Pentru fiecare text/articol de ziar care se va studia in clasa se vor aborda urmatoarele

elemente:

- vocabular

- gramatica

- traducere

-continut de idei

- transmiterea/receptarea informatiei in presa engleza si cea americana

- sinteza articolului in 2, 3 paragrafe si rescrierea lui dupa acest rezumat printr-o abordare
personala

SCIENCE

Even among animals: Leaders, Followers and Schmoozers

by Natalie Angier Published: April 5, 2010

I recently tried taking a couple of online personality tests, and I must say I was disappointed by the
exercise. I was asked bland amorphisms like whether I was “someone who tends to find fault” with
people (duh), is generally “friendly and agreeable” (see previous response), and always “does a thorough
job” (can I just skip this question?).

Nowhere were there any real challenges like the following: Let’s say you are very hungry, and you go
over to your favorite food dish. Inside you see, in addition to the standard blend of peanuts and insect
parts, a bright plastic frog. How long before you work up the nerve to eat your dinner anyway? Or: You
have just been ushered into a room that is in every way familiar, except that somebody has put a scrap
of old, brown carpet in the middle of the floor. Do you keep your distance from the novelty item, or do
you rush over and start pecking at it?

These and other vividly tangible gems are taken from the burgeoning fields of animal personality
research, the effort to understand why individual members of the same species can be so mulishly
themselves, and so unlike one another on a wide variety of behavioral measures. Scientists studying
animals from virtually every niche of the bestial kingdom have found evidence of distinctive personalities
– bundled sets of behaviors, quirks, preferences and pet peeves that remain stable over time and across
settings. They have found stylistic diversity in chimpanzees, monkeys, barnacle geese, farm minks, blue
tits and great tits, bighorn sheep, dumpling squid, pumpkinseed sunfish, zebra finches, spotted hyenas,
even spiders and water striders, to name but a few. They have identified hotheads and tiptoers,
schmoozers and loners, divas, dullards and fearless explorers, and they have learned that animals, like
us, often cling to the same personality for the bulk of their lives. The daredevil chicken of today is the one
out crossing the road tomorrow.

Researches are delving into the source and significance of all these animals spirits. They are asking
questions like, when geese start on a wild goose chase, what sort of goose will lead the flock, and why do
the rest choose to follow it? They are devising computer models to explain how different personality types

1
can be maintained in a given animal population, and they are exploring the upsides and drawbacks of
different personal styles.

In his studies of fishing spiders, for example, J.Chadwick Johnson, now at Arizona State University, has
discovered that some juvenile spiders are exceptionally voracious predators and thus grow into beefy,
fecund adults. But the avarice has a potential downside. The big-mouthed female spiders have a nasty
habit of cannibalizing potential mates before copulation, and without sperm to fertilize their eggs, all their
hard-won superfecundity could go to waste.

Other scientists are exploring personal qualities that span phylogenies and allegories: Recent research
suggests that highly sensitive, arty-type humans have a lot in common with squealing pigs and twitchy
mice, and that to call a hypersensitive person thin-skinned or touchy might hold a grain of physical truth.

Some critics complain that the term “animal personality” is a bit too slick, while others worry that the
entire enterprise smacks of the dread golem of biology, anthropomorphism – assigning human traits to
nonhuman beings. Researchers in the field, however, defend their lingo and tactics. “Some of the
behavior patterns we’re talking about are similar to what we call personality in human psychology
literature”, said Max Wolf of the Max Planck Institute in Germany. “So why not call it personality in other
animals?”

Alison M. Bell of the University of Illinois at Urbana, who studies personality in stickleback fish, said:
“We’re not being cute and anecdotal, we’re looking at consistent differences in behavior that we can test
and measure.”

Reporting in this month’s issue of the journal Animal Behavior, researchers from the University of
Glasgow addressed the widespread concern that the findings of animal personality studies, so often
performed on captive subjects, may be laboratory artifacts, with scant relevance to how the creature
behave in nature.

Working with a group of 125 wild-caught blue tits over the course of two winters, Katherine A. Herbon
and her colleagues first typed each bird’s personality in the lab, focusing on two key traits: neophobia, or
fear of novelty, and the willingness to explore one’s surroundings. They put pink plastic frogs in the birds’
food dish and clocked the time it took each bird to feed. All the birds noticed the luminous intruder.

“You could see they were agitated, hopping around the cage”, said Ms. Herborn, who is completing her
doctorate. But some of them shrugged off their fear and started feeding within seconds, while other birds
kept distant for several minutes. Researchers also offered the birds a mix of familiar and novel enclosures
and measured how long it took each tit to seek out new perches and poke through strange new
compartments.

The researchers then released the tagged birds back into the wild and continued monitoring their
neophobic and exploratory tendencies by changing bowl colors at existing feeding stations and adding
new birds feeders elsewhere. “This was a much harder part of the study, and involved a lot of lugging
around of batteries” for tracking equipment, Ms. Herborn said.

Despite the experimental challenges, the results were clear. Birds that had been frog-averse in captivity
were every bit as skittish toward color changes outdoors, and the high explorers when caged were
similarly adept at finding new feeding opportunities far afield. A bird in the lab worked like a bird in the
bush.

And for birds of a feather to goose step together, someone must take the first move. As they reported
last summer in Animal Behavior, Ralf H. Kurvers of Wageningen University in the Netherlands and his

2
collegues sought to learn why when certain barnacle geese would start moving, others would honkily
follow. They could find no obvious correlation between leadership and standard pluses like large size,
maleness or social dominance. The only reliable predictor of goose leadership was boldness – the
willingness to approach a new item like a scrap of carpet. Geese are not stupid. The boldest birds also
proved the most adept at finding new food parches, and if you’re looking for grazing advice in a crowd,
why not follow the goose with the golden track record?

Scientists suspect that small inherited predispositions are either enhanced or suppressed by experience,
and computer models show that tiny discrepancies at the start can become enormous over time, through
feedback loopings of positive reinforcement. Evidence is also emerging that certain physical setpoints
affect temperament globally. Notable among such setpoints is the relative rate at which one’s nervous
system processes sensory information.

“There are low information processors who don’t attend much to their environment and bulldoze through
life”, said David Sloan Wilson of the State University of New York at Binghamton. “then there are the
sensitive ones who are always taking things in, which can be good because information is valuable, but it
can also be overwhelming”.

Studies of highly sensitive people show their delicacy is “domain general”, Dr. Wilson said. Not only are
they “exceptionally moved by symphonies” and find graphic depictions of violence “too hard to bear”, but
they are also sensitive to drugs like caffeine, and their skin is easily irritated by the wrong soap,
sunscreen and fabric. Highly sensitive pigs squeal a lot; highly sensitive people feel a lot. Sure, it’s painful
at times. But just switch on some Bach and I’ll squeal my thanks for thin skin.

Personality-Type Assessment

INSTRUCTIONS

Below are four questions, and descriptions of two different lists of personality "preferences." Both lists
have their own strengths and blindspots. BOTH are equally valuable -- NEITHER one is better or worse
than the other.

Read both sets of descriptions for Question #1 and decide which list -- as a whole - describes you
better (even if just a little better). Then click the appropriate button. Try to answer as you really
are, not how you may wish you were, or have to be at work.

1. Where is your energy naturally directed?

Extraverts' energy is directed primarily outward, towards people and things outside of
themselves. Introverts' energy is primarily directed inward, towards their own thoughts,
perceptions, and reactions. Therefore, Extraverts tend to be more naturally active, expressive,
social, and interested in many things, whereas Introverts tend to be more reserved, private,
cautious, and interested in fewer interactions, but with greater depth and focus.

Extraverts often: Introverts often:

• Have high energy • Have quiet energy

• Talk more than listen • Listen more than talk

• Think out loud • Think quietly inside their heads

• Act, then think • Think, then act

3
 • Like to be around people a lot • Feel comfortable being alone

• Prefer a public role • Prefer to work "behind-the-scenes"

• Can sometimes be easily distracted • Have good powers of concentration

• Prefer to do lots of things at once • Prefer to focus on one thing at a time

• Are outgoing & enthusiastic • Are self-contained and reserved

Extravert (E) or Introvert (I)

2. What kind of information do you naturally notice and remember?

Sensors notice the facts, details, and realities of the world around them whereas Intuitives are
more interested in connections and relationships between facts as well as the meaning, or
possibilities of the information. Sensors tend to be practical and literal people, who trust past
experience and often have good common sense. Intuitives tend to be imaginative, theoretical
people who trust their hunches and pride themselves on their creativity.

Sensors often: Intuitives often:

• Focus on details & specifics • Focus on the big picture & possibilities

• Admire practical solutions • Admire creative ideas

• Notice details & remember facts • Notice anything new or different

• Are pragmatic - see what is • Are inventive - see what could be

• Live in the here-and-now • Think about future implications

• Trust actual experience • Trust their gut instincts

• Like to use established skills • Prefer to learn new skills

• Like step-by-step instructions • Like to figure things out for themselves

• Work at a steady pace • Work in bursts of energy

Sensor (S) or Intuitive (N)

3. How do you decide or come to conclusions?

Thinkers make decisions based primarily on objective and impersonal criteria--what makes the
most sense and what is logical. Feelers make decisions based primarily on their personal values
and how they feel about the choices. So, Thinkers tend to be cool, analytical, and are convinced
by logical reasoning. Feelers tend to be sensitive, empathetic, and are compelled by extenuating
circumstances and a constant search for harmony.

Thinkers often: Feelers often:

• Make decisions objectively • Decide based on their values & feelings

• Appear cool and reserved • Appear warm and friendly

• Are most convinced by rational • Are most convinced by how they feel
arguments • Are diplomatic and tactful
• Are honest and direct • Value harmony and compassion
• Value honesty and fairness • Take many things personally

4
 • Take few things personally
• Are quick to compliment others
• Are good at seeing flaws
• Are motivated by appreciation
• Are motivated by achievement

• Avoid arguments and conflicts

Thinker (T) or Feeler (F)

4. What kind of environment makes you the most comfortable?

Judgers prefer a structured, ordered, and fairly predictable environment, where they can make
decisions and have things settled. Perceivers prefer to experience as much of the world as
possible, so they like to keep their options open and are most comfortable adapting. So, Judgers
tend to be organized and productive while Perceivers tend to be flexible, curious, and
nonconforming.

Judgers often: Perceivers often:

• Like to have things settled • Like to keep their options open

• Take responsibilities seriously • Are playful and casual

• Pay attention to time & are usually • Are less aware of time and may run late
prompt • Prefer to start projects
• Prefer to finish projects • Play first, work later
• Work first, play later • May have difficulty making some
• Seek closure decisions
• See the need for most rules • Question the need for many rules

• Like to make & stick with plans • Like to keep plans flexible

• Find comfort in schedules • Want the freedom to be spontaneous

Judger (J) or Perceiver (P)

How to decide if you're an EXTRAVERT or an INTROVERT

We all feel like Introverts sometimes and Extraverts at other times, depending on the situation and
how much time we've spent alone vs. with lots of people. The question is which seems to be (and has
been over time) your more natural "default" setting. Which of the following two paragraphs describes
the real you better, even if only slightly better?

EXTRAVERT

You get energized by activity, people, variety and talking and when you are at social gatherings and
probably prefer to talk to lots of people about a wide range of topics. You like to be in the thick of the
action and are eager to share your thoughts and ideas, even if they are not yet fully formed. Some of
your best ideas come out during conversations. You usually get energized by being around people and
usually look forward to social gatherings. You tend to be outgoing and share information about yourself
with others fairly readily.

OR

5
 INTROVERT

Your best ideas often come after you've let them "percolate" for a while inside your head. While you
enjoy some social gatherings, you tend to prefer in depth, one-on-one conversations with a few people
rather than having lots of brief conversations with many different people. After spending several hours
socializing, you'd probably like to recharge your batteries by being alone for a little while. You tend to
listen before talking and don't like to compete with others for "air time." It may take awhile for others
to get to know the real you.

Hopefully now you have more confidence about your natural "preference" on this scale. Go back to the
assessment and verify your answer. If you still are uncertain, leave the "Not Very confident" checked.
(Note that you will only be allowed to have 2 of the 4 scales as "Not Very Confident.")

How to decide if you're a SENSOR or an INTUITIVE

On a daily basis, we all operate in "Intuitive mode" some of the time and in "Sensor mode" other
times, but one of these two modes is as natural and comfortable as writing with our dominant hand
and the other takes extra effort like writing with our other hand. Which of the following two paragraphs
describes the real you better, even if only slightly better?

SENSOR

You tend to be most interested in talking about things that are "real", tangible, practical and concrete -
what you can see, smell, taste, touch or hear. You probably pay great attention to details and might
even be able to relay many recent conversations close to verbatim. He said (this) and I then said
(that), etc. You tend to tell stories with lots of specifics and like others to also give you all the pertinent
details. You would probably rather implement plans than spend lots of time discussing the long-term
implications of the plans.

OR

INTUITIVE

You tend to be most interested in ideas and like to consider future possibilities. When you are having a
conversation, your brain is constantly making associations and you can easily see connections to other
ideas and concepts. As a result, you often remember your impression of conversations and can relay
the gist, but not the precise wording that was used. You probably enjoy brainstorming ideas and seeing
long term implications and would prefer to be involved in creating the vision of what could be rather
than executing the many steps involved to get there.

Hopefully now you have more confidence about your natural "preference" on this scale. Go back to the
assessment and verify your answer. If you still are uncertain, leave the "Not Very confident" checked.
(Note that you will only be allowed to have 2 of the 4 scales as "Not Very Confident.")

How to decide if you're a THINKER or a FEELER

Women are socialized to be more "feeler" and men to be more "thinker", which can make it challenging
for some people to determine which one is their "true" natural in born preference. Try to think of
yourself in lots of different situations where you are making decisions, not just as a parent or at work,

6
where you have certain roles to play. Which of the following two paragraphs describes the real you
better, even if only slightly better?

THINKER

You tend to be most comfortable with the part of the decision making process that involves logically
analyzing the pros and cons and looking at the situation as objectively as possible, taking the particular
feelings of individual people out of the equation. Your objective is to arrive at a decision that "makes
sense" and is treats everyone fairly. You probably find it easiest when you can be very straightforward
with people and not have to worry too much about possibly offending them with your directness.

OR

FEELER

You tend to be most comfortable in the part of the decision making process that involves focusing on
how the people involved will be impacted. You tend to decide based on how you and others will feel
about the situation and have a strong need to be true to your own personal values. A top priority for
you is maintaining harmonious relationships and avoiding tense, conflict-ridden situations. You may be
very sensitive to the emotional undertones of any interaction and probably work to avoid others having
hard feelings or not feeling valued.

Hopefully now you have more confidence about your natural "preference" on this scale. Go back to the
assessment and verify your answer. If you still are uncertain, leave the "Not Very confident" checked.
(Note that you will only be allowed to have 2 of the 4 scales as "Not Very Confident.")

How to decide if you're a JUDGER or a PERCEIVER

Most of us are encouraged to be in "Judger mode" at work, so for this dimension, it is best to think of
yourself when you are working on a project at home or making plans for your social life. When there
are two Perceivers or two Judgers in a relationship, one person often plays the opposite role, so try to
be conscious of what is your natural preference is, vs. what role you may tend to play in any given
situation. Which of the following two paragraphs describes the real you better, even if only slightly
better?

JUDGER

You tend to be driven towards closure whether making a decision, making a plan or completing a
project, and may feel uncomfortable when things are too unstructured or left undecided. You probably
have two separate modes: "play" mode and "on-task" mode. When you are "on-task" you can seem
rather serious and get stressed since it's important to get your tasks accomplished on time. You may
work for long periods of time without taking a break especially when you are close to finishing a
project. You probably have a to-do list and derive satisfaction from checking off completed items.

OR

PERCEIVER

You like to keep your options open and take in lots of information before making a decision. You enjoy
being spontaneous in your social life. You generally prefer an informal and casual approach to most

7
things and probably don't like a lot of unnecessary rules. While you've learned to meet most deadlines,
you may do your best work when you get the adrenaline rush at the last minute. You might like to take
frequent breaks especially when working on lengthy projects.

Hopefully now you have more confidence about your natural "preference" on this scale. Go back to the
assessment and verify your answer. If you still are uncertain, leave the "Not Very confident" checked.
(Note that you will only be allowed to have 2 of the 4 scales as "Not Very Confident.")