Impact of Japanese investment in U.S. automobile production

The transfer of automobile production by Japanese firms to the United States represents a giant direct foreign investment. Using the disaggregated NIRA U.S.-Japan model in the framework of Project LINK, this article evaluates the impact of these investments on the U.S. and Japanese economies. The benefit in terms of auto production, capacity, employment, activity in supplier industries, and aggregate GNP in the United States is readily apparent. Japanese industry has incentives to move production into the United States to avoid protectionism and to guard against adverse movements of the exchange rate and production costs, but there is some loss in output and related variables in Japan.     

Contributing Factors of Depressive Symptoms Among Elderly Korean Immigrants in Texas

This study examined various life stresses associated with relocation that may contribute to depressive symptoms among Korean immigrant elders in Texas. A sample of 120 elders was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale–Short Form and a 90-min face-to-face interview. Over 1/3 of respondents (37.5%) had symptoms of depression. Regression analyses (R² = .331) indicate that self-rated health, stressful life events, English language proficiency, satisfaction of visiting one's birth place, and watching TV were correlates of depressive symptoms among them. The findings of this observational study may be used as a baseline for designing service program for this population.     

The Social Psychology of the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election

The 2004 U.S. presidential election was determined not by simple demographics and the power of incumbency, but by emotions such as fear and shame, aspects of the self-concept such as moralism and religiosity, and other psychological phenomena ranging from the self-deception of voters to the linguistic styles of the candidates. In introducing the papers in this special issue of ASAP on the social psychology of the election, I examine the effect sizes for psychological constructs such as religiosity, moralism, and terror. I suggest that pride and shame are likely determinants of the widely reported exit poll discrepancies, and argue that outgroup homogeneity was critical in determining the outcome of the election.     

Differences in perceptions of leadership between U.S. and Japanese workers

Differences between American and Japanese workers regarding perceptions of effective leadership were investigated. 128 American workers and 203 Japanese workers were asked to describe the characteristics of their ideal leader. Results indicated that Americans perceive personality characteristics as more important for leadership, whereas Japanese perceive skills and behaviors as more important for leadership. Suggestions are made for training leaders from the U.S. and Japan for cross-cultural situations and for future cross-cultural leadership research.     

The Impact of Direct Election on Reform Votes in the U.S. Senate*

Objective. This investigation examines the extent to which direct election rendered the U.S. Senate more supportive of Progressive reforms, as indicated through roll‐call outcomes. Methods. Pre‐ and postaggregate support coalitions are compared in a 16‐year period bifurcated by passage of the Seventeenth Amendment (1905–1921), utilizing difference in means and ordinary least squares regression. An alternate test considers the aggregate impact of the rising percentage of states adopting pre‐Amendment direct‐election mechanisms. A difference in means test between Senate and House votes on similar bills is also provided. Results. Neither the Amendment nor the statewide movement toward direct election exerted the conventionally assumed, positive impact on reform support; House and Senate support scores were similar throughout the period. Conclusions. The data suggest a strong pro‐reform tendency in the Senate throughout the timeframe. The probable reason direct election demonstrates so little of the expected impact on outcomes is that the Senate had already begun to move in that direction.     

Privatizing Social Services in the U.S.A.

Governmental and private sector social services organizations have traditionally shared important roles for provision and delivery of social services in the United States. Over the past fifty years, however, a predominant position has developed for the public sector, especially through federal funding for social service programmes. Recent challenges to the prevailing role of public sector dominance have been expressed by the proponents for privatization at a time when decreasing federal funds are made available for social service programmes. The analysis presented here examines the potential and problems associated with the privatization strategies offered through load shedding, limited-government arrangements, fee charging and competition. As a macro level approach for a comprehensive system of social service provision and delivery, these privatization strategies raise more questions than immediate solutions. A more optimistic view is taken if privatization leads to a more meaningful balance with increased co-operation between public and private social welfare auspices.     

国会与美国国家导弹防御系统

在介绍和分析美国国家导弹防御系统 (NMD)和克林顿政府的有关计划之后 ,作者重点研究了国会对此的考虑和反应。     

The Impact of Candidate Sex on Evaluations of Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives*

Objectives. To examine how voters and the general public evaluate women candidates by examining ideological and issue‐based evaluations of women candidates for the House of Representatives. Methods. Data are drawn from the National Election Study for all U.S. House elections from 1990 to 2000. OLS and logistic regression models examining the role of candidate sex in evaluations are tested. Results. When evaluating Democratic candidates, people see them as more liberal and utilize more female issues in their evaluations when the candidate is a woman. For Republican candidates, candidate sex is much less likely to be related to how people evaluate them. Conclusion. The central role of party in public evaluations of women candidates suggests that the impact of candidate sex on voters is more complex than previous works have suggested.     

冷战初期美国的南中国海政策及其影响

冷战初期,尽管美苏两大阵营主要角逐的地区在中东与东欧一带,但美国从来没有把虎视的目光从南中国海移开,早已纳入其海权影响的范畴.美国对中国的遏制战略就不可避免地要与南海问题联系在一起,这是其形成南中国海主权争端的立场、政策的起点和基础.美国对南中国海战略地位的认知,侵扰中国南海疆域的行为,以及对南海诸岛归属问题的“模糊”立场,不能不对南海局势的发展产生深远的影响.     

比较视野下中美社会工作教育体系探析

美国是社会工作教育体系较为完善的国家之一,其社会工作教育的发展历程与中国的不同,文章通过比较两国社会工作教育在政府、专业协会参与程度、教育规模、层次、师资力量、实习等方面的不同,借鉴其合理之处,来思考我国社会工作教育制度体系的完善。     

Depressive Symptoms and Economic Outcomes of Low-Income Women: A Review of the Social Causation, Social Selection, and Interactionist Hypotheses

We review research that connects depression and depressive symptoms to employment and economic factors for low-income women. Women who have low incomes and are unemployed or underemployed are vulnerable to mental health distress. The strain of balancing work and family life can be exacerbated by poor psychological health or nonsufficient economic resources. Research on the barriers that impede self-sufficiency can lead to policies that improve the economic and psychological health of low-income populations.
The discussion is framed by contrasting evidence for three theoretical perspectives: the social causation, social selection, and interactionist (bidirectional) hypotheses. The only causal relation reported is an effect of increased income on reduced depressive symptoms. Yet strong associations are found among psychological distress, earnings, employment stability, income, and job characteristics. The effects of programs to increase employment and the benefits of (and barriers to) depression treatment are also discussed. A bidirectional or interactionist perspective best conceptualizes the relationship between depression and economic factors. The reported negative effects of both poor mental well-being and low-quality employment suggest the need for stronger policies in the areas of mental health and work supports. We present policy recommendations addressing mental health treatment and outreach, employment placement, and workplace flexibility.     

The Effects of Depressive Symptoms on Work Activities and Welfare Exit of Welfare Recipients in Korea1

The purpose of this research is to examine the link between depressive symptoms of welfare recipients and their work activity and welfare exit using a secondary dataset, entitled the Korean Welfare Panel Study. In 2000, the National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS) was introduced to (i) ensure a basic standard of living for households in poverty, and (ii) promote work activity and welfare exit of the recipients. A considerable body of literature has reported that the policy outcome of the NBLSS is not a success. However, the reason for the low success rate is unclear. In contrast to studies in the USA, few studies in Korea investigated the effect of depression on welfare‐to‐work transitions. To bridge the gap in the literature, we examine the association between depression, work activity, and welfare exit using a logistic regression analytic method. The analytic results show that the level of depression (total score on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) was negatively associated with welfare recipients’ work activity and welfare exit, suggesting that depressive symptoms may be a significant barrier to promoting economic self‐sufficiency. Implications of the study findings are further discussed.     

Monthly Instability in Early Adolescent Friendship Networks and Depressive Symptoms

This study examined (1) the relation between perceived friendship instability and depressive symptoms, (2) the directionality of this link, and (3) whether the relation between friendship instability and depressive symptoms would differ according to specific friendship status (best and secondary friendships) and contexts (school, non-school, and multiple). Participants were 102 young adolescents (51 girls; M age  =  12 years) who completed a series of five monthly telephone interviews and in-class questionnaires. Results suggested that friendship instability over a five-month period was significantly associated with an increase in depressed mood. Regarding the directionality of the influence, cross-lag analyses revealed that elevated depressive symptoms at one time point significantly predicted an increase in friendship instability by the following month, whereas friendship instability at one time point did not predict an increase in depressive symptoms the next month. Finally, participants' depressed mood appeared to be associated with instability in their best friendships (but not secondary friendships) and in their school friendships (but not non-school and multi-context friendships). The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.     

美国解密日本二战档案考察

2007年1月,美国国家档案馆(NARA)解密了十万页有关二战日本罪行的档案.这批档案再次证实了日军在中国的大屠杀、生物战、强掳劳工、性暴力等战争罪行.其中令人关注的是日军七三一部队进行活体实验的记录,以及战后美国以豁免七三一部队负责人罪行换取日本生物战实验资料等幕后交易的档案.     

Parental Suicidal Ideation and Child Depressive Symptoms: The Roles of Optimism and Gratitude

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the influence of paternal and maternal suicidal ideation on child depressive symptoms and examine the moderating effects of children’s positive psychological traits: optimism and gratitude. A cross-sectional survey with 302 children and parents from five primary schools in Hong Kong were recruited. Results indicated that maternal suicidal ideation was significantly related to child depressive symptoms while paternal suicidal ideation was not. Moreover, the moderating effects of child optimism and gratitude were shown in the link between paternal suicidal ideation and children depressive symptoms. In contrast, the influencing power of maternal suicidal ideation of maternal suicidal ideation seems too strong to be attenuated by child optimism and gratitude. Findings of this study implicate the importance of prevention and intervention to suicidal parents and their offspring. Besides, positive psychology programs to enhance child optimism and gratitude might promote child resilience in the face of parental suicidal ideation. Future research is suggested to include other risk factors and protective factors that might be involved in the complex pathway from parental suicidal ideation to their children’s depression, and to collect data from multiple informants of a longitudinal representative sample.     

The effects of Mexico's devaluations and tariff changes on U.S. exports

The recent economic crisis in Mexico has been accompanied by several devaluations of the peso and a change in Mexico's tariff schedule. With Mexico being the third largest trading partner of the U.S. any serious disruption of this trade flow could significantly affect U.S. exports. This article presents estimates of the decline in U.S. exports in total and by industry. In total, the decline amounts to approximately $4.5 billion or a reduction in U.S. exports to Mexico of 31 percent. In addition, it is shown that approximately 40 percent of this total reduction in U.S. exports occurs in 15 product categories with 4 product categories accounting for about one-fifth of the total reduction. As is evident, only a few industries will bear a large percentage of the decline in U.S. exports to Mexico.     

Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among Homebound and Semi-Homebound Older Adults

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to provide a national profile of homebound and semi-homebound older adults with depressive symptoms and to compare risk factors of depressive symptoms by homebound status. A sample of 1,885 homebound and semi-homebound older adults was selected from Round 1 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 43.9% in homebound older adults and 28.1% in semi-homebound older adults, representing over 830,000 and 1.4 million individuals in the population, respectively. Nearly two-thirds of homebound and over half of semi-homebound older adults with clinically significant depressive symptoms also had significant anxiety symptoms. Results from logistic regression showed that younger age, certain medical morbidities, severity of functional limitations, and pain were common risk factors for depressive symptoms among homebound and semi-homebound older adults. Some differences in the risk factor profile emerged between the homebound and the semi-homebound populations. Alleviating the burden of depression in the semi-homebound population may focus on early prevention that considers the diversity of this population. Home-based, integrated programs of health and mental health services that simultaneously address the medical, psychiatric, and neurologic comorbidities and disabilities of homebound older adults are needed to meet the complex needs of this population.     

Social Capital and Fire Service Performance: Evidence from the U.S. States*

Objective. The present study evaluates whether areas with high levels of social capital are likely to have better fire service performance. Method. Utilizing Robert Putnam's 14‐measure index of social capital, OLS regression techniques are applied to objective data on the rate of unintentional fire deaths in the U.S. states between 1980 and 2003. Results. The findings show that social capital is associated with a low unintentional fire death rate, even when controlling for a range of important environmental constraints. However, the effects of social capital vary by its conceptual components. Conclusions. The study supports the argument that social capital is likely to be an important determinant of fire service outcomes, and suggests that the political engagement and social trust components may be the most important focus for public policies seeking to build social capital in order to reduce fire fatalities.     

美国在中日钓鱼岛问题上的政策演变与态势分析

美国是影响钓鱼岛问题的重要外部因素,中日钓鱼岛争端的产生、变化、未来发展趋势与美国有着密切联系。但目前学界对于钓鱼岛问题中美国因素的系统研究尚属薄弱,从美国对外政策的视角来探讨美国与钓鱼岛问题关系的论著则更少。①本文通过考察近二十年来美国在钓鱼岛问题上的政策与实施活动,对其政策演变的过程进行梳理和分析,并在此基础上对其政策发展态势做出研判。