"ECONOMICS: ON-LINE AND INTERACTIVE"– SOME COMMENTS

The first part of this note discusses some of the advantages of using canned programs such as SAS and Minitab. Software packages (a) save time and effort; (b) allow for more efficient use of computer resources; and (c) are useful tools for both the beginner as well as the seasoned user. The second part compares two programming languages: BASIC in the program mode and APL in the interactive mode. Using programs written to calculate GNP and multiple regression coefficients as reference points, it argues that BASIC programs are easier to follow and edit.     

Evidence of Early Language Discrimination Abilities in Infants From Bilingual Environments

Previous research data indicate that soon after birth, infants from monolingual families can discriminate utterances drawn from languages that differ prosodically, but discrimination between rhythmically similar languages, such as English and Dutch, has not yet been established by 2 months of age. In the case of bilinguals, the question of how early they can distinguish between the languages of exposure remains unanswered. The goal of this study was to analyze language discrimination capacities in 4‐month‐old bilingual infants simultaneously exposed to 2 Romance languages belonging to the same rhythmic category, Spanish and Catalan. Using a familiarization‐preference procedure, 2 groups of bilingual‐to‐be infants showed a capacity to discriminate between these 2 familial languages. Moreover, when compared with 2 groups of infants from monolingual environments, the size of the observed effects was the same. These results can be taken as initial evidence of an early capacity to distinguish languages in simultaneous bilingual exposure, thus challenging the hypothesis that language discrimination capacities are delayed in bilinguals.     

Strategic interactions between humans and artificial intelligence: Lessons from experiments with computer players

Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to pervade the economic and social life. This renders strategic interactions between humans and artificial agents more and more common. At the same time, experimentalists have increasingly employed computer players as a tool to provide a deeper understanding of strategic interaction in general. What can this strand of research teach us about the strategic behavior of humans interacting with AI? I review 162 experimental studies using computer players. I find that behavior and the outcomes of strategic interaction often change when humans interact with computer players rather than other humans. In particular, humans usually adapt to computer players even absent detailed prior information about them, they often act more selfishly and more rationally in their presence, and they apply different cognitive processes. Moreover, while humans are able to exploit computer players following simple algorithms, they are also vulnerable to exploitation by more sophisticated ones. Conversely, computer players may also enhance efficiency. I suggest several directions for future research.     

On the conditions of authority in academic publics

The discourse of some of the most powerful public figures in today’s world is often incoherent and nonsensical. Incoherent yet authoritative discourse shows that authority does not rest in language but results from non‐linguistic and pre‐textual conditions. The non‐linguistic and pre‐textual conditions are exemplified in an Australian case‐study of a media debate between the Immigration Minister and a refugee, drawing on research by Smith‐Khan (2019a, 2019b). Two such conditions are then examined with reference to academic publics. First, I ask which languages do or do not carry authority, before moving on to speaker identity as a condition of authority. The close association between English and academic excellence has resulted in diminishing the authority of academic publications in languages other than English. The same is true of publications by women and people of colour. I close by reflecting on referencing practices as forms of extending authoritativeness to voices in excluded languages and from excluded scholars in academic publics.     

Long-run economic consequences of child support enforcement for the middle class

The purpose of this research is to examine the economic impact of child support transfers for middle-income custodial and noncustodial parent over a 15-year period. We have a substantial amount of research on low-income families, but little research about middle-income families. This research is based on computer simulations using income and expenditure data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) tables prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results of the simulations challenge the majority of research that proposes that women suffer far more than men after family dissolution. Instead, we conclude that it is the noncustodial parent, usually the father, who suffers the most. In every case and for every income, according to our analyses, the payer of child support is never able to cover household expenditures if paying child support at guideline levels. By reducing the standard of living to the next lowest income category, in some cases to a level below the custodial parent’s, the parent owing child support is able to make child support payments and cover consumer expenditures. We use exchange and choice theories to analyze the economic alternatives in making a decision to divorce and consequently propose that public support for strict child support enforcement may encourage middle-income women to seek divorce. Micro-level decisions, we argue, have macro-level economic and social consequences for the middle-income parents.     

Variation in American Sign Language: The case of DEAF

Variation in sign languages has been a neglected area of research in sociolinguistics. This article, part of a large-scale study of variation in American Sign Language (ASL) designed to redress that situation, examines variation in the form of the sign DEAF, which can be produced by moving the forefinger from ear to chin, from chin to ear, or by contacting the lower cheek. Multivariate analysis of more than 1600 tokens of DEAF extracted from sociolinguistic interviews with 207 signers residing in seven regions of the United States shows that both linguistic and social factors significantly constrain choice among the three variants. The analysis also illustrates patterns that parallel variation in spoken languages. However, despite the similarities to variation in spoken languages, we suggest that results for the regional patterning of variation are best explained by reference to Deaf history, particularly to changes in the status and use of ASL in deaf education.     

Metaphorical interpretation of English and Chinese euphemism

This paper compares and analyzes euphemism in English and Chinese from the perspective of the cognitive linguistics and the specific research object is some euphemism about birth, agedness sickness, and death. And this paper aims to seek the deep reason hidden behind the languages, thus helping language learners to understand the two languages better.     

English as a lingua franca: A threat to multilingualism?

In this paper I argue against the widespread assumption that the English language in its role as lingua franca is a serious threat to national languages and to multilingualism. I support this argument by making a distinction between 'languages for communication' and 'languages for identification'. Further support for the stance against one-sidedly attacking English as a killer language will be drawn from the findings of three research projects currently being carried out at Hamburg University, one on the impact English has on discourse norms in influential genres in other languages; the second one on the nature of interactions in English as a lingua franca; and the third one on so-called 'international degree programmes', in which English is the language of instruction. Finally, I make some tentative suggestions for a new research paradigm for English as a lingua franca.     

Practice Learning and the Development of Students as Critical Practitioners—Some Findings from Research

This article reports some findings from an ESRC‐funded research project which has been examining the development of criticality in undergraduate students, taking social work and modern languages as contrasting disciplines. This twin‐track study aims to develop the conceptualisation of ‘criticality’ in the context of empirical research. This article examines the development of criticality in final year social work students, where the practice learning experience is predominant. The analysis is framed by the project's developing theoretical conceptualisation of criticality.     

汉蒙语音系统对比及偏误分析

以学习汉语的蒙古学生为研究对象,主要从汉语语音系统的特点出发,以与汉语语音发音相近的蒙语语音为参照,进行汉蒙两种语言的语音对比分析,从而总结出两种语言中由于发音相近而产生的汉语发音的偏误规律。     

Networking in France. Is there a French School of Social Network Analysis?

Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a sociology based on interaction that visualizes and models relations between actors. Whereas interaction is approached by classical scholars, we had to wait until the 1970s and the birth of computer science to see social networks analysis develop. This article investigates the influence of SNA in France from the 1980s and wonder if there is a French school of SNA? To do so, we first resume social networks history and highlight its contribution to sociology. Second, we analyze the trajectory and profile of five “disciplinary entrepreneurs,” whose role in the field is important as they master three necessary languages for SNA: English, Mathematics and Computer Science. Third, in order to put back those individuals in their social structures, we cross SNA with the different French sociological tradition(s) (according to topics and methods). Last, we wonder if the institutionalization process succeeded in the creation of institutions from which a French SNA would be able to expand?     

Establishing therapeutic alliance across cultural barriers.

1. The therapeutic alliance is a mutually defined helping relationship that encompasses mutual respect and acceptance of ethnocultural variance, predicated upon empathic rapport. 2. Sensitivity to two psycholinguistic phenomena may help establish a transcultural relationship: the detachment effect (limited expression of affect and reduced access to developmental events between languages) and code switching (a complete or partial change of language or dialect within a single utterance or conversation). 3. Issues related to differing sociocultural expectations of nurses and clients will be increasingly encountered as ease of travel combines with economic and political unrest to produce increasing numbers of displaced persons.     

MEASURING THE INTERNET: HOST COUNTS VERSUS BUSINESS PLANS

The excessive media attention in and economic hopes placed on the Internet mean that measures of its size and distribution have been undertaken more often with an eye to business plans than to methodological rigour.This paper examines one disinterested source of Internet statistics, the Internet Domain Survey, to provide accurate measures of Internet size and distribution. Methodological issues in utilizing this survey are discussed to ensure the significance of findings is understood and to identify key methodological problems in a new field of research. Two particular problems are identified; the need to define user per computer host ratios and to identify the national origin of computers with international domain names. Statistics are presented from the five Internet Domain Surveys from January 1998 to January 2000 in the following categories: overall size, regional distribution, human development and economic distribution, linguistic distribution and user numbers. The conclusion is reached that even as the Internet is growing in all regions world-wide it remains concentrated in the highly developed nations. Some consideration of the implications of this for wider debates around the Internet is given.     

Do native-born bilinguals in the US earn more?

This paper uses the pooled data from 2005 to 2009 American Community Survey to analyze the economic benefits associated with bilingualism for adult men born in the United States. Bilingualism among the native born is defined as speaking a language at home other than or in addition to English. Native born bilingualism is rare; only 6.5% report a non-English language, and of those 71% report Spanish. Most of the native-born bilinguals report speaking English “very well” (85%), with most of the others speaking it “well” (10%). Other variables the same, overall bilinguals earn 4.7% less than monolingual English speakers, but the earnings differential varies sharply by the language spoken. Those who speak Native American languages, Pennsylvania Dutch and Yiddish have very low earnings due to a tendency to live in geographic or cultural enclaves. Spanish speakers earn 20% less than the monolingual English speakers overall, and other variables the same, have statistically significant 7% lower earnings. On the other hand, those who speak certain Western European and East Asian languages and Hebrew earn significantly more than monolingual English speakers.     

CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC SOURCES OF HOMICIDE IN THE UNITED STATES

Are high rates of homicide better explained by cultural or economic factors? Some research suggests that a regional culture of violence underlies high rates of homicide, whereas other research suggests that poverty or economic inequality increases the likelihood of homicide. A major limitation of this body of research has been the failure of researchers to include an indicator of cultural support for violence that is analytically separate from measures of southern region. In this article, a 12-item Legitimate Violence Index (LVX) is introduced that measures cultural support for violence. Using the 50 states as the units of analysis, hypotheses derived from cultural and economic theories of homicide are investigated using multiple regression. Several additional variables are included in the analysis to control for spurious relationships. The results show that legitimate violence, poverty, and economic inequality are significantly associated with state-to-state differences in the incidence of homicide.     

COMPUTERS, PRODUCTIVITY, AND INPUT SUBSTITUTION

This paper examines the relationship between computers and economic growth using U.S. sectoral data from 1947 to 1991. The computer-producing sector shows strong multi-factor productivity growth that reflects the fundamental technological progress behind the computer revolution. Although aggregate multi-factor productivity remains low, the computer-producing sector made a substantial contribution to its modest revival in the 1980s. In sharp contrast, computer-using sectors show little multi-factor productivity growth since 1973. For these sectors, the computer revolution is largely a story of traditional input substitution, investment and rapid capital accumulation with little evidence that computer investment affects multifactor productivity. (JEL O30, O47)     

Ridge regression: A multivariate analysis of criminal activity

The objective of the paper is to apply the statistical procedure of ridge regression to a multivariate model of criminal activity. The explanatory variables are of an economic, apprehension, and seasonal nature. The Time Shared Reactive On Line Laboratory (TROLL) computer package was used in estimating all regression coefficients and other pertinent statistics. The economic variables, which included per capita personal income, hours worked, and plant closing dummy variable, were found to be statistically related to criminal activity. In addition, police expenditures as well as the three seasonal dummy variables were statistically associated with the dependent variable. A comparison is made between the results obtained from the ordinary least squares procedure and the ridge regression approach.     

The role of attribution of causality in economic decision making

Research has established that economic decisions often deviate from game theoretic predictions. We explore the process of causal thinking as a possible explanation for such deviations. Specifically, we suggest that causal information affects economic decisions based on the principles advocated by Weiner, 1985, Weiner, 1986 attribution theory (AT) of motivation and emotion. Prior research in this area considered only subsets of the dimensions employed by the theory. We test the predictions stemming from AT in contexts where economic decisions involve sharing gains between party members (e.g., splitting profits) and assess how such decisions are affected by the reasons attributed for obtaining the gains. Results indicate a significant link between causal attribution and economic decisions and shed light on the rules and the rationale that guide this link. We conclude that research into economic decision making should pay a greater attention to the explanatory value of AT.     

An ergonomic study on the biomechanical consequences in children, generated by the use of computers at school

This research deals with the influence of the computer use in schools related to the children posture, in an ergonomic point of view. The research tries to identify probable causes for the children early postural constraints, relating it to the sedentary behavior and the lack of an ergonomic project in schools. The survey involved 186 children, between 8 and 12 years old, students of a private school in Rio de Janeiro-Brasil. An historical and theoretical school furniture research was conducted as well as a survey with the students and teachers, computer postural evaluation, ergonomic evaluation (RULA method), and observations in the computer classroom. The research dealt with the student's perception with respect to the furniture utilized by him in the classroom during the use of the computer, his body complaint, the time he spent working on the school computer and the possibility of the existence of sedentariness. Also deals with the teachers' perception and knowledge regarding ergonomics with reference to schoolroom furniture and its Regulatory Norms (RN). The purpose of the research work is to highlight the importance of this knowledge, having in view the possibility of the teachers' collaboration in the ergonomic adaptation of the classroom environment and in their conscientious opinion during the purchasing of this furniture. A questionnaire was utilized and its results showed some discontent on the part of the teachers with relation to the schoolroom furniture as well as the teachers' scant knowledge of Ergonomics.We conclude with a survey that despite the children had constraints in postural assessments and school furniture needs a major ergonomic action, the time that children use the computer at school is small compared with the time of use at home and therefore insufficient to be the main cause of quantified commitments, thus the study of computer use at home as a development and continuity of this research.