An Unusual Presentation of Catatonia-Like Behavior: Differentiating Malingering from Catatonia

Malingering involves the intentional production of physical or psychological behaviors due to motivation from external incentives, posing unique challenges to healthcare. Although malingering as an entity has been well studied, the current literature does not explore the intentional production of catatonia-like behavior or how to differentiate malingering from catatonia. Here, we describe a 45-year-old female who was admitted to an acute psychiatric hospital with a complex presentation of catatonia-like signs that was ultimately thought to be volitional behavior, resulting in a diagnosis of malingering. We highlight the important factors considered in her presentation, the differences between her behaviors and true catatonia, and other important differential diagnoses to consider. Although a diagnosis of malingering is difficult to make, we underscore the importance of reaching this conclusion in order to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful medical interventions. We stress the importance of shifting focus from medical management to more appropriate patient goals such as providing social services and treatment of other underlying psychiatric illnesses.

Theoretical Foundations: Reflexive Governance, EU Enlargement Process, and Non-Discrimination

Chapter 2 reviews explanatory models of rule adoption of Europeanization, policy transfer, and diffusion literature, and the conditions they identify for a successful transfer of norms and ideas. It argues that the external incentives model might best explain the likelihood of rule adoption but if the ultimate goal is that rules are applied and enforced, learning-based approaches have to be strengthened in the enlargement process. Different approaches to reflexive governance, from collaborative-relational to experimentalist, pragmatist, and genetic approaches, all focusing in different ways on the conditions required for a learning process to be successful, are presented claiming that they offer ideas that merit closer study to establish their potential in improving the performance in the EU enlargement process and beyond. The hypothesis is that reflexive governance is well suited to improve compliance and reduce likelihood of backsliding as it captures all the actors involved in framework regulation as is the case of the transposition of binding directives. To test the plausibility of the hypothesis, a case study on Croatia with a focus on the equality acquis is carried out by means of process tracing. This showed that while the argument could be partly confirmed, there is also a need for more consistent and transparent monitoring, which could be achieved by the use of indicators. Furthermore, pooling of results and the drawing of conclusions from such results, which is decisive for the success of a reflexive governance system, is given too little attention. The subsequent chapters thus set out to make a contribution to these identified lacunae.

Implementation Five-Construct Model to Determine Factors that Affect Customer Satisfaction in The Online Leathercraft Industry

This research uses a five-construct theoretical model as the basis for finding out what factors can satisfy customers in the online leathercraft industry. The questionnaire is based on this model, which is distributed through online channels and social media. There are 691 samples obtained and analyzed by looking at the demographic data and then correlation and regression analysis. The results obtained are that all hypotheses are accepted with factors that can satisfy customers: online shopping experience; external incentives; customer service; and security/privacy; and personal characteristics. For personal characteristics that can be used as factors, namely monthly salary and occupation. These five factors are recommended to be implemented by the online leathercraft industry to satisfy their customers.

Domestic Sources of Foreign Policy Change: Kyrgyzstan’s U-Turns on the U.S. Air Base at Manas Airport

Mainstream theories of international relations explain the foreign policies of small states based on the function of external incentives and pressures. This article challenges such explanations and analyzes Kyrgyzstan’s decisions concerning the U.S. air base at Manas between 2005 and 2010, which was a curious case of risk-taking in foreign policy by a small state. Applying a framework of “ideas, interests and institutions,” the article shows how changes in Kyrgyzstan’s foreign policy reflected a shift in the domestic context of policymaking.

Is self-determination good for your effectiveness? A study of factors which influence performance within self-determination theory

Despite the vast body of studies within self-determination theory, the impact of factors which influence performance in experimental paradigm is still underresearched. The aim of the two studies presented in this paper was to investigate the impact of basic psychological needs on performance with the simultaneous presence of external incentives. Study 1 tested whether the satisfaction of competence and relatedness during task performance (while external incentives were present) can impact individual’s performance. Study 2, on the other hand, investigated whether the basic psychological needs and provision of external incentives can impact an individual’s performance. Moreover, in both studies the mechanisms behind the need–performance relationship was checked. Our results showed that out of the three basic needs, competence had the strongest positive impact on performance, which was partially mediated by the subjective evaluation of the levels of difficulty and intrinsic motivation. The weak relationship between relatedness and task performance was fully mediated by the level of intrinsic motivation.

Public procurement in Ukraine in the context of international requirements: the way to improve a legal regulation

The purpose of the study is to characterize the System of national legal regulation of public procurement of Ukraine, to determine the features of the impact of international law on the Ukrainian procurement system, as well as ways to improve it. The research methodology is based on an integrated intersectoral approach and a comparative approach. The effectiveness of the current legislation of Ukraine on public procurement was determined by means of the "ex post" assessment methodology, and the methodology of legal monitoring, including as a result of the study of court decisions. The results showed that the legal regulation of government procurement on the territory of Ukraine is undergoing significant changes, in connection with the harmonisation of legislation to international (worldwide and regional) standards; the majority part of the WTO GPA and Association Agreement provisions in the field of government procurement has already been implemented or is being implemented by Ukraine. Indeed, taking into account the access to the EU market obtained within the GPA framework, Ukraine has already not so many external incentives for the full compliance with the obligations to harmonize the legislation under the Association Agreement than it was expected at its signing.

Improving Test-Taking Effort in Low-Stakes Group-Based Educational Testing: A Meta-Analysis of Interventions

Four decades of research have shown that students’ low test-taking effort is a serious threat to the validity of score-based inferences from low-stakes, group-based educational assessments. This meta-analysis sought to identify effective interventions for improving students’ test-taking effort in such contexts. Included studies (a) used a treatment-control group design; (b) administered a low-stakes group-based educational assessment; (c) employed an intervention to improve test-taking motivation; (d) evaluated test-taking effort and/or test performance as outcomes. The analysis included 53 studies (N = 59,096) that produced 60 and 105 effect sizes of test-taking effort and test performance, respectively. On average, interventions were found to improve test-taking effort and test performance by 0.13 standard deviations (SD) each. The largest gains in test-taking effort were observed when providing external incentives followed by increasing test relevance, while no significant differences were found between these two intervention types in improving test performance. Furthermore, negligible impact was detected on both dependent variables for interventions that modified assessment design or promised feedback. Recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.

The fly liquid-food electroshock assay (FLEA) suggests opposite roles for neuropeptide F in avoidance of bitterness and shock

Background Proper regulation of feeding is important for an organism’s well-being and survival and involves a motivational component directing the search for food. Dissecting the molecular and neural mechanisms of motivated feeding behavior requires assays that allow quantification of both motivation and food intake. Measurements of motivated behavior usually involve assessing physical effort or overcoming an aversive stimulus. Food intake in Drosophila can be determined in a number of ways, including by measuring the time a fly’s proboscis interacts with a food source associated with an electrical current in the fly liquid-food interaction counter (FLIC). Here, we show that electrical current flowing through flies during this interaction is aversive, and we describe a modified assay to measure motivation in Drosophila. Results Food intake is reduced during the interaction with FLIC when the electrical current is turned on, which provides a confounding variable in studies of motivated behavior. Based on the FLIC, we engineer a novel assay, the fly liquid-food electroshock assay (FLEA), which allows for current adjustments for each feeding well. Using the FLEA, we show that both external incentives and internal motivational state can serve as drivers for flies to overcome higher current (electric shock) to obtain superior food. Unlike similar assays in which bitterness is the aversive stimulus for the fly to overcome, we show that current perception is not discounted as flies become more food-deprived. Finally, we use genetically manipulated flies to show that neuropeptide F, an orthologue of mammalian NPY previously implicated in regulation of feeding motivation, is required for sensory processing of electrical current. Conclusion The FLEA is therefore a novel assay to accurately measure incentive motivation in Drosophila. Using the FLEA, we also show that neuropeptide F is required for proper perception or processing of an electroshock, a novel function for this neuropeptide involved in the processing of external and internal stimuli.

Forget about the money? A latent profile analysis of calling and work motivation in Chinese employees

PurposeCalling is typically associated with more intrinsic than extrinsic work motivation. This could give the impression that employees with a calling do not need or care about external rewards. To deepen the understanding of the relationship between calling and work motivation, the purpose of this paper is to test how calling is combined with different types of work motivation and how such combinations affect work outcomes differentially.Design/methodology/approachThe authors applied latent profile analysis among Chinese employees with diverse occupations (N = 1,290), to identify calling and work motivation profiles and test their relations with work outcomes, assessed four months later.FindingsFour profiles emerged: externally motivated low calling, moderately externally motivated calling, moderately motivated calling and highly motivated calling. Employees with weaker and stronger callings indicated being extrinsically motivated for work. Employees in the highly motivated calling profile exhibited highest job satisfaction, lowest cynicism and lowest turnover intentions, followed by employees in the moderately motivated calling profile, the moderately externally motivated calling profile and the externally motivated low calling profile.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings imply that employees with a strong calling do care about external rewards and also benefit from external incentives to work.Originality/valueThis study is the first to explore the differential relationship between calling and work motivation. Moreover, the findings offer insights regarding the under-researched notion that different types of calling predict work outcomes differently.

Corruption and human nature: an ecosystem analysis experience

The global problem of corruption needs an integrative understanding from psychology, sociology, jurisprudence, and cultural approaches. Corruption threatens national and global security, leads to the degradation of humanistic, moral values, and significantly reduces the level of social capital and the effectiveness of governance in a wide range of areas. The article considers the origins of corruption and its motivating factors based on ideas concerning the nature of man, the human psyche, based on an analysis of the relationship between the conscious and unconscious levels of consciousness and subconscious, instinctive impulses. The author discusses the possibility of preventing corruption in an ecosystem approach to civil service, which would allow a holistic presentation of internal and external factors that determine the essence of the civil service, the prerequisites, and conditions for its harmonization with the social environment. By understanding civil servants’ behavior, internal motives, and external incentives, it is possible to define a public service ecosystem that will ensure a symbiosis between the civil service, society, and the State. The creation of such an ecosystem can contribute to the qualitative improvement of public administration.