The limits of participatory democracy and the inclusion of social movements in local government

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the decentralisation of decision-making processes in local government. Empirically, I analyse how Brazilian housing movements are included in participatory processes by examining the ways in which participatory models integrate social movements in spaces of decision-making. I argue that the rules and focus on incremental policy-making limits the participation of social movements. Findings suggests that unequal power structures at local councils, barriers to the participation of citizens, and the lack of transparency of government decisions all prevent social movements from having a more influential voice in decision-making. Although previous studies in Brazil examined the integration of citizens in government institutions, this paper contributes to the literature in two ways: firstly, it provides new evidence on the impact of decentralisation in local government. Secondly, by examining the attitudes of housing council members towards popular political participation, it provides new insights into the limits of decentralisation and participatory governance in contemporary Brazil.     

Household Decision-Making and Expenditure Patterns of Married Men and Women in Malaysia

This study tests two opposing models of household behavior, the income pooling hypothesis and the bargaining model, by examining the final decision-making and expenditure patterns of married men and women in Malaysia. The data used is from the responses of 1,778 married persons obtained from a survey of employed Malaysians. The results show that women are often the final decision-makers on everyday household expenditures while men make the final decisions on large household expenditures, but both men and women practice autonomy in decisions related to financial investments. In spending, variations are observed between men and women in their level and proportion of expenditure of certain categories of goods and services. Relative earning share is a significant factor in decision making as well as consumption expenditure. These results tend to support the bargaining model of household decision-making.     

Framings of Career Compromises: How Career Counselors Can Help

Compromise is a significant component of career decisions as well as many other personal decisions. This article presents a conceptual model for dealing with career compromise and discusses its implications for the career counseling process. The model identifies three possible framings that individuals may adopt when facing compromise. Specifically, compromise may be framed in terms of career alternatives, the importance of different aspects, and within-aspect preferences. The distinctions among the three framings have distinct implications for the career decision-making process. Suggestions are discussed for relevant intervention options aimed at decreasing the potentially harmful effects of the need to compromise.     

Rational and behavioural predictors of pre-retirement cash-outs

Given the worldwide concern that individuals are not saving sufficiently for retirement, many governments are taking action to try and rectify this tendency. A key focus area is implementing policies to dissuade individuals from accessing accumulated retirement funds when changing jobs. While traditional economic theories assume that individuals act rationally and make optimal decisions without outside intervention, current policy interventions support behavioural theories of decision-making where sub-optimal choices occur due to limitations in human decision-making. Therefore, interventions are based on the assumption that individuals act irrationally. Despite these interventions, many individuals still access their funds suggesting that current interventions may not be sufficiently aligned with the factors influencing decision making in this environment.The main research objective of this study was to test empirically both rational and behavioural factors that could potentially influence retirement preservation decisions, to determine which factors were the best predictors of whether an individual preserved funds when changing jobs. A research instrument was designed using a combination of existing psychometric measures and customised questions to form an analytical survey. This was used to test the factors that predicted the preservation decisions of a sample of 256 academic and non-academic personnel at a tertiary education institution in South Africa.The study found that behavioural factors play an important role in predicting preservation decisions. In particular, behavioural factors related to bounded rationality, due to the computational complexity of the decision-making environment, emerged as important explanatory variables, indicating that interventions such as decision support and guidance may assist individuals in making optimal decisions.     

Decision-making skills of emerging adults aging out of foster care

This study examines the decision-making skills of emerging adults that have aged out of foster care and transitioned to independent life. Emerging adults face a wide variety of life-direction determining decisions and those aging out of foster care experience even more significant transitional issues. Youth aging out of foster care may lack the requisite decision-making competencies for coping with these challenges. This study compares the decision-making skills of foster care alumni to a group of similar individuals who were not involved in the child welfare system. Using a validated quantitative survey instrument, 29 foster care alumni and 29 demographically similar non-fostered participants described their general decision-making skills and elaborated on their personal experiences of reaching the age of majority. Statistical analyses of group differences indicate foster alumni score lower on overall decision-making skills and the decision-making process. In anecdotal comments, foster alumni tended to focus on their experience of leaving the foster system, while the non-fostered population elaborated on what it was like to become a legal adult. This study suggests that youth aging out of the foster care system may need support with the aspects of decision-making relating to the generation of alternatives and inferential reasoning about decision consequences as one way to augment and improve the transitional services designed to prepare foster youth for independent life.     

Marital Decision Making: Congruence of Spouses' Responses*

The relationship between spouse's perceptions concerning who makes decisions and the importance of decisions was investigated through interviews with 140 couples. A positive relationship was found between the husbands' decision-making scores and the importance of decisions. In addition, the paper emphasizes the need to (1) analyze decision-making and importance of decisions within couples rather than among all husbands and all wives separately and (2) collect data from both spouses.     

Demand for decision autonomy and the desire to avoid responsibility in risky environments: Experimental evidence

This paper experimentally studies individuals’ willingness to pay for the authority to make risky decisions for themselves, and the willingness to take responsibility for others, as primary determinants of leadership willingness. We consider a setup involving a pair of individuals, where one individual is designated to make both parties’ decisions by default. Depending on treatment, either party can express a willingness to pay to change this situation. If one’s willingness to pay to make her own decision herself is positive (negative), we interpret it as a demand for autonomy (a desire to delegate). On the flip side, if one’s willingness to pay to avoid making a decision on behalf of another person is positive (negative), we interpret it as a desire to avoid responsibility (a demand for authority). We find that on average, individuals are willing to pay positive amounts of money to make their decisions themselves, and incur positive but smaller opportunity costs for the right to make decisions for others. Certain individual and contextual characteristics emerge as important predictors. Notably, (1) men are more likely to demand both autonomy and authority at the same time, (2) individuals with other regarding preferences are more likely to pay to avoid taking responsibility for others’ decisions when the probability of loss is high. Exploring differences between individuals’ own decisions and the decisions they make on behalf of others, we find that subjects with other-regarding preferences tend to “cautious-shift” when making decisions on behalf of others. Also, we find that individuals who would like to avoid responsibility also tend to “shift” their decisions when put in a decision-making role. The results have implications for the allocation of decision-making authority in pairs and leadership.     

Rural Income-Generating Programs and Fertility Limitation: Evidence from a Microdemographic Study in Nepal1

Abstract Participation in rural development programs that organize members into local cooperative groups can alter the decision-making environment facing couples to reflect some of the negative consequences of childbearing. This study uses data from Nepal, collected through a combination of ethnographic and survey methods, to test the effects of participation in such a development program on fertility behavior. Results demonstrate that program participants are much more likely to use contraceptives to limit their fertility than are non-participants. The study provides empirical support for theories linking this type of institutional change to fertility and indicates a policy option that can allow some negative consequences of childbearing to affect couples' fertility decisions.     

Attitudes of the Elderly Towards Living Arrangements

The aim of this paper is twofold:(1) to present evidence supporting the contention that the significant rise in older people living alone has been influenced by transformations in societal values, attitudes and norms, and (2) to discuss several key methodological issues that appear when subjective variables such as privacy, independence and social expectations are integrated into our research to explain housing and living arrangement decisions. In particular, attention is devoted to individual rationalizations of current living arrangements as well as causal direction and independence of the attitudinal factors. The data used in this work were drawn from a 1983 study based on living arrangement decision-making among the elderly.     

Self-Determination and Confidentiality

ABSTRACT

This article seeks to further clarify the ambiguous nature of two of social work's most important values: self-determination and confidentiality. Previous research indicates that many ethical decisions in social work practice are difficult to make; and, many times decisions are made based on the worker's values and experiences rather than on written ethics, laws, and agency policy. To explore this concept further, an open-ended survey instrument was distributed to 82 social work students after completing the required practice classes. The participants were asked whether they would break confidentiality based on a specific vignette and describe what decision was made and why. Results indicated that degree level (MSW versus BSW) proved to be a significant factor related to whether and/or why the respondent would break confidentiality. In addition, students with more paid work experience were more likely to question the issue of confidentiality and were more likely to break it. Two issues reflected in the decision-making process involved ensuring client safety and self-determination. In conclusion, this article explores possible reasons for breaching confidentiality and pitfalls that can occur for all professionals in making these types of decisions. Furthermore, it explores the ambiguous nature of problem solving in this area, and suggests ways that social workers can improve their decision-making skills.     

Choosing a school: parental decision-making when special schools are an option

Parental rights to choose a school are widely acknowledged. School choices for parents of children with disability have been discussed in the academic literature; however, the decision-making process itself is largely hidden. It is vital to understand parental decision-making around school choice more deeply, given the high regard with which this is viewed. Six focus groups were held in Queensland, Australia in 2013 to explore parental decision-making. Data were collected from 30 parents with children of different ages, some of whom were eligible for special school enrolment. Most parents felt constrained in choosing a school yet eager to make decisions themselves. Most described the process as rational. Findings suggest that when special school was an option, decision-making felt more restricted and complex. Factors such as difficulty accessing reliable information and pressure from professionals added to the complexity. It was concluded that final school selection did not reliably reflect parental preferences.     

Land fragmentation under rapid urbanization: A cross-site analysis of Southwestern cities

Explosive population growth and increasing demand for rural homes and lifestyles fueled exurbanization and urbanization in the western USA over the past decades. Using National Land Cover Data we analyzed land fragmentation trends from 1992 to 2001 in five southwestern cities associated with Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites. We observed two general fragmentation trends: expansion of the urbanized area leading to fragmentation in the exurban and peri-urban regions and decreased fragmentation associated with infill in the previously developed urban areas. We identified three fragmentation patterns, riparian, polycentric, and monocentric, that reflect the recent western experience with growth and urbanization. From the literature and local expert opinion, we identified five relevant drivers ?C water provisioning, population dynamics, transportation, topography, and institutions ?C that shape land use decision-making and fragmentation in the southwest. In order to assess the relative importance of each driver on urbanization, we linked historical site-specific driver information obtained through literature reviews and archival analyses to the observed fragmentation patterns. Our work highlights the importance of understanding land use decision-making drivers in concert and throughout time, as historic decisions leave legacies on landscapes that continue to affect land form and function, a process often forgotten in a region and era of blinding change.     

Who Shall Decide? The Relevance of Theory and Research to Decision-making by People with an Intellectual Disability

In the context of normalisation and rights recognition, capacity for decision-making by people with an intellectual disability has emerged as an important but potentially contentious issue. Although increased community integration has opened up many new options, opportunities for greater autonomy are still unnecessarily constrained. Perceptions of limited competence, the issue of who has control over choices, and organisational structures are some of the factors which influence the extent to which clients are able to make decisions. This paper argues that, in order to resolve these issues, decision-making by people with an intellectual disability should be studied within the broader context of psychological theories of decision-making and human behaviour. Theoretical findings are reviewed and areas identified in which decision-making behaviour may break down. The relevance of theoretical research to issues of competence and empowerment, and to the small body of research on decision-making and choice by people with an intellectual disability is discussed. It is concluded that future research should focus on contextual variables, including the nature of the decision to be made, which affect decision-making competence in people with an intellectual disability.     

Sirens’ Call: Understanding Poor Financial Decision Making and Credit Card Misuse

Poor financial decision-making paradigms such as misuse of credit cards exist as ruinous forms of personal debt. Psychiatric and physical health problems arise from financial distress. Significant challenges exist for consumers to become financially solvent. Obstacles that exist in overcoming financial stressors can be explained by behavioral economic theories. These theories explain why consumers make unwise financial decisions. Research, practice implications, and a financial therapy model for improving financial decision-making skills are presented. The need for social work to ally with family economic scholars and policymakers around financial literacy and the development of effective financial therapy interventions is discussed.     

An Eight Component Decision-Making Model for Problem Gambling:A Systems Approach to Stimulate Integrative Research

Problem Gambling (PG) represents a serious problem for affected individuals, their families and society in general. Previous approaches to understanding PG have been confined to only a subset of the psychobiological factors influencing PG. We present a model that attempts to integrate potential causal factors across levels of organization, providing empirical evidence from the vast literature on PG and complimentary literatures in decision-making and addiction. The model posits that components are arranged systematically to bias decisions in favor of either immediately approaching or avoiding targets affording the opportunity for immediate reward. Dopamine, Testosterone and Endogenous Opioids favor immediate approach, while Serotonin and Cortisol favor inhibition. Glutamate is involved in associative learning between stimuli and promotes the approach response through its link to the DA reward system. GABA functions to monitor performance and curb impulsive decision-making. Finally, while very high levels of Norepinephrine can induce arousal to an extent that is detrimental to sound decision-making, the reactivity of the Norepinephrine system and its effects of Cortisol levels can shift the focus towards long-term consequences, thereby inhibiting impulsive decisions. Empirical evidence is provided showing the effects of each component on PG and decision-making across behavioural, neuropsychological, functional neuroimaging and genetic levels. Last, an effect size analysis of the growing pharmacotherapy literature is presented. It is hoped that this model will stimulate multi-level research to solidify our comprehension of biased decision-making in PG and suggest pharmacological and psychological approaches to treatment.     

The consistency of fairness rules: An experimental study

This paper studies individual consistency in the use of fairness rules, together with the role of self-serving bias in decision-making. We likewise attempt to characterize the different decision-making processes associated with the two types of self-interested behavior (pure selfish and self-serving). We use a within-subject design, which allows us to compare individual behavior when the context changes. In line with the literature, we find a multiplicity of fairness rules. However, the set of fairness rules is considerably smaller when we control for consistency. Only selfishness and strict egalitarianism seem to survive the stricter consistency requirements. We observe that this result is mainly explained by a self-serving bias. Additionally, we observe that faster decisions are self-interested and decisions dealing with moral trade-off are slower.     

Child protection decision-making: social workers’ perceptions

ABSTRACT

Decision-making is located at the heart of social work as a core professional activity, because much of what social workers do concerns decisions about future courses of action. Drawing on elements of the learning together systems model and Falkov’s Systemic Family Model, this study investigated social workers’ perceptions regarding how child protection decisions are made. Evidence was drawn from a constructivist–-interpretivist qualitative research design, involving 16 semi-structured interviews with qualified and experienced social workers and 20 direct, non-participant observations of child protection meetings. Evidence from the study suggests that professionals and family members do not rely entirely on the guidance on the threshold criterion of the likelihood and significance of risk of harm when making decisions. Instead, they use discretionary intuition and analytical judgement, involving multidimensional criteria which includes consensus between professionals and with family members; individual professional’s state of mind; other agencies and professionals’ priorities as well as external factors such as the availability of resources. Conclusion can be drawn that existing guidance on decision-making is inadequate, hence the discretionary use of a combination of intuitive heuristics and analytical thinking in a complementary manner. This study, therefore, contributes to considerable conceptual clarity regarding the complex child protection decision-making process.     

Substance Abuse,Homelessness, Developmental Decision-Making and Spirituality: A Women's Health Issue

ABSTRACT

A qualitative methodology was used to examine the relationship between homeless women's spirituality, substance abuse, moral reasoning and developmental decision-making. Findings indicated that a lack of development in spirituality and the ability to make decisions in childhood is related to homeless, addicted women's inability to maintain abstinence and achieve social independence. Spirituality impacted decisions to abstain from substance abuse and increased the women's social independence. Findings suggest that treatment needs to incorporate spirituality, family of origin, and the development of skills for independent decision-making. The authors propose that childhood maltreatment, homelessness and substance abuse impede spiritual development. Therefore, substance abuse treatment needs to include a focus on spirituality and moral reasoning in the recovery process.     

Tri et affectation des détenus en régime différencié

On the basis of a nonparticipant observation in a detention center, an explanation is formulated about how detainees are screened upon admission and then assigned to various forms of detention. Each form is characterized by the specific factors, controls and interactions that affect a set of decisions about disciplinary measures, work and the sentences of detainees. The circularity in this complex decision-making process affects, in turn, exchanges by reinforcing the interactional particularities of each form of detention. The interdependence between decision-making and interactions feeds back into the process so as to increase the confidence that corrections officers have in the initial screening and assignment of detainees.     

Gender discrimination and career decision-making difficulties among female Chinese college students: The buffering role of coping styles

The current study examined the relationship between gender discrimination and a form of career decision-making difficulties: emotional and personality-related career decision-making difficulties among female Chinese college students. It further examined the buffering effect of coping styles on the above relationship. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 1427 female Chinese college students from 19 universities located in different regions in China. Results indicated that only suppressive style of coping served as a buffer on the relationship between gender discrimination and career decision-making difficulties. Also, gender discrimination, reflective style of coping, and reactive style of coping were positively associated with career decision-making difficulties. These results supported the need to develop career interventions focusing on discussion of gender discrimination, its impact on one's career decisions, as well as teaching distraction coping strategies in reducing the negative impact of gender discrimination on career decision-making difficulties among female Chinese college students.