People struggling with work addiction feel unwell even when they are working

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA

The mood of workaholics - individuals who suffer from work addiction - is on average worse than that of other people, even when engaged in the activity they are most passionate about: their work. Workaholism shares many similarities with other addictions, such as gambling or alcoholism.

This is what emerges from a study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, conducted by Cristian Balducci, a professor at the Department for Life Quality Studies at the University of Bologna (Rimini Campus), in collaboration with Dr. Luca Menghini from the University of Trento and Prof. Paola Spagnoli from the University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli'.

Professor Balducci explains: "The negative mood observed in workaholics may indicate elevated daily stress levels and that could be the cause of the higher risk for these individuals to develop burnout and cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, considering that workaholics often hold positions of responsibility, their negative mood could readily influence that of colleagues and co-workers. This poses a risk that organizations should seriously consider, intervening to discourage behaviors that contribute to workaholism.”

WORK ADDICTION
Work addiction has been a well-known phenomenon for a long time: people suffering from it tend to work excessively and compulsively. This is a true obsession that negatively affects health, psychological well-being, and relations with family and friends.

Several studies indicate that workaholics commonly experience a sense of unwellness, often accompanied by negative emotions such as hostility, anxiety, and guilt when they are unable to work as extensively as they wish. On the other hand, there are conflicting assumptions about the feelings that emerge in these people while they are at work. Some studies suggest that workaholics experience feelings of well-being and satisfaction during the workday, yet other research indicates that these positive emotions quickly transition to a prevailing dysphoric state characterized by irritation and depression.

WORKAHOLISM AND EMOTIONAL FLATNESS
To shed light on this aspect, scholars involved 139 full-time workers in the study, mostly employed in back-office activities. A psychological test was first used to assess the participants' level of work dependency. Afterward, the scholars analyzed the mood of the workers and their perception of workload using a technique known as "experience sampling method". This was done using an app installed on the participants' phones, which allowed them to send short questionnaires, approximately every 90 minutes, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., over the course of three working days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

"The collected data show that the most workaholic workers have on average a worse mood than the others", says Prof. Balducci. "So, it does not appear to be true that people who are addicted to work derive more pleasure from their work activity; quite the opposite, the results seem to confirm that, as in other forms of behavioural and substance addiction, the initial euphoria gives way to a negative emotional state that pervades the person even while at work.”

The results also demonstrate that, unlike other workers, workaholics, on average, consistently maintain a more negative mood throughout the day, with no significant variations attributed to the passage of time or fluctuations in workload. A diminished reactivity of mood to external stimuli implies a notable emotional flattening, a well-recognized phenomenon in other types of addictions.

“This element,” suggests Luca Menghini, researcher at the University of Trento and first author of the study, “could stem from the workaholic's inability to moderate work investment, resulting in a significant decrease in disconnection and recovery experiences, and the parallel consolidation of a negative affective tone.”

WOMEN AND WORKAHOLISM
Another interesting result that emerged from the study is that of gender differences. The relationship between work addiction and bad mood was in fact more pronounced in women than in men, indicating a greater vulnerability of women to workaholism.

Scholars suggest that this phenomenon may depend on an increased role conflict experienced by workaholic women, caught between the internal tendency to over-invest in their work and the external pressures stemming from gender expectations still deeply rooted in our culture.

DANGERS AND COUNTERMEASURES
These results warn of the dangers of workaholism. Work addiction can lead to significant negative repercussions not only on relationships with family and friends, but also on physical and psychological well-being. The so-called “overwork illnesses” can aggravate to the point of leading to death from overwork - a phenomenon with a not inconsiderable case history today.

“Organisations must send clear signals to workers on this issue and avoid encouraging a climate where working outside working hours and at weekends is considered the norm,” Prof. Balducci concludes. "On the contrary, it is necessary to foster an environment that discourages excessive and dysfunctional investment in work, promoting disconnection policies, specific training activities and counselling interventions."

The study was published on the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology with the title "Uncovering the Main and Interacting Impact of Workaholism on Momentary Hedonic Tone at Work: An Experience Sampling Approach.” The authors are Cristian Balducci of the University of Bologna, Luca Menghini of the University of Trento and Paola Spagnoli of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Occupational Health Psychology

DOI

10.1037/ocp0000365 

ARTICLE TITLE

Uncovering the main and interacting impact of workaholism on momentary hedonic tone at work: An experience sampling approach

 

What are the effects of workforce automation across race and gender in the United States?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

WILEY

Advances in areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence enable the automation of a range of occupational tasks, leading to fundamental changes in the nature of work. New research published in The American Journal of Economics and Sociology indicates that the effects of job automation vary across race and gender, and without targeted interventions, will likely result in increasing inequality.

The research analyzes two distinct measures of automation job displacement risk for more than 1.4 million Americans across 385 occupations. The findings show that the intersection of race and gender has a significant effect on automation risks. For example, when compared with white males, Black, Hispanic, and Native American males face 5.8%, 3.9%, and 2.8% higher job automation risks, respectively, when all other variables are held constant. Asian males, however, are at a 0.9% lower risk. Compared with white males, white females have a 1.6% lower risk, and Black females have a 1.1% lower risk. Hispanic females have a 0.5% higher risk, and Asian females have a 0.8% higher risk. Native American females were not correlated with a higher or lower risk of automation than white males. Age, disability, and country of birth were also significant factors for job automation risk.

The study also underscores the importance of education in reducing automation risks and the need to address existing racial and gender disparities in educational attainment. For instance, holding all other variables constant, Black females had a 1.1% lower automation risk than white males. However, once education is considered, the relative risks change considerably. A white male with a Bachelor’s degree, for example, has a 21.3% lower job automation risk compared with a Black female with a high school degree.

“This study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay of race, gender, education, and other factors with automation risks in the American workforce. It highlights the importance of tackling discrimination and educational gaps based on race and gender,” said corresponding author Ian P. McManus, PhD, of Emerson College. “It also emphasizes the need to adopt policies that ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes for all workers, especially those facing greater economic vulnerability and social exclusion due to this technological transformation.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajes.12554

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
The American Journal of Economics and Sociology is an international, interdisciplinary scholarly journal publishing original, peer reviewed, high-quality studies which aim to add to our knowledge of issues within the broad fields of Economics, Sociology, Political Science, and Social Science generally. 

About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Economics and Sociology

DOI

10.1111/ajes.12554 

ARTICLE TITLE

Workforce Automation Risks Across Race and Gender in the United States

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Nov-2023

 

MRI reveals brain activity behind fanaticism

Meeting Announcement

RADIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

 

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THE CONTRAST OF WINNING AND LOSING IN THE “GOOD FANATIC BRAIN.” IT SHOWS IN WARM COLORS THE ACTIVITY RELATED TO A SIGNIFICANT WINNING. THE BLUE SCALE REPRESENTS THE ACTIVATION RELATED TO A SIGNIFICANT LOSS, THIS PATTERN IS CONGRUENT WITH THE MENTALIZATION NETWORK, WHICH SUGGESTS A RATIONALIZATION PROCESS OF THE PAIN EVOKED BY THE LOSING SCENARIO.

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CREDIT: RSNA/FRANCISCO ZAMORANO MENDIETA, PH.D.

CHICAGO – Soccer fans exhibit different patterns of brain activation while watching a match that may trigger positive and negative emotions and behaviors, according to research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The researchers say the implication of these findings could extend beyond sports to fanaticism in other areas, such as politics.

“This study aims to shed light on the behaviors and dynamics associated with extreme rivalry, aggression and social affiliation within and between groups of fanatics,” said the study’s lead author, Francisco Zamorano Mendieta, Ph.D., researcher in the Department of Imaging at Clínica Alemana de Santiago, and associate professor at Facultad de Ciencias para el Cuidado de la Salud, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile.

Rivalries run deep in the history of sports, and fans can be very protective of their “home” team and favorite players. These same fans run the gamut of emotions watching their team succeed or fail over the course of a game or match, cheering when they score or raging at a bad call. Soccer fans are known for their team loyalty and enthusiasm, particularly in Europe and South America.

To gain some insight into the brain mechanisms behind the behaviors of the fans, Dr. Zamorano and colleagues recruited 43 healthy male volunteers who support Chilean football teams for a functional MRI (fMRI) study.

The study involved football fans from the two most popular Chilean soccer teams, considered archrivals. Participants were divided into two groups, 22 supporters of one team and 21 supporters of the rival team. Participants completed a survey to determine a soccer fanaticism score and underwent psychological evaluations.

All participants were presented with a compilation of matches containing 63 goals. While the participants viewed the match compilation, their brain activity was measured using fMRI, a noninvasive imaging technique that detects changes in the brain’s blood flow.

The fMRI results showed that brain activity changed when the fan’s team succeeded or failed.

“When their team wins, the reward system in the brain is activated,” Dr. Zamorano said. “When they lose, the mentalization network can be activated, taking the fan to an introspective state. This may mitigate some of the pain of the loss. We also observed inhibition of the brain hub that connects the limbic system with frontal cortices, hampering the mechanism that regulates cognitive control and increasing the probability to fall into disruptive or violent behavior.”

According to Dr. Zamorano, the findings may shed light on social dynamics in all walks of life.

“People inherently crave social connections, be it through membership in a running club, participation in a book discussion group, or engagement in virtual forums,” he said. “While these social bonds often form around shared beliefs, values and interests, there can also be an element of persuasive proselytism, or ‘group think,’ which may give rise to unreasoned beliefs and societal discord.”

Dr. Zamorano believes that the zealousness found among some sports fans can serve as a compelling example of intense emotional investment, occasional aggressive behavior and impaired rationality.

“Understanding the psychology of group identification and competition can shed light on decision-making processes and social dynamics, leading to a fuller comprehension of how societies operate,” he said.

Dr. Zamorano noted that research in fanaticism and partisanship necessitates robust scientific frameworks but added that arenas like political stances, electoral loyalties, ethnicity, spirituality and identity issues are frequently mired in controversy, complicating efforts to pinpoint the neurological foundations of extreme allegiance.

“Sports fandom, on the other hand, presents a unique opportunity to analyze how intense devotion affects neural activity in a less contentious context, particularly by highlighting the role of negative emotions, the related inhibitory control mechanisms and possible adaptative strategies,” he said.

Co-authors are José María Hurtado, Ph.D., Patricio Carvajal-Paredes, Ximena Stecher Guzman, M.D., Patricia Soto-Icaza, Ph.D., Cesar Salinas, V. López, M.D., Ph.D., Waldemar Méndez, Pablo Billeke, M.D., Ph.D., and Claudio Silva, M.D.

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Note: Copies of RSNA 2023 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press23.

RSNA is an association of radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. (RSNA.org)

Editor’s note: The data in these releases may differ from those in the published abstract and those actually presented at the meeting, as researchers continue to update their data right up until the meeting. To ensure you are using the most up-to-date information, please call the RSNA Newsroom at 1-312-791-6610.

For patient-friendly information on brain MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org

Status threat - the concern that outsiders will undermine your group's status - is associated with increased age, conservatism, conspiracy mentality, and paranoia, in study of 300 US adults

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

 

IMAGE: 

STATUS THREAT - THE CONCERN THAT OUTSIDERS WILL UNDERMINE YOUR GROUP'S STATUS - IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED AGE, CONSERVATISM, CONSPIRACY MENTALITY, AND PARANOIA.

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CREDIT: MOHAMED_HASSAN, PIXABAY, CC0 (HTTPS://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/PUBLICDOMAIN/ZERO/1.0/)

Status threat - the concern that outsiders will undermine your group's status - is associated with increased age, conservatism, conspiracy mentality, and paranoia, in study of 300 US adults

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Article URL:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0293930

Article Title: Conspiracy mentality, subclinical paranoia, and political conservatism are associated with perceived status threat

Author Countries: USA

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

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JOURNAL

PLoS ONE

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0293930 

ARTICLE TITLE

Conspiracy mentality, subclinical paranoia, and political conservatism are associated with perceived status threat

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Nov-2023

COI STATEMENT

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

 

Cognitive ability mattered in the UK’s vote for Brexit, University of Bath research shows

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BATH

Susceptibility to misinformation and disinformation likely to have played part in Leave vote

New research from the University of Bath’s School of Management finds that higher cognitive ability was strongly linked to voting to Remain in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union Membership.

The study shows that cognitive skills including memory, verbal fluency, fluid reasoning and numerical reasoning, were correlated with how people decided to vote. 

Lead author Dr Chris Dawson, from the University of Bath’s School of Management, said: “This study adds to existing academic evidence showing that low cognitive ability makes people more susceptible to misinformation and disinformation. People with lower cognitive ability and analytical thinking skills find it harder to detect and discount this type of information.

“We know that evidence has been put forward that information provided to the public in the months leading up to the referendum was contradictory, false and often fraudulent, especially regarding the pro-Leave campaign, and that this information proliferated on social media platforms.”

The research, published in PLOS ONE, used a nationally representative sample of 6,366 individuals from 3,183 heterosexual couples collected as part of a large survey called Understanding Society. They found that, of the people with the lowest cognitive ability, only 40% voted Remain, whereas 73% of those with the highest cognitive ability voted Remain.

The researchers emphasise that it is important to understand that findings are based on average differences between large groups of voters.

“Depending on which side of the debate you fall, reading this may fill you with anger or joy. However, both these emotions are an error of judgement,” said Dr Dawson.

“It is important to understand that our findings are based on average differences: there exists a huge amount of overlap between the distributions of Remain and Leave cognitive abilities. Indeed, we calculated that approximately 36% of Leave voters had higher cognitive ability than the average (mean) Remain voter,” he said.

Importantly, the study looked at couples living in the same household to equalise people’s experiences, as well as controlling for demographic information such as political beliefs, education level, income and newspaper readership.

The research found that having a high cognitive ability partner and the highest cognitive ability in the couple both increased the likelihood of voting Remain.

“Low cognitive ability can lead to decision errors and many Leave voters are now saying they regret their choice. The study highlights how the rise in misinformation and disinformation, and people’s inability to counter this information, is undermining the democratic process and can be used to influence democratic outcomes,” said Dr Paul Baker from the University of Bath School of Management, co-author of the study.

Cognitive ability and voting behaviour in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership is published in PLOS ONE by Dr Chris Dawson and Dr Paul Baker.

 

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JOURNAL

PLoS ONE

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0289312 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Cognitive ability and voting behaviour in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Nov-2023

 

Higher cognitive ability linked to higher chance of having voted against Brexit

Research also finds strong links between a person’s “Leave” or “Remain” vote and their spouse’s cognitive skills

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

 

IMAGE: 

THE ANALYSIS REVEALED A STRONG STATISTICAL LINK BETWEEN HIGHER COGNITIVE ABILITY AND HAVING VOTED “REMAIN”.

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CREDIT: THEDIGITALARTIST, PIXABAY, CC0 (HTTPS://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/PUBLICDOMAIN/ZERO/1.0/)

A new analysis suggests that a person with higher cognitive ability may have been more likely to vote “Remain” in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and that a spouse’s cognitive skills may also be linked to Brexit voting decisions. Chris Dawson and Paul Baker of the University of Bath, UK, present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on November 22, 2023.

Having higher cognitive ability has previously been associated with a greater tendency to recognize and resist misinformation. Studies have also shown that the UK public received a large volume of misinformation about the referendum prior to voting for the UK to withdraw from the EU (“Brexit”). However, while a growing body of research has investigated potential links between people’s Brexit votes and socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and psychological factors, less research has addressed the potential role of cognitive ability in their decisions.

Dawson and Baker analyzed data on 3,183 heterosexual UK couples collected as part of a large survey study called Understanding Society. They examined whether there were any links between participants’ reporting that they had voted “Leave” or “Remain” and their cognitive ability—as measured by their performance on a variety of tasks. The researchers statistically accounted for other factors that could also be linked to voting decisions, such as socioeconomic and sociodemographic traits, political preferences, and a widely studied set of personality traits known as the Big Five.

The analysis revealed a strong statistical link between higher cognitive ability and having voted “Remain”. In addition, people whose spouse had higher cognitive ability were significantly more likely to vote “Remain”. In cases where one spouse voted “Remain” and the other “Leave”, having significantly higher cognitive ability than one’s spouse was associated with an even higher chance of voting to Remain.

The researchers note possible underlying explanations for their findings. For instance, misinformation about the referendum could have complicated decision making for people with low cognitive ability. They also suggest the need for ways to avoid such complications in the face of increasing amounts of misinformation.

The authors add: “This study adds to existing academic evidence showing that low cognitive ability makes people more susceptible to misinformation and disinformation. People with lower cognitive ability and analytical thinking skills find it harder to detect and discount this type of information.”

#####

Author interview: https://plos.io/46tNWwp

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0289312

Citation: Dawson C, Baker PL (2023) Cognitive ability and voting behaviour in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership. PLoS ONE 18(11): e0289312. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289312

Author Countries: UK

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

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JOURNAL

PLoS ONE

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0289312 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Cognitive ability and voting behaviour in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Nov-2023

Does rainfall in southern China contribute to air pollution in the North China Plain?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

SCIENCE CHINA PRESS

 

IMAGE: 

DISTRIBUTION OF TIME-AVERAGED PM2.5 CONCENTRATION (UNIT: ΜG M−3) OVER THE NORTH CHINA PLAIN (32°N−42°N, 110°E−120°E) AND RAINFALL (UNIT: MM DAY−1) IN SOUTHERN CHINA (22°N−32°N, 108°E−122°E) FROM 3 TO 12 FEBRUARY 2023. (A) OBSERVED PM2.5 CONCENTRATION AND GPCC RAINFALL; (B) TAP PM2.5 CONCENTRATION AND CPC RAINFALL. D01 AND D02 REPRESENT THE NORTH CHINA PLAIN AND SOUTHERN CHINA, RESPECTIVELY.

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CREDIT: ©SCIENCE CHINA PRESS

The North China Plain (NCP) is a region with some of the worst air pollution conditions on a global scale. Air pollution (known as haze) dominated by higher PM2.5 concentration, is well-documented for its adverse impacts on both human health and socioeconomic progress. Despite rigorous emissions reduction measures implemented by the Chinese government, the region continues to grapple with severe air pollution episodes virtually every year. For instance, in early February 2023, the average PM2.5 concentration over the North China Plain during this period ranked as the third-highest in the past nine years, accompanied by a yearly increase of 23.2% and a prolonged duration.

Dr. Xiadong An, affiliated with the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Ocean University of China, collaborated with Wen Chen, Professor of the School of Earth Science at Yunnan University, and Professors Chun Li and Lifang Sheng from Ocean University of China to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this substantial haze event. The team found that a strong quasi-barotropic anomalous anticyclone in the troposphere over the Pacific Northwest was responsible for the heavy haze. This anomalous anticyclone, previously labeled the Northeast Asian Anomalous Anticyclone (NAAA) by Dr. Xiadong An and co-authors in prior studies, exhibits a propensity to decrease surface wind speeds, elevate relative humidity, raise air temperatures within the lower troposphere, and lower the atmospheric boundary layer height. These meteorological changes create favorable conditions for the emergence of severe haze.

To their astonishment, southern China witnessed its second most substantial rainfall in nine years during the same period. Dr. Xiadong An and Professor Chun Li, in collaboration with Professor Wen Chen, embarked on a quest to ascertain the potential correlation between rainfall in southern China and the occurrence of severe haze over the North China Plain. Utilizing a state-of-the-art mesoscale Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model, the research team conducted numerical model experiments to scrutinize the influence of rainfall on the development of severe haze. The findings reveal that rainfall can trigger an anticyclonic anomaly over the Pacific Northwest through diabatic heating, consequently intensifying the magnitude of the anomalous anticyclone driven by background atmospheric circulations, with a substantial contribution of 27%. As a result, the North China Plain becomes more susceptible to severe haze. For example, the atmospheric boundary layer height is notably reduced in the WRF model, favoring air pollution over the North China Plain.

Furthermore, the rainfall also contributes to itself through convective feedback (with a contribution of 11.5%). Of course, the effect of atmospheric circulation on the rainfall is also undeniable. These findings suggest that southern rainfall-northern haze tends to occur in eastern China, with the former playing a contributory role in the latter. In the end, the researchers had to say that southern rainfall-north haze in eastern China is not an isolated incident, and it is probable to recur. Consequently, there is a pressing need to closely monitor the synchronized dynamics of rainfall and polluted weather.

This research offers a fresh perspective on understanding the impact of rainfall in southern China on haze over the North China Plain. Given the profound implications of air pollution on human health, any effort to investigate its underlying causes is laudable. While this study has shed light on the physical mechanisms linking rainfall in southern China to the development of severe haze over the North China Plain, it is still highly desirable to investigate it on a longer time-scale and on a wider spatial scale in the future.

See the article:

An X, Chen W, Li C, Cheng L, Zhang W, Hai S, Hu P. 2023. Influence of rainfall-induced diabatic heating on southern rainfall-northern haze over eastern China in early February 2023. Science China Earth Sciences, 66(11): 2579–2593, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-023-1181-3

Atmospheric circulation and planetary boundary layer height anomalies related to rainfall in southern China 

Difference map of the 200-hPa geopotential height (unit: m) between the control and sensitive (turn off latent heating) experiments based on WRF model during 4‒12 February 2023. The time series is the difference in the atmospheric boundary layer height (blue line; unit: m) between control and sensitive in the North China Plain (32−42°N, 110−120°E) indicated by the blue box.

CREDIT

©Science China Press

JOURNAL

Science China Earth Sciences

DOI

10.1007/s11430-023-1181-3 

 

Discovery of structural regularity hidden in silica glass

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TOHOKU UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

DISCOVERY OF STRUCTURAL REGULARITY HIDDEN IN SILICA GLASS. 

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CREDIT: MOTOKI SHIGA

Glass - whether used to insulate our homes or as the screens in our computers and smartphones - is a fundamental material. Yet, despite its long usage throughout human history, the disordered structure of its atomic configuration still baffles scientists, making understanding and controlling its structural nature challenging. It also makes it difficult to design efficient functional materials made from glass.

To uncover more about the structural regularity hidden in glassy materials, a research group has focused on ring shapes in the chemically bonded networks of glass. The group, which included Professor Motoki Shiga from Tohoku University's Unprecedented-scale Data Analytics Center, created new ways in which to quantify the rings' three-dimensional structure and structural symmetries: "roundness" and "roughness."

Using these indicators enabled the group to determine the exact number of representative ring shapes in crystalline and glassy silica (SiO2), finding a mixture of rings unique to glass and ones that resembled the rings in the crystals.

Additionally, the researchers developed a technique to measure the spatial atomic densities around rings by determining the direction of each ring.

They revealed that there is anisotropy around the ring, i.e., that the regulation of the atomic configuration is not uniform in all directions, and that the structural ordering related to the ring-originated anisotropy is consistent with experimental evidence, like the diffraction data of SiO2. It was also revealed that there were specific areas where the atomic arrangement followed some degree of order or regularity, even though it appeared to be a discorded and chaotic arrangement of atoms in glassy silica.

"The structural unit and structural order beyond the chemical bond had long been assumed through experimental observations but its identification has eluded scientists until now," says Shiga. "Furthermore, our successful analysis contributes to understanding phase-transitions, such as vitrification and crystallization of materials, and provides the mathematical descriptions necessary for controlling material structures and material properties."

Looking ahead, Shiga and his colleagues will use these techniques to come up with procedures for exploring glass materials, procedures that are based on data-driven approaches like machine learning and AI.

Their findings were published open access in the journal Communication Materials on November 3, 2023.

Ring shape indicators: (a) Computation procedure, (b) Examples of indicators on Silica (SiO2), (c) Distribution of shape indicators in silica glass and nine crystals.

Spatial atomic densities around rings in silica crystal (left) and glass (right). Blue and red regions show large density regions of silicon and oxygen atoms, respectively.

CREDIT

Motoki Shiga et al.

JOURNAL

Communications Materials

DOI

10.1038/s43246-023-00416-w 

ARTICLE TITLE

Ring-originated anisotropy of local structural ordering in amorphous and crystalline silicon dioxide\