When acting on the environment with another, it is critical that we understand the actions made possible by not only the properties of the environment, but by the capacity of the dyad. How we perceive these action possibilities, or affordances, for the dyad is a fundamental question in understanding joint action. The proposed project, JAP, aims to provide one of the first systematic and interdisciplinary – combining behavioural and neurophysiological data – investigations into the conditions under which affordances for the dyad (or joint affordances) are perceived, as well as the processes that underpin them. The present project will use object-based stimulus-response compatibility paradigms, which produce response time and error data that can be used to measure affordance-elicited motor activation. Additionally, eye-tracking and electroencephalogram (EEG) data will be collected during these tasks to answer questions about the processes by which joint affordances are perceived. This data will be used to study: (1) the role of attention in joint affordances, (2) how perceiving others’ actions informs one’s own affordance perception, and (3) how social bonds modulate affordance perception. Results from the proposed studies will provide novel insight into how we can rapidly and efficiently form joint action plans that account for action-relevant properties of the dyad and environment.

Central European University is a graduate and research-intensive institution hosting approx. 1,500 students annually. More than 80% of our student body consist of international students coming from over 100 different countries, who are coming to engage in interdisciplinary education and address some of society’s most vexing problems. Our outgoing Erasmus student body is still mainly formed of self-funding Erasmus Mundus students, who seek financial support for their compulsory period abroad and PhD students who intend to broaden their thesis research by attending courses not offered at CEU. On the other hand we have been continuously promoting staff mobility possibilities with continuous success. Our staff members have been showing increasing interest towards the mobility periods abroad with significant contribution to their professional paths at CEU.We have been organizing numerous information sessions and workshops for students and staff members throughout the year to support their application and provide technical help for their mobility period abroad.An overall report is prepared each year to allow the Rectorate, the Heads of Departments and Department Coordinators a deeper view into the Erasmus+ Mobility project. The report is usually welcomed with enthusiasm by colleagues from all over the university, and it endorses several discussing points. Throughout the current project period, the Central European University undertook the Erasmus+ Mobility Program in accordance with the ECHE, namely:CEU has fully respected the principles of non-discrimination when opening the call to all students enrolled in a degree program at CEU regardless to their nationality, age, gender or any other attribute. This has enabled CEU to offer the possibility of an Erasmus mobility in a Programme Country to students coming from different countries and the most varied backgrounds; CEU has recognized the academic achievements (ECTS credits, thesis research) as well as completed compulsory internship requirements (where possible embedded in the curricula) performed by the Erasmus outgoing exchange students; all incoming students were given a full tuition waiver as well as a starting printing/copying quota, full access to laboratories, library and other facilities at CEU. The university has met the commitments listed in the ECHE. The following are examples of the activities related to Erasmus incoming/outgoing students:- outgoing students: information sessions as well as technical support is provided throughout the academic year, especially when the calls are open. Students are oriented continuously throughout their mobility process; full support is provided during each phase.- incoming students: after receiving nominations, students are contacted regarding all the requirements and technical support is provided in order to ensure a smooth application process. Admitted students receive an online orientation prior to their arrival which includes a variety of topics: accommodation, insurance, visa, medical care, facilities, transportation and living costs, etc. Upon their arrival, Erasmus students are being invited to a Welcome Breakfast, where full orientation is performed for them. The Admissions and the Erasmus Offices offer other networking possibilities for Erasmus students throughout the year. Erasmus students are fully integrated with CEU’s degree-seeking students. A Transcript of Records is issued and sent to each visiting student.- the same level of support (information sessions, orientation, technical help, continuous assistance) is provided to outgoing and incoming faculty and administrative staff members. Quantitative requirements specified by the Hungarian National Agency have not only been met, but over-fulfilled in the 2016 project. Outgoing mobility numbers have increased by 62% as compared to the previous project (2015/2016). CEU has been able to send more students on both study and internship mobility as well as staff training mobility as indicated in the agreement, which shows the growing interest among eligible participants and the attractiveness of the Erasmus+ Mobility Projects. CEU is committed to provide the Erasmus mobility grants to as many students and staff members as possible, therefore the mobility periods have been maximized for one semester for study mobility and 5-7 day for staff mobility. We have applied for supplementary funds in order to be able to support the prolongation request of students and additional staff training mobilities with success. All requests have been fulfilled.

Understanding the causes of prejudice is one of the main goals of social psychology. Recently, the interest of researchers turned to the development of prejudice which is highly important for the early prevention of intergroup hostility. Most of these works focus on childhood and much less is known about the development of prejudice in adolescence even though it is a crucial period for the formation of the identity. In my previous research I was able to detect the process of the crystallisation of prejudice among teenagers. Comparing age groups between 12 and 19 years, teenagers’ ethnic prejudices were found to become clearly more coherent by age. For such developmental processes cross-sectional data can only give indications, though it is not sufficient for tracking the complex dynamics related to the process of crystallization of attitudes. Therefore, the proposed project will be a longitudinal research of the development of intergroup attitudes in adolescence. Thus, it will have a dynamic approach as it will focus on the interplay of individual and contextual factors in the development of intergroup attitudes. The relations of intergroup attitudes and national feelings will be considered and also the perception of social norms will be investigated in order to shed light on the macro-micro processes related to the development of prejudice towards outgroups. Through its inter-disciplinary perspective the study will contribute to a fuller understanding of the processes leading to prejudices building on notions from sociology, social psychology and nationalism studies. Besides their scientific value, results of the project should be useful in designing school-based intervention programs fostering tolerance towards the members of minority groups.

I explore the role of networks involving firms---networks between firms and politicians, and networks between firms and firms--for economic outcomes. I focus on two broad questions. (1) What are the determinants and implications of political favor networks? Although political favoritism affects allocations in many countries, its mechanisms are not well understood. I develop a new model based on the idea of trust embedded in favor networks, and test in Hungarian data the model's implications about how political centralization shapes favoritism. I also quantify the welfare cost of misallocation created by favoritism. My results help understand how political institutions shape economic outcomes. (2) What is the impact of supply chain networks on firm performance? Inputs from suppliers account for the majority of firm sales, yet we know little about the contribution of suppliers to firm performance. I use a field experiment in China to measure the causal effect of suppliers and the underlying mechanisms. I then use observational data from Hungary to quantify the contribution of differences in suppliers to differences in firm performance. The results help understand how supply chains and their misallocation shape firm and aggregate productivity. My approach to both of these questions emphasizes the role of trust embedded in firm networks and how these trust-based networks create misallocation of resources. A key component of this research is the development of original datasets. Beyond documenting and explaining facts, I also hope to obtain policy implications on reducing favoritism and improving firm performance in developing countries.