯示拒絕相似性線索為較為優先之線索。 實驗五A（67名實驗參與者）則採取2 (社會排斥：有、無) × 2 (性格回饋：有、無) × 4 (類別相似線索：拒絕線索對象vs.接納線索對象vs. 中性線索對象vs.原拒絕者)之混合設計，並發現當被給予性格回饋之後，受社會排斥威脅者會對於帶有接納線索的對象有較高的評價。而實驗五B（31名實驗參與者）採取2 (社會排斥：有、無) × 4 (類別相似線索：拒絕線索對象vs.接納線索對象vs. 中性線索對象vs.原拒絕者)之混合設計，發現受到社會排斥威脅者會對於帶有拒絕線索的對象及原拒絕者都會有較低的評價。 而實驗六與七則認為當個體對於相似性線索的認知被去、再類別化作業改變時，個體的反應也應隨之改變。實驗六採取（51名實驗參與者）則採取3 (社會排斥組別：社會排斥一般作業組、社會排斥再類別化組、控制組) × 4 (類別相似線索：拒絕線索對象vs.接納線索對象vs. 中性線索對象vs.原拒絕者)之混合設計，並發現當受到社會排斥者完成再類別化作業後，比起完成一般作業的參與者，他們對於原先帶有拒絕線索對象的評價會提升，而他們亦會提升對於原拒絕者的評價，顯示再類別化作業可以讓受威脅者感知到互動對象跟自己可以共屬另一個有意義之團體、自己與互動對象是相連結的，因而提升對這些對象之評價。 實驗七採取（46名實驗參與者）則採取3 (社會排斥組別：社會排斥一般作業組、社會排斥去類別化組、控制組) × 4 (類別相似線索：拒絕線索對象vs.接納線索對象vs. 中性線索對象vs.原拒絕者)之混合設計，並發現去類別化作業可以削弱類別相似性線索，因此使得受排斥者降低對原先帶有接納線索之對象的評價，亦會提升原先帶有拒絕線索對象之評價。換言之，由於去類別化作用會降低被威脅個體與互動對象的連結感，亦即他們對於互動對象與自己的相似性知覺會降低，個體因而降低對此類對象之評價；另一方面，去類別化作用也會降低帶有拒絕線索對象以及原拒絕者的相似性知覺，因而提升對於此類對象之評價。 綜合以上所述，本研究以一系列之研究來檢驗：個體受到社會排斥後，後續互動對象身上之類別相似性線索如何影響受威脅者之反應傾向。實驗一至五發現，當個體被社會排斥之後，他們對於那些帶有拒絕線索的個體會展現出戰或逃的行為傾向，並對帶有接納線索的個體展現親近與示好之行為，而拒絕相似性線索較為優先。而實驗六及七分別使用『再類別化』及『去類別化』兩種作業來改變類別相似性線索，來改變受社會排斥威脅者對於接納線索的知覺使其後續行為隨之改變。 / Previous research shows that social exclusion may cause either fight-or-flight behavior toward innocent people or a substantial increase in affiliation behavior. A two-stage model is proposed to explain people’s reactions after experiencing social exclusion. For these threatened individuals, groups that resemble their rejecter would provoke a defensive attitude and hostile behaviors. These individuals also show hospitality to those groups that resemble themselves to gain inclusion. The former process is more primary than the other. Experiment 1 (83 participants) and 3 (74 participants) used a scenario story to manipulate social exclusion. Groups with different categorical cues categorical similarity cues were provided. The results suggested that people after experiencing social exclusion tended to reject groups that resemble to previous rejecter. By contrast, groups that fit the characteristics of the target person were much preferred and received more resources. The second experiment (47 participants) used subliming priming to manipulate social exclusion. Main dependent measure was the decision time of lexical decision task. As predicted, compared to participants in control condition (all priming words in random order), those in social exclusion condition (being primed with rejection-softball and inclusion-enjoy-learning) processed rejection associated words (related to the reject group) and acceptance associated words (related to the perspective group) significantly faster than no association words. Experiment 4 (75 participants) used a 2 (social exclusion vs. control condition) x 2 (cognitive load: heavy vs. light) x 3 (categorical similarity cues: high rejective cue, high perspective cue, irrelevant cue) mixed-design. The results indicated that the excluded participants who had a heavy cognitive load could only avoid groups that resemble the previous rejecter and showed no preference for groups that might be suitable for them. To defend is the primary process. From experiment 5A to experiment 7, cyberostracism was employed to manipulate social exclusion. Experiment 5A (67 participants) used a 2 (social exclusion: social exclusion condition vs. control condition) x 2 (personality feedback: feedback vs. no feedback) x 4 (categorical similarity cues: rejective cue, perspective cue, irrelevant cue, rejecter) mixed-design. It was found that only those who with perspective cue could receive better evaluation from excluded participants. Experiment 5B suggested that excluded participants would evaluate people with rejective cues worse than those who in control group. The experiment 6 and 7 used decategorization and recategorization task to change the perceptions of categorical similarity cues. Experiment 6 (51 participants) showed that recategorization task could weaken the effect of the rejective cue and thus excluded participants would give better evaluation to people with rejective cue than participants in social exclusion only condition. Experiment 7 (46 participants) suggested that decategorization task might weaken the effect of perspective cue and therefore the evaluation tended to decrease for people with perspective cue. Eight experiments provided convergent evidence to this study to suggest that categorical similarity cues of possible affiliated people could elicit different reactions from excluded people.

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Erstellung eines dreidimensionalen Untergrundmodells der Region Göttingen basierend auf einer geotechnischen Klassifikation der unkosolidierten Sedimente. Die untersuchten Materialen reichen von Lockersedimenten bis hin zu Festgesteinen, werden jedoch in der vorliegenden Arbeit als Boden, Bodenklassen bzw. Bodenkategorien bezeichnet. Diese Studie evaluiert verschiedene Möglichkeiten durch geostatistische Methoden und Simulationen heterogene Untergründe zu erfassen. Derartige Modellierungen stellen ein fundamentales Hilfswerkzeug u.a. in der Geotechnik, im Bergbau, der Ölprospektion sowie in der Hydrogeologie dar. Eine detaillierte Modellierung der benötigten kontinuierlichen Parameter wie z. B. der Porosität, der Permeabilität oder hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit des Untergrundes setzt eine exakte Bestimmung der Grenzen von Fazies- und Bodenkategorien voraus. Der Fokus dieser Arbeit liegt auf der dreidimensionalen Modellierung von Lockergesteinen und deren Klassifikation basierend auf entsprechend geostatistisch ermittelten Kennwerten. Als Methoden wurden konventionelle, pixelbasierende sowie übergangswahrscheinlichkeitsbasierende Markov-Ketten Modelle verwendet. Nach einer generellen statistischen Auswertung der Parameter wird das Vorhandensein bzw. Fehlen einer Bodenkategorie entlang der Bohrlöcher durch Indikatorparameter beschrieben. Der Indikator einer Kategorie eines Probepunkts ist eins wenn die Kategorie vorhanden ist bzw. null wenn sie nicht vorhanden ist. Zwischenstadien können ebenfalls definiert werden. Beispielsweise wird ein Wert von 0.5 definiert falls zwei Kategorien vorhanden sind, der genauen Anteil jedoch nicht näher bekannt ist. Um die stationären Eigenschaften der Indikatorvariablen zu verbessern, werden die initialen Koordinaten in ein neues System, proportional zur Ober- bzw. Unterseite der entsprechenden Modellschicht, transformiert. Im neuen Koordinatenraum werden die entsprechenden Indikatorvariogramme für jede Kategorie für verschiedene Raumrichtungen berechnet. Semi-Variogramme werden in dieser Arbeit, zur besseren Übersicht, ebenfalls als Variogramme bezeichnet. IV Durch ein Indikatorkriging wird die Wahrscheinlichkeit jeder Kategorie an einem Modellknoten berechnet. Basierend auf den berechneten Wahrscheinlichkeiten für die Existenz einer Modellkategorie im vorherigen Schritt wird die wahrscheinlichste Kategorie dem Knoten zugeordnet. Die verwendeten Indikator-Variogramm Modelle und Indikatorkriging Parameter wurden validiert und optimiert. Die Reduktion der Modellknoten und die Auswirkung auf die Präzision des Modells wurden ebenfalls untersucht. Um kleinskalige Variationen der Kategorien auflösen zu können, wurden die entwickelten Methoden angewendet und verglichen. Als Simulationsmethoden wurden "Sequential Indicator Simulation" (SISIM) und der "Transition Probability Markov Chain" (TP/MC) verwendet. Die durchgeführten Studien zeigen, dass die TP/MC Methode generell gute Ergebnisse liefert, insbesondere im Vergleich zur SISIM Methode. Vergleichend werden alternative Methoden für ähnlichen Fragestellungen evaluiert und deren Ineffizienz aufgezeigt. Eine Verbesserung der TP/MC Methoden wird ebenfalls beschrieben und mit Ergebnissen belegt, sowie weitere Vorschläge zur Modifikation der Methoden gegeben. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen wird zur Anwendung der Methode für ähnliche Fragestellungen geraten. Hierfür werden Simulationsauswahl, Tests und Bewertungsysteme vorgeschlagen sowie weitere Studienschwerpunkte beleuchtet. Eine computergestützte Nutzung des Verfahrens, die alle Simulationsschritte umfasst, könnte zukünftig entwickelt werden um die Effizienz zu erhöhen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie und nachfolgende Untersuchungen könnten für eine Vielzahl von Fragestellungen im Bergbau, der Erdölindustrie, Geotechnik und Hydrogeologie von Bedeutung sein.

Résumé Le premier article de la thèse se veut une revue systématique des données empiriques mettant en lumière les antécédents à la base de l’émergence du leadership narcissique dans les organisations, ses composantes psychologiques ainsi que ses incidences tant pour les organisations que pour leurs membres. Conséquemment, cette étude brosse initialement une recension détaillée des principaux facteurs idiosyncrasiques, culturels, environnementaux et structurels participant à la manifestation du leadership narcissique dans les organisations. Par la suite, elle en sonde la teneur en isolant l’existence de cinq composantes psychologiques, soit le charisme, l’influence intéressée, la motivation fallacieuse, l’inhibition intellectuelle et la considération simulée. Enfin, elle souligne les conséquences négatives de son actualisation dont les principales sont : la production de prises de décisions volatiles et risquées; la création d’un climat organisationnel toxique; la destruction de la confiance des subordonnés; la détérioration de l’efficacité organisationnelle; l’émergence d’une gestion dysfonctionnelle; et la manifestation de comportements non-éthiques. Le deuxième article s’avère une analyse comparative de deux types de leadership se révélant, de prime abord, trompeusement analogues. Ces deux types sont le leadership transformationnel et le leadership narcissique. Quoique se situant aux antipodes en matière de satisfaction de besoins (influence idéalisée versus influence intéressée), de promotion de visions (motivation inspirationnelle versus motivation fallacieuse), de réceptivité à la rétroaction d’autrui (stimulation intellectuelle versus inhibition intellectuelle) et de traitement des relations interpersonnelles (considération individualisée versus considération simulée), les leaderships transformationnel et narcissique partagent entre eux un élément commun : le charisme du leader. C’est précisément cette dernière caractéristique, conférant à son détenteur un puissant halo magnétisant, qui se révèle le creuset de la spéciosité du leadership narcissique opérant essentiellement lors des tout premiers contacts avec le leader. En fait, le charisme du leader narcissique sert en quelque sorte de fard, composé de charme et de fascination, masquant une décevante réalité psychologique et dont les propriétés captieuses s’étiolent rapidement. Le troisième article de la thèse est une étude conceptuelle examinant la structuration idiosyncrasique des criminels en col blanc ayant commis des fraudes financières se chiffrant à plusieurs dizaines de millions de dollars. Exploitant le croisement des deux dimensions fondamentales de l’agression, soit sa fonction (proactive ou réactive) et sa forme (directe ou indirecte), cette étude propose une taxonomie archétypique de différents types de psychopathie susceptible de mieux cerner la psychologie du criminel en col blanc d’envergure. L’agression est dite proactive lorsqu’elle est motivée par des impératifs de prédation indépendants de l’état émotionnel de l’individu. L’action de l’individu prédateur est intentionnelle et instrumentale. Elle vise l’atteinte d’objectifs préétablis avant l’actualisation de l’agression. Par contre, elle est considérée réactive lorsque la préservation de l’intégrité physique ou psychologique de l’individu est l’objet d’une menace émergeant de son environnement externe immédiat. Dans ce cas, la réaction agressive de l’individu est émotionnellement conditionnée. Par ailleurs, nonobstant la nature de sa fonction, l’agression peut s’exprimer directement ou indirectement. Elle est considérée directe lorsqu’elle a pour cible l’agressé en tant que tel. La forme physique d’agression peut être physique (sévices corporels) ou verbale (menaces et insultes). Par contre, lorsqu’elle emprunte des modes d’expression plus subtils, tels les rumeurs, l’humour malicieux et la tromperie, l’agression est dite indirecte. Le pairage des deux dimensions fondamentales de l’agression permet la construction d’un modèle d’analyse bidimensionnelle englobant quatre types de psychopathie, à savoir les psychopathies parasitique (préservation indirecte), colérique (préservation directe), cynégétique (prédation directe) et sympathique (prédation indirecte). C’est précisément cette dernière forme de psychopathie, le type sympathique caractérisé par un étaiement idiosyncrasique narcissico-machiavélique, qui traduit le mieux la psychologie des criminels en col blanc d’envergure. Enfin, le quatrième et dernier article de la présente thèse se propose d’explorer une problématique de recherche n’ayant reçu que très peu d’attention de la part des membres de la communauté scientifique, à savoir l’examen de l’adéquation d’un modèle dimensionnel du narcissisme pathologique inspiré du modèle développé par Roche, Pincus, Lukowitsky, Ménard et Conroy (2013). Au moyen d’une étude de cas exploratoire, il a été possible d’associer la vulnérabilité narcissique au segment décompensatoire (échec des stratégies inadaptées d’agrandissement de soi) du modèle théorique inspiré de celui de Roche et al. (2013) et ce, conformément à ses prescriptions. En effet, la comparaison des résultats de l’un des deux participants de l’étude, madame H, obtenus lors des deux saisies de données espacées d’un intervalle d’une année, indique une diminution de la vulnérabilité narcissique lors de la période de re-compensation. En outre, cette diminution est accompagnée de celle de la grandiosité narcissique. En somme, la relation positive entre les deux dimensions du narcissisme pathologique se révèle, sur un plan longitudinal, constante dans les deux segments – compensatoire (recours à des stratégies inadaptées d’agrandissement de soi) et décompensatoire – du modèle théorique inspiré de celui de Roche et al. (2013). Par ailleurs, les résultats obtenus auprès des deux participants à l’étude de cas, monsieur B et de madame H, s’avèrent éclairants eu égard à la prépondérance respective de chacune des dimensions (grandiosité et vulnérabilité) narcissiques en fonction des segments compensatoire et décompensatoire du modèle théorique inspiré de celui de Roche et al. (2013). Se trouvant en mode de compensation narcissique lors des deux saisies de données, monsieur B affiche une grandiosité narcissique supérieure à sa vulnérabilité narcissique. Cette constatation respecte en tous points les prescriptions théoriques du modèle. Quant à madame H, qu’elle soit en mode de compensation ou de décompensation narcissique (postulat non démontré eu égard aux prescriptions du modèle théorique utilisé), sa vulnérabilité narcissique demeure constamment plus élevée que sa grandiosité narcissique. Théoriquement, selon les prescriptions du modèle, la prépondérance devrait être observée chez la dimension « grandiosité narcissique » en période de compensation. De toute évidence, les données obtenues auprès de madame H s’écartent de ces prescriptions. / The first article of the thesis offers a systematic review of the empirical data highlighting the precursors to the emergence of narcissistic leadership in organizations, its psychological components, as well as its impact on both organizations and their members. Accordingly, this study begins by compiling a detailed list of the main idiosyncratic, cultural, environmental and structural factors at play in the manifestation of narcissistic leadership in organizations. It then explores their nature by identifying the existence of five psychological components: charisma, self-interested influence, deceptive motivation, intellectual inhibition and simulated consideration. Finally, it underscores the negative consequences of the emergence of narcissistic leadership, including, notably: the production of volatile and risky decision making; the creation of a toxic organizational climate; the destruction of subordinates’ trust; the degradation of organizational effectiveness; the emergence of dysfunctional management; and the manifestation of unethical behaviour. The second article proposes a comparative analysis of two types of leadership that appear at first glance to be deceptively similar. These two types of leadership are transformational leadership and narcissistic leadership. Although diametrically opposed in terms of the satisfaction of needs (idealized influence versus self-interested influence), the promotion of visions (inspirational motivation versus deceptive motivation), the receptiveness to feedback (intellectual stimulation versus intellectual inhibition) and the treatment of interpersonal relations (individualized consideration versus simulated consideration), transformational and narcissistic leadership share a common element: the charisma of the leader. This charisma places a powerful, magnetic halo on the head of the leader and it is precisely this characteristic that is the crucible of the deceptive attractiveness of narcissistic leadership that is felt upon the very first contact with the leader. In fact, the narcissistic leader’s charisma serves as a sort of mask that combines charm and fascination to conceal a disappointing psychological reality and whose attractive qualities quickly fall away. The third article of the thesis is a conceptual study of the idiosyncratic patterns of white-collar criminals who have committed fraud in the tens of millions of dollars. Based on the intersection of the two basic dimensions of aggression – i.e., its function (proactive or reactive) and its form (direct or indirect), this study proposes an archetypal taxonomy of the different types of psychopathy with a view to gaining a better understanding of the psychology of large-scale white-collar criminals. Aggression is said to be proactive when it is motivated by predatory imperatives that are independent of the individual’s emotional state. The action taken by the predatory individual is intentional and instrumental. Its aim is to meet predetermined objectives prior to the actualization of the aggressive behaviour. On the other hand, it is considered reactive when the preservation of the individual’s physical or psychological integrity is threatened by the immediate, external environment. In this case, the individual’s aggressive reaction is emotionally conditioned. Moreover, notwithstanding the nature of its function, aggression can be expressed directly or indirectly. It is considered direct when it targets the victim specifically. The form of the aggression can be physical (bodily injury) or verbal (threats and insults). On the other hand, when it is expressed in more subtle forms, such as rumours, malicious jokes and deception, the aggression is said to be indirect. Pairing the two main dimensions of aggression allows for the construction of a two-dimensional model of analysis encompassing four types of psychopathy, namely: parasitic psychopathy (indirect preservation), choleric psychopathy (direct preservation), cynegetic psychopathy (direct predation) and sympathetic psychopathy (indirect predation). It is precisely this last form of psychopathy – the sympathetic form characterized by a narcissistic and Machiavellian underpinnings idiosyncratic – that best reflects the psychology of large-scale white-collar criminals. Finally, the fourth and last article of this thesis proposes to explore a research problem that has received very little attention from members of the scientific community, namely how adequate is a dimensional model of pathological narcissism based on the model developed by Roche, Pincus, Lukowitsky, Ménard and Conroy (2013). On the basis of exploratory case study, it was possible to link narcissistic vulnerability to decompensatory segment (failure of maladaptive self-enhancement strategies) of this model. This linkage conforms to the hypothesis of the model. Indeed, the results of one of two study participants, Ms. H, indicate a decrease of narcissistic vulnerability in the re-compensatory period. Furthermore, this decrease is accompanied by a decrease of narcissistic grandiosity. In others words, on a one year longitudinal plane, the positive relationship between the two dimensions (narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability) of pathological narcissism is found to be constant in two segments – compensation (use of maladaptive self-enhancement strategies) and decompensation – of the theoretical model based on the model of Roche et al. (2013). Moreover, the results for two study participants, Mr. B and Ms. H, prove to be enlightening according to respective preponderance of each narcissistic dimension of theoretical model based on the model developed by of Roche et al. (2013). In tests in 2012 and in 2013, Mr. B displays greater narcissistic grandiosity greater than narcissistic vulnerability, and was deemed to be in compensatory mode. This observation conforms to the hypothesis of the model. As for Ms. H, her narcissistic vulnerability remains consistently much higher than her narcissistic grandiosity. Theoretically, whether she is in narcissistic compensatory or decompensatory mode (unproven assumption in view of the theoretical model used), narcissistic vulnerability should only be dominant in the period of decompensation. Obviously, the results of Ms. H do not conform to the model.

Pharmacodynamic processes and disease progression are increasingly characterized with pharmacometric models. However, modelling options for discrete-type responses remain limited, although these response variables are commonly encountered clinical endpoints. Types of data defined as discrete data are generally ordinal, e.g. symptom severity, count, i.e. event frequency, and time-to-event, i.e. event occurrence. Underlying assumptions accompanying discrete data models need investigation and possibly adaptations in order to expand their use. Moreover, because these models are highly non-linear, estimation with linearization-based maximum likelihood methods may be biased. The aim of this thesis was to explore pharmacometric methods and novel models for discrete data through (i) the investigation of benefits of treating discrete data with different modelling approaches, (ii) evaluations of the performance of several estimation methods for discrete models, and (iii) the development of novel models for the handling of complex discrete data recorded during (pre-)clinical studies. A simulation study indicated that approaches such as a truncated Poisson model and a logit-transformed continuous model were adequate for treating ordinal data ranked on a 0-10 scale. Features that handled serial correlation and underdispersion were developed for the models to subsequently fit real pain scores. The performance of nine estimation methods was studied for dose-response continuous models. Other types of serially correlated count models were studied for the analysis of overdispersed data represented by the number of epilepsy seizures per day. For these types of models, the commonly used Laplace estimation method presented a bias, whereas the adaptive Gaussian quadrature method did not. Count models were also compared to repeated time-to-event models when the exact time of gastroesophageal symptom occurrence was known. Two new model structures handling repeated time-to-categorical events, i.e. events with an ordinal severity aspect, were introduced. Laplace and two expectation-maximisation estimation methods were found to be performing well for frequent repeated time-to-event models. In conclusion, this thesis presents approaches, estimation methods, and diagnostics adapted for treating discrete data. Novel models and diagnostics were developed when lacking and applied to biological observations.

Part I comprises three chapters (2-4) that analyse the optimal combination of a universal benefit (B≥0) and categorical benefit (C≥0) for an economy where individuals differ in both their ability to work and, if able to work, their productivity. C is ex-ante conditioned on applicants being unable to work, and ex-post conditioned on recipients not working. In Chapter 2 the benefit budget is fixed but the test awarding C makes Type I and Type II errors. Type I errors guarantee B > 0 at the optimum to ensure all unable individuals have positive consumption. The analysis with Type II errors depends on the enforcement of the ex-post condition. Under No Enforcement C > 0 at the optimum conditional on the awards test having some discriminatory power; whilst maximum welfare falls with both error propensities. Under Full Enforcement C > 0 at the optimum always; and whilst maximum welfare falls with the Type I error propensity it may increase with the Type II error propensity. Chapters 3 and 4 generalise the analysis to a linear-income tax framework. In Chapter 3 categorical status is perfectly observable. Optimal linear and piecewise-linear tax expressions are written more generally to capture cases where it is suboptimal to finance categorical transfers to eliminate inequality in the average social marginal value of income. Chapter 4 then derives the optimal linear income tax for the case with classification errors and Full Enforcement. Both equity and efficiency considerations capture the incentives an increase in the tax rate generates for able individuals to apply for C. Part II (Chapter 5) focuses on the decisions of individuals to work when receiving C, given a risk of being detected and fined proportional to C. Under CARA preferences the risk premium associated with the variance in benefit income is convex-increasing in C, thus giving C a role in enforcement.

Spirituality is a neglected dimension in psychology, but has recently been growing in importance. Depression is a widespread phenomenon, worldwide, although presenting differently in different cultures, including South Africa. The aim of this study was to give an opportunity to those who have experienced spirituality and depression to voice their experiences in their respective contexts. The ontological framework was postmodernism and the guiding epistemology was social constructionism. Qualitative research was the method of research selected, because it suited the aims of the research. The specific method of analysis was a "categorical content analysis". In depth interviews with eight participants from various faith backgrounds were conducted. The participants' stories were interpreted by the researcher in the form of themes. Recurring and pertinent themes were compared and discussed with other voices in the field, such as the literature and societal and cultural discourses. The study facilitated rich, detailed and complex descriptions of people's experience of spirituality and depression. The researcher hopes the voice of this research will lead to new understandings of these phenomena in a South African context. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The purpose of my scientific essay is to examine the identity creating processes that goes on amongst pupils as well as pedagogues in leisure time centers. This seen from a gender perspective. The questions in this essay revolves around me as a role model in the leisure time center and how I use the binary gender categories in my line of work. Moreover, how can I present a safe environment for my pupils to try out their identity from a gender perspective. I analyze my questions seen through a leisure time center pedagogue ́s everyday worksituation under the influence of a workplace jargon. A jargon that seems to be enhancing the polatity between the binary gender categories. The theories I use in my essay to reflect upon my questions is Kants philosophy about freedom and the categorical imperative, Lenz Taguchis description of feministic poststructuralistic theory and Butlers theory on sex and gender as socially and cultural constructed. Through my scientific essay I have reflected upon my role as a role model in a way that takes me through an identity creating process of my own in my profession as a leisure time center pedagogue. And by takinga glance on my own actions it has created a bigger understanding of what has formed my own identity as a pedagogue from a gender perspective. This hopefully will increase my ability to present a safe environment for my future pupils in their identity creating processes in the leisure time center in a gender perspective. / Syftet med min vetenskapliga essä är att undersöka identitetsskapande processer på fritidshemmet, både hos pedagoger och elever. Frågeställningarna i essän berör min roll som förebild som blivande fritidshemslärare, hur jag förhåller mig till könskategorierna kvinna och man, flicka och pojke i mitt arbete. Och vidare hur jag skapar trygghet för att eleverna i fritidshemmet ska känna sig fria att pröva sin identitetur ett köns och genusperspektiv. Dessa frågor belyser jag ur ett gestaltat dilemma om hur en fritidshemslärares vardag kan präglas av en arbetsplatsjargong. En jargong som jag upplever förstärker polariteteten mellan könskategorierna kvinna och man. De teorier jag använder för att reflektera kring min vetenskapliga essäs frågeställningar är Kants teori om frihet och det kategoriska imperativet, Lenz Taguchis beskrivning av feministisk poststrukturalistisk teori och Butlers teori om kön och genus som socialt och kulturellt konstruerade. Genom min vetenskapliga essä har jag reflekterat kring min roll som förebild. Att skriva essän har i sig varit en identitetsskapande process för mig då jag vänt blicken mot mig själv i en situation som jag tidigare inte förstått min roll i. Vidare har jag genom essäskrivandet börjat förstå vilken komplex process identitetsskapande är och hur dessa processer är något som pågår samtidigt hos flera personer i ett socialt sammanhang. Min förhoppning är att detta kommer att öka min möjlighet och förmåga att se till att mina elevers identitetsskapande processer får fortgå i en trygg miljö på fritidshemmet.