Parental same-sex relationships, family instability, and subsequent life outcomes for adult children: Answering critics of the new family structures study with additional analyses

The July 2012 publication of my study on the outcomes of young adults who report parental same-sex relationship behavior raised a variety of questions about the New Family Structures Study and my analyses and interpretations of it. This follow-up article seeks to address a variety of the more common criticisms that have been raised, to offer new commentary and analyses, and to pose questions for future analysts of the NFSS and other datasets that are poised to consider how household dynamics are associated with youth and young-adult outcomes. The new analyses I present here still reveal numerous differences between adult children who report maternal same-sex behavior (and residence with her partner) and those with still-married (heterosexual) biological parents. Far fewer differences appear between the former and several other groups, most notably never-married single mothers.     

Religion, politics, and support for same-sex marriage in the United States, 1988-2008

We examine how religious and political factors structure support for same-sex marriage in the United States over the last two decades. Using data from the General Social Surveys, we show that respondents who identify more strongly with the Republican Party, sectarian denominations, and those who subscribe to biblical fundamentalism and political conservatism are substantially more opposed to same-sex marriage than are other Americans. Heterogeneous ordinal logistic regression models show that these religious and political factors have become more important over the last two decades. Cohorts born after 1945 became substantially more supportive of marriage rights between 1988 and 2008, but shifts in support for marriage rights were less sizeable for persons affiliated with sectarian denominations, religious fundamentalists, Republicans, and political conservatives. Estimates from structural equation models show that religious factors influence political conservatism and Republican identification, yet both religious and political factors have significant and substantial independent direct effects on support for same-sex marriage.     

How different are the adult children of parents who have same-sex relationships? Findings from the New Family Structures Study

The New Family Structures Study (NFSS) is a social-science data-collection project that fielded a survey to a large, random sample of American young adults (ages 18-39) who were raised in different types of family arrangements. In this debut article of the NFSS, I compare how the young-adult children of a parent who has had a same-sex romantic relationship fare on 40 different social, emotional, and relational outcome variables when compared with six other family-of-origin types. The results reveal numerous, consistent differences, especially between the children of women who have had a lesbian relationship and those with still-married (heterosexual) biological parents. The results are typically robust in multivariate contexts as well, suggesting far greater diversity in lesbian-parent household experiences than convenience-sample studies of lesbian families have revealed. The NFSS proves to be an illuminating, versatile dataset that can assist family scholars in understanding the long reach of family structure and transitions.     

Measurement,methods, and divergent patterns: Reassessing the effects of same-sex parents

Scholars have noted that survey analysis of small subsamples—for example, same-sex parent families—is sensitive to researchers’ analytical decisions, and even small differences in coding can profoundly shape empirical patterns. As an illustration, we reassess the findings of a recent article by Regnerus regarding the implications of being raised by gay and lesbian parents. Taking a close look at the New Family Structures Study (NFSS), we demonstrate the potential for misclassifying a non-negligible number of respondents as having been raised by parents who had a same-sex romantic relationship. We assess the implications of these possible misclassifications, along with other methodological considerations, by reanalyzing the NFSS in seven steps. The reanalysis offers evidence that the empirical patterns showcased in the original Regnerus article are fragile—so fragile that they appear largely a function of these possible misclassifications and other methodological choices. Our replication and reanalysis of Regnerus’s study offer a cautionary illustration of the importance of double checking and critically assessing the implications of measurement and other methodological decisions in our and others’ research.     

Gender and homosexuality attitudes across religious groups from the 1970s to 2014: Similarity,distinction, and adaptation

This study uses General Social Survey data to compare gender and homosexuality across American religious groups from the 1970s to 2014, examining three possible patterns for how evangelical attitudes relate to those of other groups: (1) they are similar; (2) they are different, but move together over time; (3) they are different and converge or diverge over time. Evangelical gender attitudes regarding work and family issues are more conservative than those of all other groups, but are adaptive to broad trends, changing at a rate similar to those of other groups. Evangelical attitudes toward the morality of homosexuality and same-sex marriage are more conservative than those of all other religious groups, and their rate of change is slower over time. Separate trends on the two issues suggest that gender and sexuality attitude change is decoupled, especially among evangelicals who are adapting more on gender while increasingly distinguishing themselves on same-sex relationships. A three-stage process of religious tension appears to characterize evangelical identity-building: (1) similarity, (2) distinction, and (3) adaptation.     

Methodological decisions and the evaluation of possible effects of different family structures on children: The new family structures survey (NFSS)

Every social science researcher must make a number of methodological decisions when planning and implementing research projects. Each such decision carries with it both advantages and limitations. The decisions faced and made by Regnerus (2012) are discussed here in the wider context of social science literature regarding same-sex parenting. Even though the apparent outcomes of Regnerus’s study were unpopular, the methodological decisions he made in the design and implementation of the New Family Structures Survey were not uncommon among social scientists, including many progressive, gay and lesbian scholars. These decisions and the research they produced deserve considerable and continued discussion, but criticisms of the underlying ethics and professionalism are misplaced because nearly every methodological decision that was made has ample precedents in research published by many other credible and distinguished scholars.     

道德形而上缺失与"五四"新文学创作的世俗化

张宝明的文章对张光芒、陈晓明、刘士林的观点一一作了回应,指出文学与道德的关系不是要不要道德的问题,而是如何摆正道德的定位问题;无论是把道德作为文学的救命稻草还是杯弓蛇影的暗器,都是殊途同归的思维模式;道德的理性与非理性的双重因素决定了知识分子应走"形而下"的外化道路.张全之的文章则追溯了"五四"道德革命的深层缺失,指出其肯定现世人生,拒斥道德形而上诉求,从而使信仰世界出现"真空";影响所及,使新文学创作在世俗化倾向上越走越远.杨庆东进一步指出,中国启蒙运动过于注重道德实践的个体性与个人中心主义,而忽略了道德普遍主义,这直接导致整个启蒙运动关于现代性道德伟大谋划的失败;在当下道德实用主义盛行的文化语境中,对此加以反省,既是重寻人文精神资源的思想需求,也具有极大的现实意义.潘正文试图以更为辩证的态度来理解道德形而上主义与百年中国文学之争,认为它反映的是自"五四"以来一直未曾解决的两难选择问题,即文学的审美主义性质与启蒙理性的反审美主义之间的内在矛盾;并指出,道德形而上问题的解决,必须紧扣中国语境和中国文学的两难性质,这样才能有的放矢,而不应该以西方的后现代背景作为道德虚无主义的借口.     

文学、道德与知识分子的良知及使命

张宝明的文章对张光芒、陈晓明、刘士林的观点一一作了回应,指出文学与道德的关系不是要不要道德的问题,而是如何摆正道德的定位问题;无论是把道德作为文学的救命稻草还是杯弓蛇影的暗器,都是殊途同归的思维模式;道德的理性与非理性的双重因素决定了知识分子应走"形而下"的外化道路。张全之的文章则追溯了"五四"道德革命的深层缺失,指出其肯定现世人生,拒斥道德形而上诉求,从而使信仰世界出现"真空";影响所及,使新文学创作在世俗化倾向上越走越远。杨庆东进一步指出,中国启蒙运动过于注重道德实践的个体性与个人中心主义,而忽略了道德普遍主义,这直接导致整个启蒙运动关于现代性道德伟大谋划的失败;在当下道德实用主义盛行的文化语境中,对此加以反省,既是重寻人文精神资源的思想需求,也具有极大的现实意义。潘正文试图以更为辩证的态度来理解道德形而上主义与百年中国文学之争,认为它反映的是自"五四"以来一直未曾解决的两难选择问题,即文学的审美主义性质与启蒙理性的反审美主义之间的内在矛盾;并指出,道德形而上问题的解决,必须紧扣中国语境和中国文学的两难性质,这样才能有的放矢,而不应该以西方的后现代背景作为道德虚无主义的借口。     

"道德形而上主义"之争与文学的两难选择

张宝明的文章对张光芒、陈晓明、刘士林的观点一一作了回应,指出文学与道德的关系不是要不要道德的问题,而是如何摆正道德的定位问题;无论是把道德作为文学的救命稻草还是杯弓蛇影的暗器,都是殊途同归的思维模式;道德的理性与非理性的双重因素决定了知识分子应走"形而下"的外化道路.张全之的文章则追溯了"五四"道德革命的深层缺失,指出其肯定现世人生,拒斥道德形而上诉求,从而使信仰世界出现"真空";影响所及,使新文学创作在世俗化倾向上越走越远.杨庆东进一步指出,中国启蒙运动过于注重道德实践的个体性与个人中心主义,而忽略了道德普遍主义,这直接导致整个启蒙运动关于现代性道德伟大谋划的失败;在当下道德实用主义盛行的文化语境中,对此加以反省,既是重寻人文精神资源的思想需求,也具有极大的现实意义.潘正文试图以更为辩证的态度来理解道德形而上主义与百年中国文学之争,认为它反映的是自"五四"以来一直未曾解决的两难选择问题,即文学的审美主义性质与启蒙理性的反审美主义之间的内在矛盾;并指出,道德形而上问题的解决,必须紧扣中国语境和中国文学的两难性质,这样才能有的放矢,而不应该以西方的后现代背景作为道德虚无主义的借口.     

Same-sex parenting and children’s outcomes: A closer examination of the American psychological association’s brief on lesbian and gay parenting

In 2005, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued an official brief on lesbian and gay parenting. This brief included the assertion: “Not a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents” (p. 15). The present article closely examines this assertion and the 59 published studies cited by the APA to support it. Seven central questions address: (1) homogeneous sampling, (2) absence of comparison groups, (3) comparison group characteristics, (4) contradictory data, (5) the limited scope of children’s outcomes studied, (6) paucity of long-term outcome data, and (7) lack of APA-urged statistical power. The conclusion is that strong assertions, including those made by the APA, were not empirically warranted. Recommendations for future research are offered.     

康德的形而上学观

康德认为传统的形而上学都是非科学的 ,根本原因在于对理性的超验运用。为此 ,康德对其进行了猛烈的批判。在此基础上 ,康德要将形而上学建立在科学的基础上 ,即创建科学的形而上学。而其科学的形而上学观也就体现为对“作为科学的形而上学是如何可能的”这一问题的回答     

Liking and hyperlinking: Community detection in online child sexual exploitation networks

The online sexual exploitation of children is facilitated by websites that form virtual communities, via hyperlinks, to distribute images, videos, and other material. However, how these communities form, are structured, and evolve over time is unknown. Collected using a custom-designed webcrawler, we begin from known child sexual exploitation (CE) seed websites and follow hyperlinks to connected, related, websites. Using a repeated measure design we analyze 10 networks of 300 + websites each – over 4.8 million unique webpages in total, over a period of 60 weeks. Community detection techniques reveal that CE-related networks were dominated by two large communities hosting varied material –not necessarily matching the seed website. Community stability, over 60 weeks, varied across networks. Reciprocity in hyperlinking between community members was substantially higher than within the full network, however, websites were not more likely to connect to homogeneous-content websites.     

引文规范研究

引文规范是引用者遵循学术共同体（行业协会、组织或学术研究管理机关）根据学术发展规律参与制定的有利于学术积累和创新的关于文献引用（引证）的各种准则和相关要求。引文规范应坚持统一性原则、强制性原则、分层（分类）指导原则。引文规范是一个复杂的系统工程。引文规范有狭义和广义之分。狭义的引文规范仅仅是指引用者对引文的标识与著录,即常说的＂引文著录规范＂;广义的引文规范包括引文制度规范、引文标识代码规范、引文著录规范、引文编排规范。引文规范路径：以著者为代表的作者是引文规范的主体,是引文规范的关键;以编辑为代表的编辑出版方是引文规范的重要补充,是引文规范的审核者和监督者;高等院校、科研院所加强引文规范的教育与培训,是引文规范得以实现的助推剂。     

小孩怎样习得母语--乔姆斯基心智语言学理论的解释

对于儿童是如何习得母语这个问题,不同的语言学流派有不同的解释。乔姆斯基的心智语言学提出语言的本质特征不是外在的,而是内在的、遗传的、物种的属性。并指出人类具有“语言获得机制”,在初始状态中表现为“普遍语法”。儿童在人类的语言环境中用五、六年时间将“普通语法”转换成“具体语法”,从而获得了语言能力——习得了母语。用乔氏的心智语言学去解释语言的产生和习得过程,解释自有其合理性和科学性。     

英语使用规范在语言交流中的弹性化

多年来,人们一直在争论标准英语是否存在以及如何定义的问题,事实上,大量的英语方言仍然存在。本文认为,规定某种形式作为标准并且把这种“高级的”标准作为唯一的官方接受的英语形式,这不论是对于那些英语非母语的人还是对于英语为母语的人都不见得有什么好处。本文认为任何规定这种标准的尝试都是枉费力气,语言的形式应由实际的交流和应用所决定,而非为人所控制的。     

Family structure and the economic wellbeing of children in youth and adulthood

An extensive literature on the relationship between family structure and children’s outcomes consistently shows that living with a single parent is associated with negative outcomes. Few US studies, however, examine how a child’s family structure affects outcomes for the child once he/she reaches adulthood. We directly examine, using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, whether family structure during childhood is related to the child’s economic wellbeing both during childhood as well as during adulthood. We find that living with a single parent is associated with the level of family resources available during childhood. This finding persists even when we remove time invariant factors within families. We also show that family structure is related to the child’s education, marital status, and adult family income. Once we control for the child’s demography and economic wellbeing in childhood, however, the associations into adulthood become trivial in size and statistically insignificant, suggesting that the relationship between family structure and children’s long-term, economic outcomes is due in large part to the relationship between family structure and economic wellbeing in childhood.     

Getting support in polarized societies: Income,social networks,and socioeconomic context

This paper explores how unequal resources and social and economic polarization affects the size of social networks and their use to access resources. We argue that individual resource position generates divergent expectations with regard to the impact of polarization on the size of networks on one hand, and their usefulness for accessing resources on the other. Social and economic polarization encourages reliance on informal networks, but those at the bottom of the social structure are forced to rely on more extensive networks than the wealthy to compensate for their isolated and underprivileged position. At the same time, social and economic polarization limits the resources the poor can access through their networks. We provide evidence consistent with these propositions, based on data derived from the International Social Survey Programme 2001 “Social Networks” dataset combined with contextual information on the levels of economic inequality in particular countries along with whether they experienced postcommunism.     

中国发展MBO的理性思考

管理层收购(MBO)被认为是可以降低企业代理成本和解决内部人控制的一种长期激励制度。中国的MBO刚刚起步,但已被赋予了特殊的使命———解决国有企业产权问题。目前社会各界对我国要不要发展MBO和如何发展MBO存在很大争议。明确中国MBO的实施目的是解决问题的关键,应从中国的现实出发对MBO有一个科学理解和正确认识,同时对MBO的定价原则、融资问题、实施效果和实施环境等应进行理性的再思考。     

梁实秋论科学与文学

近代以来,时代对科学的推崇使科学的世界观和方法论也不可避免地渗入到文学中,中国近代不少知识分子都关注到这一问题。梁实秋谈科学与文学,把握住了二者的辩证关系:一方面他认为科学的影响使文学进一步发展,特别是促使文学批评主观色彩逐渐减少、能够从文本出发对作品进行客观的分析而不是随意褒贬;另一方面他又指出科学和文学存在着本质差异,不能机械化地搬用科学的方法和结论,而应该以文学自身为立足点。他关于科学与文学关系的分析对我们探讨在尊重文学自身规律的前提条件下怎样利用科学为文学带来新的发展和变革这一命题具有启示意义。     

Peer influence on protest participation: Communication and trust between co-workers as inhibitors or facilitators of mobilization

In this article, we investigate how communication and trust networks between employees affect participation in a strike. We analyze whether the strength of network relations is related to congruence in strike behavior using social network data on 59 Dutch workers. We find that private communication networks and trust networks lead to similar strike behavior. This finding indicates that networks not only promote protest mobilization but are also vehicles for demobilization, albeit through different network relations.