Ranking of stigmatization toward lesbians and their children and the influence of perceptions of controllability of homosexuality

Recent custody rulings in this country have indicated that lesbian mothers are viewed more negatively than other parents with stigmatizing attributes, e.g., a history of mental illness or criminality. The current study compared willingness to engage in relationships with a variety of adults with potentially stigmatizing conditions (including lesbians) as well as the children of these stigmatized individuals among a sample of college students. The hypothesis that perceived controllability of homosexuality would be related to stigmatization of lesbians and their children was also tested. Findings included the following: (1) Participants reported a greater willingness to engage in relationships with children of stigmatized parents than with individuals who personally possess a stigmatizing attribute; (2) Participants reported a greater willingness to engage in relationships with adults with physically based stigmas and their children than with adults with mental/behavioral stigmas and their children, and (3) Participants who reported a belief that homosexuality is a controllable condition were less willing to engage in relationships with lesbians than respondents who reported a belief that homosexuality is uncontrollable. Discussion includes not only an evaluation of the results and limitations of the study, but also comments concerning judicial and societal stigmatization of lesbians and their children.     

Effects of the timing of marriage and first birth of the spacing of subsequent births

Analyzing data from a fifteen-year follow-up survey of high school students originally surveyed in 1957–58 and resurveyed in 1973–74, this paper examines the effects of the timing of marriage and first birth on subsequent child spacing, holding constant the effects of other variables that may be sources of spuriousness. The results suggest that age at first marriage has a causal effect on the occurrence of a short first birth interval and that age at first marriage and premarital pregnancy interact in their effect on the occurrence of a short second birth interval. Age at first marriage has no causal effect on the spacing of the second birth for those whose first child was maritally conceived. The spacing of the first birth, however, appears to have a causal effect on the spacing of the second.     

Examining the Effects of Perceptions of Community and Recreation Participation on Quality of Life

The study of quality of life remains a key area of interest for not only researchers but to society. Through research being completed in multiple disclines and from a multitude of perspectives, the need to understand the full breadth of quality of life is required in order for the further development of this research area. Through building on previous research completed on quality of life from multiple disclines, this study utilizes numerous objective and subjective indicators to model quality of life in a community in the southwest United States. Through the analysis of 352 completed surveys, it was found that the two strongest predictors of quality of life were community pride and community elements. Of interest is that a number of other indicators including recreation participation and length of residency in a community were found to have a negative relationship with quality of life.     

Fate of a mutant emerging at the initial stage of evolution

A simple system was constructed and used in the experimental elucidation of the fate of a mutant emerging in a population. ThreeEscherichia coli strains having the same genetic background except for their glutamine synthetase gene were used as model competitors. The difference in the enzyme gene were introduced by random mutation. Competition between these bacterial strains was carried out and observed in a continuous liquid culture. In most cases, the competitors stably coexist either in a steady state or in an oscillating state. In addition, the competition between the strains was found to be a deterministic process and not a stochastic one. These results showed that an emerging mutant in a population, be it a closely related one to the original members, can attain a state of stable coexistence even in a homogeneous environment. The ability of each of the emerging mutants to maintain its stable coexistence with the original population gives rise to the accumulation of various mutants in a population. Therefore, evolution starts from gradual accumulation of various mutants in the population, which in turn leads to the diversification of the population. As our experimental system is a minimum model for the various competitions in the natural ecosystem, the observed competitive coexistence is proposed to be a general phenomenon in nature.     

Perceptions of quality of life in an industrializing country: The case of the Republic of Korea

Research on perceived quality of life to date has been confined to industrialized countries mostly in the West. As a result, very little has been known about the quality of life perceived and desired by the people living in industrializing countries. This study has sought to fill this void by analyzing data collected from a national sample survey conducted recently in Korea. The analysis has produced a number of results which do not accord with those from research undertaken in industrialized countries.     

The influence of income on family fertility in the light of the results of empirical studies

Based on data from the 1973-83 Polish Family Budget Survey, this study examines the influence of income as a source of maintenance and income as a determinant of childbearing on family parity. It is assumed that income influences parity as a source of maintenance and as an influence on lifestyle or reproductive behavior. As a source of maintenance, the influence will be positive. As a life-style factor, it could be positive or negative. The hypotheses are 1) that positive influences are characteristics of older couples with a lower educational level and living in villages and small towns and income is a source of maintenance, and 2) a negative influence on parity reflects younger couples with higher educational levels from larger cities and income is a life-style factor. Some examples of how the theory of income influences total fertility are given in addition to a further elaboration of the theory. Other concepts introduced, as related to childbearing, are the value of goods and services with unchanged preferences and an increase in income, with preferences changing with income increases, with income preferences for nonprocreational and for procreational needs, and income as a factor influencing procreational needs and behavior. Correlation analysis is conducted for 33 subpopulations based on duration of marriage, educational level of the household, and size of residence. The results indicate that, in years 1973, 1975, and 1978 when income and parity are significant, the sign is positive. In 1980, there was a decrease in the number of subpopulations with a significant relationship, and in 3 subpopulations the results were negative. The 13 positive subpopulations were similar to those in the 1970s. In 1983, income explained an even smaller amount of parity. The subpopulations with a postive relationship usually have longer marriage durations, which suggest income as a source of maintenance. Negative results were among subpopulations with shorter marriage durations, which suggests life-style factor effects of income.     

A Sociological Review of the Reflections and Dimensions of Quality of Life of the Widows in Tehran

The article explores some of the theoretical perspectives on widows, followed by empirical findings on the issue in Tehran. Widowhood transition being pursued by drop in relations, is observed and examined from various dimensions, with the hope of improving the quality of life of the widows. Some of the socio-economic effects of widowhood as appraised by various thinkers and scientists, are reflected in the context. The phenomenon being in existence as long as socially regulated marriage continues under the cause-and-effect laws, needs probing with special reference to the modern time. That is, being subject to emotional crises, they need to be multi-dimensionally studied. Through a multi-method strategy, and with the use of questionnaire tool, data were collected. Widowhood as a common problem in old age is followed by the isolation, a period of change and new challenges, i.e., reflection of a major stressful life event. However, widows as a vulnerable social group are seen worldwide with commonalities. In other words, about half of the women householders in the world are widowed. The author reflects a clear and tangible picture of the widows’ quality of life, and their satisfaction with life through the tabulated data. Nevertheless, government and relevant agencies in Iran, need to work and plan hard to provide the widows with necessary security and support.     

The Importance of the Geographic Level of Analysis in the Assessment of the Quality of Life: The Case of Spain

There is a growing literature on the assessment of quality of life conditions in geographically and/or politically divided regions. Sometimes these territories are countries within a specified supranational structure, such as the European Union, for instance, and sometimes they are regions within countries. There is also some research that focuses on the municipal level of analysis, measuring the quality of life in cities. In the end what the researcher obtains is, at best, an average of the living conditions in the specified territory. However, if results are intended to have policy implications, attention should be paid to the variance in living conditions within regions. In this paper we attempt to quantify the relative importance of three different geographic levels of analysis in assessing the quality of life of the Spanish population. The geo-political division in Spain consists firstly of regions called Comunidades Autónomas, which are then divided into provinces which in turn are divided into municipalities. We are interested in evaluating the extent to which the quality of life conditions of an average person living in a given municipality are explained by the province and region in which the municipality is located. To do so, we first construct a composite indicator of quality of life (QoL) for the 643 largest municipalities of Spain using 19 variables which are weighted using Value Efficiency Analysis (VEA). VEA is a refinement of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) that imposes some consistency on the weights of the indicators used to construct the aggregate index. The indicators cover aspects related to consumption, social services, housing, transport, environment, labour market, health, culture and leisure, education and security. We then make a variance decomposition of the VEA scores to assess the importance of the three levels of geo-political administration. The results show that the municipal level is the most important of these, accounting for 52% of the variance in QoL. Regions explain 38% while provinces only account for a moderate 10%. Therefore, political action at the regional and municipal level would seem to have a larger impact on QoL indicators.     

On the dependence of age structure on asequence of mortality and fertility schedules: An exposition of a cyclical model of population change

In this paper a method to investigate the dependence of age structure and growth rate on a given sequence of fertility and mortality schedules under the conditions of unchanging mortality and absence of migration is discussed. The method consists in projecting an arbitrary population classified by age to the ends of successive periods assuming that a given age pattern of mortality will remain without change and that a given sequence of fertility schedules will repeatedly operate on the population in a cyclical fashion. It is shown that after a sufficiently large number of repetitions of the cycle, the shifts in age structure between the ends of successive periods and the changes in the growth of the different age groups from one period to the next show a cyclical pattern. Formulas are derived expressing the above changes in terms of a sequence of k growth multipliers, k being the number of schedules in the fertility sequence, and the survival rates in the mortality schedule. A numerical illustration of the theory is given using fertility data from Finland.     

论失业“救济”制度向就业“保险”制度的转型及其政策探析

我国的失业保险就其目标定位和运行状况看,基本还是一种“生活保障型”的失业保障制度,其“再就业导向”功能明显不足,甚至严重缺失,难以适应我国劳动力市场不断攀高的失业人口的压力。必须进行制度设计理念的转变和功能调整,按‘就业是最好的失业保险’原则,重构以促进失业者尽快就业和鼓励企业扩大雇佣、稳定就业为导向的“就业保险型”失业保障制度。     

Some determinants of the migration of professional manpower

Determinants of migration of professional manpower are investigated using data from a 1970 survey of immigrants to the United States. From a respondent's stated "intent to stay" in the United States and five other characteristics a six-dimensional contingency table is formed. We find a well-fitting log-linear model for this table. Thus, we establish the importance of selected determinants of migration and present a table of predicted rates of intent to stay in the United States.     

Indicators and Implications of Zero Tolerance of Corruption: The Case of Hong Kong

Notwithstanding the voluminous studies of Hong Kong’s anticorruption experience and the admiration the ICAC has earned from other governments as a model for “institutional engineering,” little is known about how the public in Hong Kong has perceived and responded to corruption. Less clear is what factors beyond a powerful and independent anticorruption agency have made the Hong Kong experience possible. Drawing on original survey data collected in Hong Kong in 2010–2011, this study investigates what determines individual propensities to accept or reject corruption and explores the role of a zero-tolerance culture in preventing corruption. Evidence confirms the existence of a low tolerance for corruption in Hong Kong. It also reveals a more significant impact of informal institutions than formal ones on corruption tolerance levels. As the very first study of zero tolerance of corruption, this research adds considerable depth to our understanding of why Hong Kong has become one of the most corruption-free societies in the world and of the importance of civic engagement in deterring actual and potential corruption.     

The Origins and Demise of the Concept of Race

Physical and cultural diversity have been salient features of human societies throughout history, but “race” as a scientific concept to account for human diversity is a modern phenomenon created in nineteenth‐century Europe as Darwinian thought was (mis)applied to account for differences in human societies. Although modern science has discredited race as a meaningful biological concept, race has remained as an important social category because of historical patterns of interpersonal and institutional discrimination. However, the impossibility of consistent and reliable reporting of race, either as an identity or as an observed trait, means that the notion of race as a set of mutually exclusive categories is no longer tenable. As a social science term, race is being gradually abandoned. Physical differences in appearance among people remain a salient marker in everyday life, but this reality can be better framed within the concept of ethnicity.     

对新型生育文化效应的实证分析

新型生育文化是一种与传统生育文化既有联系又有根本区别的现代生育文化 ,它的效应的产生和发挥对人口与社会经济发展具有十分突出的意义。本文对我国新型生育文化效应发挥情况进行了初步的实证研究 ,主要涉及到新型生育文化效应的指标设置、运用、问卷调查分析以及促进效应有效发挥的模式特征。     

A conceptualization and research strategy for the study of ecological aspects of the quality of life

The centerpiece of this paper is a proposed model identifying the various factors that ought to be brought into a thorough study of ecological aspects of quality of life. The model suggests that in addition to studying the physical, economic and social situation of an individual it also is important to study his beliefs about how the world works, his personal lifestyle, and his values, goals, aspirations and needs if one is to make adequate inferences about what produces the level of quality of life that he experiences. The model also shows that it is important to look at similar variables for a community or a society in order to arrive at inferences about quality of life for that community or society. Personal and societal learning is a dynamic factor in the model. The paper concludes with a discussion of strategies for operationalizing these factors in empirical studies.     

A note of correction with reference to parameters of the menstrual cycle and the efficiency of rhythm methods of contraception

Abstract Owing to a misunderstanding in regard to the data sheets, all the references to the pre- and post-ovulatory phases in Dr. Marshall's data in my paper should be interchanged. The following is a list of conclusions which may be drawn from that study: 1. Although the Farris Test is probably less efficient than had formerly been thought, there is no evidence that it is biased. 2. Within individual histories, pre-ovulatory phase variance usually exceeds post-ovulatory phase variance. 3. The variance of mean pre-ovulatory phase exceeds that of mean post-ovulatory phase among a group of women. 4. Within a group of women, there seems to be no appreciable correlation between mean pre-ovulatory and mean post-ovulatory phase. 5. It is possible that there is a true underlying positive correlation between pre- and post-ovulatory phases within a single menstrual history. 6. The standard error of the RB.T. test was estimated to exceed √6 days. 7. The variances of the phases within individual histories are probably positively correlated, so it seems that in general a variable post-ovulatory phase is not favourable to the outcome of the practice of rhythm.     

打造长白山人口文化的意义与作用

吉林省打造长白山人口文化,是全面做好人口计生工作、统筹解决吉林人口问题的需要。打造长白山人口文化,是对吉林丰富的人口文化资源发掘和提炼的过程,是新型人口文化的构建过程,是现代人口计生工作文明形态的构建过程。它既是传统人口文化与现代文化的一次融合、碰撞与创新的过程,也是对以往文化"缺位"的人口计生工作模式的积极定位。因此,打造长白山人口文化具有重要的理论意义和现实意义。     

The Normativity of the Concept of Heteronormativity

The aim of the article is to analyze and to critically examine use of the concept of heteronormativity. We find it important to adjust the concept to some extent in order to analyze, for example, changes occurring in homosexual families, contemporary gender-equal families, or the progressive youth culture. We find two approaches when using the concept. One minimizes the importance of how sexual practices are embedded in social institutions. The first approach becomes too idealistic, whereas the second approach often is based on a structural view of society. This approach makes it hard to imagine a transformation of the family that could lead to more equal and democratic relations in contemporary families. We suggest a third approach, and the possibility of finding creative ways of analyzing actual change and contestations of heteronormativity. An approach containing a space of reflexivity and aiming at political change both involving subjects as well as structures.     

Evaluative comparisons of distributions of a social variable: Ordering methods

A distribution of a social variable over a population assigns a level or value of the variable to each individual in the population. The present paper continues a study of methods of ordering distributions of a social variable that was begun in an earlier paper. The earlier paper addressed issues of meaningfulness of evaluative comparisons and then examined several fundamental criteria for social evaluation. The present paper focuses on a variety of methods of ordering distributions. It begins with additive extensions of a Pareto principle and then looks at a number of distributional dominance relations, all of which are based on individuals' preferences. Ordering methods that may be only marginally related to individuals' preferences are discussed in the latter part of the paper.     

提高安徽省人口文化素质的思路与对策

安徽省经济基础薄弱,教育投入不足,办学条件差,教育事业总体上比较落后,导致安徽省人口,尤其是劳动人口文化素质偏低,严重地制约了安徽省经济的发展。针对安徽省教育存在的问题和人口文化素质的实际状况,结合省情省力和"科教兴皖"战略,提出优先发展教育,包括适应市场经济的需要,调整教育结构;增大政府教育投入,并建立多渠道筹措教育经费的新体制;巩固和发展农村基础教育,优化农村教育结构;加强师资培训,建设一支高素质的教师队伍等可行性的对策与建议。