This dissertation examines the engraved illustrations produced by the first generation of the De Bry family workshop for the initial seven volumes of the India Occidentalis (1590-1597) series, published under the name of Theodore de Bry. Although this series has consistently been a central focus in scholarship on early modern representations of the Americas, its images have not undergone a comprehensive visual analysis. Moreover, Theodore de Bry’s contributions and significance have not been ...
This dissertation offers a historiographical and museological study of the permanent exhibition layouts in the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche at Urbino's Palazzo Ducale. It examines the curatorial and institutional use of space since the foundation in 1912 to the end of the century, and reconceptualises the museum as a dynamic entity shaped by evolving cultural and conservation paradigms. The study focuses on the evolving relationship between the collection and the architecture. The initial ...
This thesis explores the relationship between Algorithmic Management (AM) and employee well-being in standard work environments. AM, which refers to the use of algorithms to assume managerial functions traditionally handled by humans, is an emerging phenomenon that promises efficiency and objectivity. However, its impact on well-being is still under heated debate, particularly regarding when and why AM leads to positive or negative well-being outcomes for employees. This research seeks to add...
A computational finite element modelling of a mechanical model to predict wear, including friction, is proposed in this work. As an ex- pansion of the interface finite element with an embedded profile for joint roughness (MPJR interface finite element), it is designed to solve the frictional contact problem between rigid indenters of any complex shape and elastic bodies. In the formulation, the non-linearity due to contact is considered for predicting contact traction, frictional effects, ...
Throughout the day, individuals experience a variety of feelings, such as amusement, relaxation, and envy. By observing the regularities in the stream of affect, individuals learn to predict future emotions from current ones and develop accurate mental models of emotion transitions. This thesis aims to explore the cognitive architecture underlying these affective forecasts. Through a series of experiments involving both healthy and psychiatric individuals, we investigate i) the temporal bound...
Aggressivity is a type of widespread behavior in our society, yet its outcomes are everything but desirable. If evolutionary, being aggressive might have given some clear advantages to one to prevail (e.g., seizing resources, better mating options); nowadays, aggressive behavior held none of those advan- tages, being a form of prevarication where the ultimate goal is to harm another individual, either physically, emotionally, morally or materially. Why, then, is aggressive behavior still pe...
Emotion, as a field of study, has evolved significantly over the centuries, encompassing various perspectives from theology, philosophy, medicine, psychology, and neuroscience. Historically, terms like 'passions,' 'affections,' and 'emotions' have carried different connotations and have been studied through different lenses, influenced by societal norms and scientific advancements. The affective lexicon has seen a transition across different languages and cultural contexts, contributing to th...
The slow waves (0.5-4 Hz) observed during NREM sleep exhibit significant alterations influenced by experience-related plasticity and brain maturation. Existing literature predominantly suggests that slow waves originate from the cortex in both children and adults. However, research involving animal models and intracranial recordings from epilepsy patients has highlighted the potential pivotal role of subcortical structures, particularly the thalamus, in orchestrating and coordinating cortical...
This doctoral dissertation is structured into three chapters, each ad- dressing aspects related to policy evaluation, with a focus on events car- rying substantial implications for the economy and international trade. These events include the Brexit referendum, trade disruptions, and the development of export recommendations. The Economic Cost of a Referendum. The Case of Brexit. This paper esti- mates how GDP would have behaved in the United Kingdom after the Brexit referendum in the abse...
Conflict is a crucial force that shapes the world. If, at a group level, conflict is able to shape allocations of power and re- sources, often changing the equilibrium between two groups, at the individual level, conflict affects social interactions, prim- ing aggressive and hostile behaviors that disrupt cooperation. In this Doctoral Thesis, we take a theoretical evolutionary perspective, as well as an experimental one, to investigate how conflict affects different aspects of socially re...