Spending time together: the impact of children on couples�� leisure synchronization

The presence of children may oblige parents to desynchronize their schedules in order both to minimize childcare expenses and to become more efficient in their domestic tasks. This disconnection between the father’s and the mother’s schedules may be undesired as such, and may represent an additional component in the overall cost of children as traditionally considered. This article analyzes the impact of children on their parents’ schedules, using the French time use survey data (INSEE 1998–1999). The comparison of female and male schedules makes it possible to measure the leisure synchronization of dual-earner couples. We show that the presence of children within a household significantly reduces joint leisure time, and the more so if they are young. Parental schedule adjustments are severely limited by work constraints. The parents’ difficulties in coordinating their schedules in order to spend time together is expressed as a deprivation of leisure which is larger for joint than for individual time. Finally, for couples with children, greater housework synchronization does not free up enough time to maintain joint leisure time.     

Reward the lucky? An experimental investigation of the impact of agency and luck on bonuses

We examine the impact of agency and luck on bonuses in a two player, two stage controlled laboratory experiment. In the first stage, Player A makes an investment decision on behalf of Player B. In the second stage, Player B makes a dictator allocation for each possible outcome from the investment. We compare dictator giving (bonuses) across outcomes and with a control treatment in which the stage 1 outcomes are determined randomly. We do not find that luck is rewarded with higher bonuses. However, we do find a general tendency to respond to agency with reduced bonuses and, in particular, a significant tendency to reduce bonuses to agents who are unlucky. Additionally, we find that those who are more risk tolerant are less likely to give no bonus under agency but not in the control.     

What makes a big demonstration? Exploring the impact of mobilization strategies on the size of demonstrations

ABSTRACT

Massive demonstrations are the staple of powerful social movements, but research on the factors affecting the size of demonstrations (in terms of number of attendants) is almost nonexistent. Why do some demonstrations pack long avenues with masses of people while other ones barely fill a street corner? Combining resource mobilization, political opportunity, and framing theories, we argue that mobilization strategies – the sequence of decisions and actions taken by protest organizers before staging a protest – shape demonstration size. Multivariate models with 937 Chilean demonstrations between 2000 and 2012 show that demonstrations are larger when they display more demands (especially universalistic demands), target the national government, attract more organizations (especially umbrella organizations), and mobilize cohesive groups with broad public support. We reinforce the internal validity of our argument using interviews with movement leaders and secondary research on Chilean society.     

Thirty years on … the social representation of AIDS among French teenagers

Teenagers, who are particularly concerned by the HIV virus, are targeted by plans of HIV prevention, as they are just beginning their sex lives. Since certain recent studies reveal that teenagers are not using HIV prevention methods, we analyse social representations of HIV/AIDS among a group of 100 French high school pupils, thirty years after it appeared and after the first studies of the social representation of AIDS. The results of a free associations test show that both girls and boys have the same social representation of AIDS. The results of a complementary questionnaire tend to show that this disease has become less frightening and less stigmatizing and that girls have a more preventive state of mind.     

Cross-border partnership – the impact of institutions on creating the borderland communities (the case of Spree-Neisse-Bober Euroregion)

The aim of the paper is to present the cooperation nets generated as a result of the operation of an organization of a cross-border scope and impact, and such is the Spree-Neisse-Bober Euroregion, and to evaluate and assess their role in creating the bonds among the inhabitants. The main research area is the role that the SNBE plays in creating social connections. The authoresses will pay close attention to: the characteristics of Polish-German relations in the borderland; existing social networks within the frames of created partnerships, and the role of the Euroregion as an institution fostering the development of transborder community. The analysis presented here is the result of the research project “Trust beyond Borders. Sprewa-Nysa-Bóbr Euroregion in Perspective of Integrating Processes in Polish-German Borderland”. Conducted in 2013, it used content analysis, survey (800 respondents) and unstructured interviews (70 experts from Poland and Germany) methods.     

‘Getting by’: life on the Copperbelt after the privatisation of the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines

The privatisation of the Zambian Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) in 1997 resulted in massive job losses, which marked the beginning of an unprecedented economic crisis on the Copperbelt. This coincided with the initiation of a house ownership policy by the Chiluba administration. Miners thus lost a job and gained a house as part of their retrenchment packages, which included some cash. The harsh material and psychological realities experienced by miners in this transition period spurred a wide array of informal economic activities in which the house and yard played important economic roles. It also tinged the experiences of former mine employees with nostalgia for a ‘golden’ past where the mining system provided a stable economic base and a wide range of social services. The disappearance of the old ZCCM system and its de facto control on socio‐economic differentiation sparked new processes of ‘class’ formation. This paper describes the livelihood processes and experiences of former mine employees, focussing on a high‐cost mine neighbourhood in the Copperbelt town of Luanshya.     

The impact of the agricultural industry on the rural economy — tracking the spatial distribution of the farm inputs and outputs

With all the uncertainty surrounding the future of the agricultural industry, it is important to gain some kind of insight into the economic impact the industry has on the rural economy, to enable the formation of the most appropriate rural policies. Using Farm Business Survey data, this study examines the spatial distribution of inputs and outputs from a sample of 52 farms in the Reading Province. The results show significant links between farms and their locality, especially for the smaller farm.     

Tracing a cartography of struggle: reflections on twenty years of transnational solidarity with the U’wa people of Colombia

ABSTRACT

The author reflects upon two decades of research and activism by mapping a cartography of struggle that emphasizes the importance of relationality and Indigenous theory and practice.     

Does "Yes or No" on the Telephone Mean the Same as "Check-All-That-Apply" on the Web?

Recent experimental research has shown that respondents to forced-choicequestions endorse significantly more options than respondentsto check-all questions. This research has challenged the commonassumption that these two question formats can be used interchangeablybut has been limited to comparisons within a single survey mode.In this paper we use data from a 2004 random sample survey ofuniversity students to compare the forced-choice and check-allquestion formats across web self-administered and telephoneinterviewer-administered surveys as they are commonly used insurvey practice. We find that the within-mode question formateffects revealed by previous research and reaffirmed in thecurrent study appear to persist across modes as well; the telephoneforced-choice format produces higher endorsement than the webcheck-all format. These results provide further support forthe argument that the check-all and forced-choice question formatsdo not produce comparable results and are not interchangeableformats. Additional comparisons show that the forced-choiceformat performs similarly across telephone and web modes.     

Subjective well-being in European countries��on the age-specific impact of physical activity

As an attempt to measure the ‘experienced’ utility of individuals in economics, the investigation of individuals’ subjective well-being (SWB) was pioneered by Van Praag and Frijters (1999) and Kahneman et al. (1999). Since then, a number of studies has analysed the factors associated with SWB and policy makers are now recognising the importance of SWB as a policy target, with the implication being that one could target its factors associated with increase in the overall SWB in countries. However, despite its significance to economies, and increasing policy relevance, investigations on the impact of sport and physical activity on SWB are relatively rare [e.g. Rasciute and Downward in Kyklos 63(2):256–270, 2010]. More specifically, despite sports participation and engagement in physical activity having a strong age-specific profile (Breuer et al. in Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 7:61–70, 2010; Hinrichs et al. in Eur J Sport Soc 6(1):49–57, 2010; Mechling and Netz in European Rev Aging Physical Activity 6(2):89–97, 2009), there is no study that investigates whether the magnitude of this impact is age-specific. Consequently, this paper seeks to make a unique contribution to the existing literature by exploring the age-specific effects of physical activity on SWB for a broad cross-section of 19 European countries. Overall, the results suggest that engagement in physical activity generally contributes to the SWB of individuals on a European level but that significant age-specific differences exist.     

The impact of the social context on externalizing risks – Implications for the delivery of programs to vulnerable youth

This paper draws on data from a longitudinal study of over 500 vulnerable adolescents to examine the extent to which levels of individual externalizing risk behaviors (risky or unsafe behaviors) changed over time, as well as which fixed and time-dynamic factors predicted changes in these risk levels over time. Over time absolute levels of risky behaviors decreased but remained above normative levels. Of all the predictors, being excluded from school and associating with an anti-social peer group were the strongest and most consistent predictors of these behaviors. Other factors predicted changes in one or more of the three risk measures used, suggesting that each risk factor may reflect challenges youth face in different domains of their lives. Implications of these findings for service delivery are discussed.     

Austerity plan announcements and the impact on the employees’ wellbeing

This study investigates the impact of austerity plan announcements on employees’ wellbeing. We exploit the unexpected announcement of a drastic wage cut (25%) related to public sector employees in Romania. Using data from the Eurobarometer Surveys and the European Quality of Life Survey, we employ a difference-in-difference research design combined with matching, based on entropy balancing, to identify the causal effects. Our results reveal that the mere announcement of austerity measures leads to an overall drop in life satisfaction among those working in the public sector. We also show that men, and especially married individuals, are most affected by the substantial wage cut announcement. Contrary to previous research, we find that public sector employees with higher levels of education are more likely to be affected by this policy communication compared to those with only secondary or primary levels of education. Our results also suggest that the negative effect of the announcement is not persisting over time.     

‘Imposed unknowns’: a qualitative study into the impact of Independent Living Fund closure on users

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Work and Pensions. An efficient and popular system of support, the ILF enabled 46,000 people between 1988 and 2015; however, in 2015 the Fund closed and local authorities (LAs) assumed sole responsibility for supporting former ILF users. This article presents the experiences of 12 former ILF users as they transition from ILF to LA support. We focus on participants’ experiences of ILF and LA support, their transition from ILF to LA support, and the emotional impact of transition. Participants were universally positive about their dealings with the ILF, whilst nearly all were worried about LA provision. For most participants, the process of transfer was not smooth; participants received insufficient information and poor communication from LAs. Participants expressed anxiety and uncertainty over the future and these feelings were exacerbated by the actions of LAs during transfer.     

Community perceptions of people with disabilities in the North West region of Cameroon: what is the impact on their access to services?

Community perceptions of people with disabilities are not uncommon and also have impact on access to services. This article discusses the results from interviews, participant observations as well as field notes with 62 participants (people with disabilities, families of people with disabilities, regular school teachers and principals, community-based rehabilitation personnel, non-governmental organization personnel, traditional leaders, religious leaders and social workers) regarding their perceptions of people with disabilities and the impact on access to services. The findings from the study revealed that community’s perceptions of people with disabilities are both negative and positive and have an impact on their access to schooling, health and rehabilitation services. The discussions/conclusions include difference in perspectives, beliefs and practices, impact of perceptions as non-linear, sensitization/flow of information and context difference.     

The “Costs” of informal care: an analysis of the impact of elderly care on caregivers’ subjective well-being in Japan

This paper examines the impact of providing informal care to elderly parents on caregivers’ subjective well-being using unique data from the “Preference Parameters Study” of Osaka University, a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan. The estimation results indicate heterogeneous effects: while informal elderly care does not have a significant impact on the happiness level of married caregivers regardless of whether they take care of their own parents or parents-in-law and whether or not they reside with them, it has a negative and significant impact on the happiness level of unmarried caregivers. These findings call for more attention to be paid to unmarried caregivers, who presumably receive less support from family members and tend to be more vulnerable to negative income shocks than their married counterparts.     

Does surprise enhance infant memory? Assessing the impact of the encoding context on subsequent object recognition

A discrepancy between what was predicted and what is observed has been linked to increased looking times, changes in brain electrical activity, and increased pupil dilation in infants. These processes associated with heightened attention and readiness to learn might enhance the encoding and memory consolidation of the surprising object, as suggested by both the infant and the adult literature. We therefore investigated whether the presence of surprise during the encoding context enhances subsequent encoding and recognition memory processes for the items that violated infants' expectations. Seventeen-month-olds viewed 20 familiar objects, half of which were labeled correctly, while the other half were mislabeled. Subsequently, infants were presented with a silent recognition memory test where the previously labeled objects appeared along with new images. Pupil dilation was measured, with more dilated pupils indicating (1) surprise during those labeling events where the item was mislabeled and (2) successful retrieval processes during the memory test. Infants responded with more pupil dilation to mislabeling compared to correct labeling. Importantly, despite the presence of a surprise response during mislabeling, infants only differentiated between the previously seen and unseen items at the memory test, offering no evidence that surprise had facilitated the encoding of the mislabeled items.     

A field experiment on the impact of a prior donor’s social status on subsequent charitable giving

We study the effect of a prior donor on subsequent charitable giving in a natural field experiment and investigate in particular whether his social status matters for subsequent giving. To do so, we trailed a person asking for donations in Cologne’s streetcar network while (1) either implementing an initial donor or not and (2) varying the apparent social status of the initial donor. We find that other passengers are more prone to give when there is an initial donor, with this effect being amplified when he seems to have a high social status. Further analyses reveal that women tend to react stronger than men to the prior donor’s status.     

Beyond the Classroom: The Impact of a University-Based Civic Hackathon Addressing Homelessness

ABSTRACT

Stigma and prejudice are barriers to developing policies addressing homelessness. Awareness development, using civic hackathons, may be beneficial in reducing stigma and promoting policy while offering unique training to social work students. The current study explores the feasibility of hosting a university-based homelessness hackathon; associated changes in self-perceived knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and investment in addressing homelessness; and development of innovative solutions. Participants (N=32) attended a 7-hour event, involving expert panels, rapid iteration, and solution pitches. Pre- and postevent surveys demonstrate changes in knowledge and attitudes related to homelessness as well as civic responsibility. The event was less successful in generating deployable solutions. Findings suggest the benefit of university-based hackathons to train social work students and offer considerations for implementing hackathons in educational settings.     

Access is not enough: the impact of emotional costs and self-efficacy on the changes in African-American students’ ICT use patterns

Previous research has examined the impact of computing interventions to reduce digital inequity. However, few studies focus on factors such as inequalities to material access, Internet use patterns, and affective or emotional anxiety. This paper investigates the potential role of emotional costs and computer self-efficacy in the connection between computer use at home and students’ computer use patterns. Data for this research come from pretest and posttest surveys administered to fourth- and fifth-grade African-American students. The results reveal that students’ home computer use is a significant predictor of the change in their information and entertainment usage over the course of the intervention. Students’ emotional costs partially mediate the relationship between home computer use and information-oriented usage over the intervention period. The findings suggest that providing students access to digital devices is not enough to close the digital divide.