The Effect of Viewing a Landscape on Physiological Health of Elderly Women

Abstract

A quasi-experiment was undertaken to measure physiological characteristics of elderly women as they viewed different landscapes. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored as elderly women living in a retirement centre viewed a natural landscape, a built landscape, and a control room with no view to the outside. Other characteristics of the individuals and the settings that have been shown to affect blood pressure and heart rate were controlled. The results indicated that, in all cases, viewing the natural landscape resulted in lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures and lower heart rates than those measured in the control room. Viewing the built landscape also had the general effect of lowering blood pressures and heart rates, but the effect was less consistent and the magnitude was smaller than that caused by the natural landscape. Lowering of blood pressure and heart rate have both been shown to be positively correlated with increased health and well-being, indicating the benefit of simply viewing a landscape. These results have important implications for design of housing for the elderly. Even if individuals are unable or unwilling to go outside, they can still benefit from seeing out into a landscape.     

Results of a heart disease risk-factor screening among traditional college students

The author collected data on serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and self-reported health behavior in 226 college students aged 18 to 26 years. Twenty-nine percent had undesirable total cholesterol levels, 10% had high cholesterol, 10% had high systolic blood pressure, and 11% had high diastolic blood pressure. Half or more of the participants consumed a diet high in saturated fats, engaged in binge drinking, had a parental risk for high cholesterol or blood pressure, or reported they experienced elevated stress levels. Men had higher risk-factor levels than women. Findings from a regression analysis revealed that smoking, binge drinking, lack of cardiovascular exercise, and eating a high saturated-fat diet were predictive of undesirable cholesterol levels. Study limitations included self-selection of participants and single measurements of blood pressure and cholesterol. Trained students served as screeners in the program for providing an effective, low-cost screening intervention.     

The United States Economic Crisis: Young Adults’ Reports of Economic Pressures, Financial and Religious Coping and Psychological Well-Being

Using a sample of 222 young adults attending college, the present study examined the relative contribution of young adults’ perceived economic pressures, financial coping and religious meaning-making coping strategies in accounting for variation in their reports of psychological well-being within the context of the United States economic crisis. Results suggest a direct relationship between perceived economic pressure and psychological well-being such that young adults who reported having to make more economic adjustments as a result of economic crisis also reported higher levels of depressed mood and anxiety. Young men and women who reported having to make fewer economic adjustments and being able to meet their material needs reported higher levels of life satisfaction. Regardless of young adults’ self-reported level of economic pressures, the use of education and communication financial coping strategies was related to lower levels of self-reported anxiety and depressed mood and greater life satisfaction. Viewing the financial crisis as a punishment from God was generally associated with young adults’ reports of greater depressed mood and less life satisfaction. Implication of findings for research and practice are discussed.     

Estimating Mortality Levels and Patterns among Natives,Immigrants, and Selected Ethnic Groups in Greece: 2010–2012

This study addresses for the first time in Greece the issue of levels and patterns of mortality among natives and immigrants, using vital statistics and census data by citizenship. Life tables are constructed for the two most numerous communities, Albanians and Bulgarians as well as for all immigrant populations combined; standardized mortality ratios are estimated for smaller migrant groups. Albanian males have a slight mortality advantage compared to natives; all other groups experience higher mortality. Some support for the “selectivity of migrants” hypothesis is provided as immigrants in several cases have significantly lower mortality compared to their countries of origin. Implications for public health policy in Greece are discussed.     

Social environments with competitive pressure: Gender effects in the decisions of German schoolchildren

Systematic differences in decision making between genders have been discovered in both competitive and pro-social environments. These contexts, however, have been previously studied in isolation while in naturally occurring settings pro-social and competitive pressures often overlap in economically meaningful ways. Here we report data from an experiment involving German schoolchildren where dictators are in one town and receivers in another. Our experiment informs decision making in social environments that include differing levels of competitive pressure. We find that competitive pressure significantly mitigates pro-sociality in boys, while it does not affect girls’ propensities to make fair decisions. This finding is robust to controlling for social and cognitive factors, and it may shed additional light on the evolutionary roots of human social preferences.     

Sex Ratio and Family Structure in the Nonmetropolitan United States

The sex ratio hypothesis maintains that the ratio of marriageable men to marriageable women can have major implications for family formation and structure. Despite extensive research attention, the sex ratio hypothesis has yet to be tested on general nonmetropolitan populations. This study of nonmetropolitan counties in the United States found strong support for the sex ratio hypothesis. Counties with low sex ratios (shortage of men) had lower proportions of married couple households and a corresponding higher proportion of female-headed households. These low sex ratio counties also had fewer adults married, and a lower proportion of their children living in married couple households with a higher proportion of children living in female-headed households.     

Relational‐Interdependent Self‐Construal and Gender Predicting Blood Pressure Reactivity and Recovery From Stress in Early Adolescence

This study investigated the association between relational‐interdependent self‐construals (relational interdependence) and blood pressure reactivity and recovery from two types of peer stressors (i.e., relational and instrumental) and gender as a moderator of this association. One hundred and ninety‐six early adolescents (M = 10.11 years) reported their relational interdependence and participated in a laboratory stress protocol in which their systolic and diastolic blood pressures before, during, and after experiencing peer stressors were assessed. Results indicated that for males only, those with high relational interdependence showed greater systolic blood pressure reactivity and, at a trend level, impaired recovery from instrumental stressors; females with high relational interdependence showed greater diastolic blood pressure reactivity to relational stressors.     

Sex roles and sexual dysfunction in college students

We conducted an assessment of the nature and prevalence of sexual dysfunctions and concerns within a nonclinical population of university students. Our hypotheses were that (a) sexual pressures would be more positively related to manifest sexual performance dysfunctions among masculine sex‐typed men than among nonmasculine sex‐typed men and that (b) androgynous subjects would report fewer sexual problems and concerns than nonandrogynous subjects. A questionnaire composed of the short form of the Bern Sex‐Role Inventory and questions regarding sexual activities, concerns, and dysfunctions was mailed to a stratified random sample of undergraduate and graduate students. Among the 43% of students who returned the survey, approximately 13% reported experiencing sexual performance dysfunctions. The hypothesis that sexual pressure from a partner would be more closely associated with sexual dysfunctioning for masculine sex‐typed men than for non‐masculine sex‐typed men was supported. However, androgynous respondents did not report lower levels of sexual dysfunction or concern than did nonandrogynous respondents.     

Beyond Miami: The Ethnic Enclave and Personal Income in Various Cuban Communities in the United States1

It is frequently noted that Cubans living in Miami are successful because they benefit from the formation of an enclave economy. Using the 1990 Census Public Use Microdata, this study broadens the examination beyond Miami to address the question of why Cubans living elsewhere have higher earnings than those in Miami. Specifically, I address the question of whether there is a relationship between Cuban ethnic enclave participation and Cuban income. Findings indicate that Cubans in Miami have the lowest personal income. Cubans living in areas with the lowest Cuban populations have the highest incomes. These findings are evidence against the enclave economy hypothesis.     

青年压力来源与社会支持系统优化策略

现代社会给青年提供了前所未有的发展机遇,也使青年承受着超出以往任何时代的生存压力．2011年,对山东城市在业青年进行的社会心态调查显示：当前青年的压力主要来自经济压力、工作压力、子女教育压力三个方面。研究表明：传统的家庭支持系统是青年应对经济压力和人生重大选择的主要支持力量,非正式社会支持系统和家庭共同构成青年情感支持的主要力量,正式的社会支持系统对青年的支持作用尚未得到充分发挥。建立相对完备的社会支持系统,需要从社会保障、组织覆盖、舆论影响、心理疏导等方面提升优化。     

Walking a tightrope: Dilemmas of participant observation of groups in conflict

This article addresses issues that develop in the conduct of comparative participant observation research. The two groups in which the authors became involved as participant observers were the Unification Church of the Korean evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the emerging network of organizations involved in the practice of deprogramming. Each group was dedicated to the destruction of the other. Five major methodological problems, common to conducting investigation on single groups, are discussed in the context of researching these two antagonistic groups: 1) role definition and justification; 2) pressures to go native; 3) public pressure to take a stand; 4) evolving commitments; and 5) gaining comparable information and insights. The authors describe their efforts to resolve these problems and maintain a good rapport with both groups. This paper is the product of a joint effort. The order of authorship is random and does not imply any difference in the importance of contributions.     

Modernization, globalization and the welfare state: a comparative analysis of old and new convergence of social insurance since 1930

Convergence of policies and institutions across countries has been a recurrent theme within social sciences. 'Old' and 'new' convergence hypotheses have been associated with changing concepts and catchwords, such as modernization, logic of industrialism, post-industrialism, post-Fordism and globalization, but share some underlying theoretical perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to analyse tendencies towards convergence of social insurance systems in 18 OECD countries between 1930 and 1990, a period which has seen our sample of countries develop from predominantly agricultural societies to industrial or post-industrial market democracies. Data from the Social Citizenship Indicator Program (SCIP) are used to examine the development of institutional variables within the various national social insurance systems. Sub-samples of larger and smaller countries are examined separately, in order to test the open-economy hypothesis that smaller countries, being more exposed to international pressures than larger ones, could be expected to show higher degrees of social protection and also more convergence. Hypotheses on differentiated institutional barriers against pressures from the processes of transnationalization of the economy, as well as possible convergence effects of the supra-national policy making within the European Union, are discussed in the last section.     

Collective Self-Esteem and Coping Strategies among Vietnamese American Adolescents

This article reports on the “social empathy attitudes” results that were part of a larger study on empathy in college students at a large research university in the Southwest. Two hundred ninety-four students completed the Social Empathy Assessment Index (SEAI). The research hypothesis was that students of color would have higher levels of social empathy attitudes than Caucasian students. The statistically significant SEAI items suggested that Latino students identify as more collectivist and more optimistic and have higher levels of social empathy attitudes. Latinos may be more willing to help a stranger than either Caucasians or members of other racial groups.     

Career Counseling Is Personal Counseling: A Constructivist Approach to Nurturing the Development of Gifted Female Adolescents

Gifted individuals face many concerns when contemplating their futures. Often hindered by career indecision; perfectionism; and multiple personal, familial, and societal pressures, some gifted young people flounder when they have the ability to flourish. Many counselors and educators trust that a wealth of talents will propel these adolescents to automatic life success, and the unique needs of this population can go unmet. This article considers the complexity of challenges facing gifted young women, presents current and potential interventions, and encourages integrating developmental and constructivist theories with objectivist techniques. Implications for practitioners and future research suggestions are highlighted.     

Economic Dependence,Overurbanization, and Economic Growth: A Study of Less Developed Countries*

Excessively large and rapidly growing urban populations characterize social structural change in less-developed countries. This is in contrast to the developmental patterns which accompanied structural transformation in the presently rich, industrialized countries of the world. Many less-developed countries are thus said to be “overurbanized.” In this paper, quantitative cross-national data are brought to bear on the hypothesis that overurbanization has been fue1ed by the economic dependence to which these countries are, to varying degrees, subject. The hypothesis that the degree of overurbanization and changes therein inhibit economic growth is also examined. But the overurbanization question is often framed as a matter of the relative distribution of the labor force into service and manufacturing occupations. We herefore examine parallel hypotheses which define overurbanization in terms of the urban labor distribution. Constraints on the availability of labor force data, however, relegate these findings to a subordinate role. Panel regression analysis provides support for the proposition that dependence upon foreign capital leads to overurbanization (defined as either the urban/development relationship or in terms of labor structure imbalance). Furthermore, relative increases in overnrbanization are consistently accompanied by relative declines in per capita economic growth, though the effects of higher levels of overurbanization do not appear to impede economic growth.     

Corporate and Environmental Influences on Personnel Outcomes in Organizational Labor Markets: A Cross-National Comparison of US and German Branch Offices of a Multinational Bank

Many firms competing in the current global economy are multinational corporations (MNCs) that operate across national boundaries. Multinational corporations have the dual imperatives of maintaining internal consistency among their subsidiaries while simultaneously adapting to different local environments. Comparing personnel outcomes between subsidiaries of the same multinational corporation located in different countries would provide a specific context within which we can examine the relative importance of these two imperatives. Using personnel data from a multinational bank, we compare personnel outcomes such as turnover and hiring rates, tenure distributions, proportion of part-time workers, and gender composition of its subsidiary retail banking operations in the Federal Republic of Germany and in the United States. We further analyze differences in outcomes between comparable job levels in each country, recognizing that different levels in the hierarchical structures of MNCs may face varying pressures for internal consistency and local adaptation. Our results show that the local environment has a strong effect on personnel outcomes, although differences between countries decrease at higher job levels. The possible sources and implications of increasing similarity at higher job levels is discussed.     

The 'urge to move' on body supports

It is well known that people that sit or lie down for prolonged periods change their posture on a regular basis. Even when people are asleep on average 20-40 postural can be observed during an 8 hours period of night rest. One of the reasons that can be found in literature for this 'urge to move' is that these movements are necessary to persevere the blood flow in the tissue. The aim of this paper is to study the relation between tissue perfusion and pressure on the tissue and frequency of the load cycle. Each subject is subjected to a treatment scheme that varies in pressure and frequency of the load on the tissue. The pressure levels that are used are 2.7 kPa, 4.0 kPa and 5.3 kPa and the frequency levels that are used are loading/unloading at intervals of 5 min., 10 min., 15 min. Statistics shows that for 2.7 kPa there is a significant reduction of blood flow between time intervals of 5 min. and 10 min. (P=0.028), and 5 min. and 15 min. (p=0.009). Statistics also shows that there is no significant reduction in blood flow at the time interval of 10 minutes, for every level of pressure. This series of measurements seems to suggest that at the time interval of 10 minutes for every level of pressure the blood flow does not decrease compared to the start situation.     

DEVIATIONS FROM CONSTITUENT INTERESTS: THE ROLE OF LEGISLATIVE STRUCTURE AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE STATES

This paper investigates the determinants of state spending over 1960—1990. Recent empirical studies suggest that state government expenditure is greater than the electorate desires. Our main finding is that expenditure was positively related to the number of seats in a state's legislature. This is consistent with the hypothesis that logrolling leads representatives to spend more than their constituents would like. We also find that political parties do not have a pronounced effect on overall levels of expenditure, but do influence the composition of spending. In particular, Democratic control of state government is associated with higher levels of welfare spending.     

现代人的饮水养生之道(英文)

中国有句古话,叫做"药补不如食补,食补不如水补,水是百药之王",健康养生应由"饮水"养生开始。     

Dietary assimilation and health among hispanic immigrants to the United States

Three important findings emerge from this study using New Immigrant Survey data to examine dietary change and health among Hispanic immigrants. First, individuals who have been in the United States longer report a greater degree of dietary change. Second, after controlling for behavioral characteristics and preexisting diet-related conditions (diagnoses of high blood pressure and diabetes prior to coming to the United States), more dramatic levels of change in diet are associated with higher measures of body mass index. Based on respondents' comparisons of their current health to their health just prior to their most recent trip to the United States, change in diet as a result of immigrating to the United States is positively correlated with both better health and worse health. Among individuals reporting greater levels of dietary change, those with worse health have been in the United States for longer and are more likely to report the use of English at work than those reporting better health, factors that indicate acculturation and exposure to broader U.S. society.