Personal Possessions and Environmental Control:

Possessions allow individuals to experience control over their environment and may therefore act as a buffer for people when they are experiencing loss of control in other areas of their lives, for example, as a result of institutionalization. The present study explored the relationship between possessions and perceived control for elderly women in (a) their own home, (b) a residential unit, and (c) a rest home. Ten women in each residential setting were interviewed about the meaning and value of their possessions. Qualitative analysis revealed six themes relating to control over the environment (control over use by self, control over use by others, control over active acquisition of possessions, control over passive acquisition of possessions, control over surroundings, control over distribution of possessions). The responses of the three groups of women for each of these themes are compared and discussed.     

Explaining hierarchical and interprovincial migrations of Chinese young adults by personal factors and place attributes: a nested logit analysis

"This paper uses a two-level nested logit model to explain the inter-stratum (city, town and rural county) and interprovincial migration behaviors of the young adults (aged 17-29) in China during a three-year period (1985-87), based on the micro data of the 1987 National Population Survey. The migration propensity of each person is represented by a departure probability and a destination choice probability. These probabilities are then expressed as functions of personal factors and place attributes. The main findings are that personal factors are of paramount importance in explaining the departure behaviors, and that both departure and destination behaviors responded to market forces in a sensible way, despite government control on territorial movements."     

Cross cultural comparisons of quality of life of Thais and Americans

Comparisons of quality of life (QOL) measures across cultures of countries in different stages of economic development have been very scarce. This study attempts to fill the void in the literature by investigating the level of overall life satisfaction and satisfaction with various domains of lives of Thais and Americans. Additionally, the relationships between satisfaction with domains of life and overall life satisfaction in each culture have been explored. The results of this study indicate that Thais are less satisfied with their lives in general and most of the domains of their lives than Americans. However, both Thais and Americans tend to be more satisfied with their personal domains of lives than environmental domains of lives. In addition, satisfaction with material possessions is found to contribute significantly to overall life satisfaction of Thais but not Americans. This suggests that material wealth or economic development is still a vital mechanism for enhancing QOL of people in Thailand, but is not important for enhancing QOL of people in the U.S.     

Perceptions of Society’s Necessary Standard of Living: Are Perceptions Determined by What People Have,or Do They Reflect a Social Consensus?

Social Indicators Research - Analyses of material deprivation usually use lists of goods and activities to assess an individual’s possessions and to compare it with the society’s...     

Investigating the Substantive Aspect of Construct Validity for the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children: A Focus on Cognitive Processes

The objective of this study was to investigate the substantive aspect of construct validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C; Gadermann et al. in Soc Indic Res 96:229–247, 2010). Specifically, the study examined the cognitive processes of children when responding to the items of the SWLS-C to find out how they interpret and respond to the items. Think-aloud protocol interviews were conducted with 55 students in grades 4–7 (58% girls, mean age of 11 years, ranging from 8.8 to 12.8 years) and content analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that most children had no difficulty in understanding the items, and used mainly two strategies for responding to the items: (1) an absolute strategy, in which children used absolute statements to indicate the presence or absence of something that is important for their judgment of their satisfaction with life, and (2) a relative strategy, in which children used relative or comparative statements. In the absolute statements, children primarily referred to social relationships, personal characteristics, time use, and possessions. In the relative statements, the children primarily compared what they have to (a) what they want (b) what they had in the past, (c) what other people have, and (d) what they feel they need. Furthermore, most children considered it important that information on their life satisfaction is obtained. The results are discussed with regard to multiple discrepancies theory (Michalos in Soc Indic Res 16:347–413, 1985) and previous empirical findings. The results provide insights into children’s cognitive processes when responding to items on life satisfaction and provide validity evidence that the SWLS-C is an appropriate measure to assess life satisfaction in children of this age.     

Personal Well-Being and Family Quality of Life of Early Adolescents in Hong Kong: Do Economic Disadvantage and Time Matter?

Differences in personal well-being and family quality of life in Chinese adolescents with and without economic disadvantage as well as the related developmental trends were examined in a longitudinal study. Over three consecutive years, Chinese junior secondary school students responded to validated measures of positive youth development, risk behaviors and perceived family functioning. Consistent with our hypotheses, results showed that poor adolescents had poorer positive youth development and perceived family functioning than did non-poor adolescents. Although there was no difference between the poor and non-poor groups on substance abuse, significant interaction effect of poverty and time on substance abuse was observed. While there was a general drop in positive youth development and perceived family functioning over the years, adolescent risk behaviors gradually increased during the junior secondary school years in Hong Kong.     

Private violence/private transport: the role of means of transport in women’s mobility to escape from domestic violence in England and Wales

ABSTRACT

This article highlights a gendered and forced mobility which has been under-recognised in the literature on mobility. It explores the hidden relocations of women (often with children) due to intimate partner abuse; presenting findings from mixed methods research on women’s journeys to escape domestic violence, including analysis of over 80 journey segments made by 20 women within England and Wales, and from abroad. Focusing on means of transport, the research found that under a third of journey segments were made by public transport, and these tended to be longer distances; that journeys by disabled women were more likely to be by private transport, and that journeys from rural areas were more likely to be with the assistance of others. Thematic analysis of interviews at different stages of women’s journeys is used to explore their experiences of different means of transport in terms of degrees of control and agency, in terms of losing or retaining personal possessions on the move; and in highlighting the role of others’ assistance in compounding or counteracting the implications of abuse. Women’s domestic violence journeys are thereby contextualised within wider mobilities research, uncovering the inequalities and implications of this hidden internal displacement in the UK.     

Is 60 the New 50? Examining Changes in Biological Age Over the Past Two Decades

Increasing life expectancy has been interpreted as improving health of a population. However, mortality is not always a reliable proxy for the pace of aging and could instead reflect achievement in keeping ailing people alive. Using data from NHANES III (1988–1994) and NHANES IV (2007–2010), we examined how biological age, relative to chronological age, changed in the United States between 1988 and 2010, while estimating the contribution of changes in modifiable health behaviors. Results suggest that biological age is lower for more recent periods; however, the degree of improvement varied across age and sex groups. Overall, older adults experienced the greatest improvement or decreases in biological age. Males, especially those in the youngest and oldest groups, experienced greater declines in biological age than females. These differences were partially explained by age- and sex-specific changes in behaviors, such as smoking, obesity, and medication use. Slowing the pace of aging, along with increasing life expectancy, has important social and economic implications; thus, identifying modifiable risk factors that contribute to cohort differences in health and aging is essential.     

Amnestic Heterosexism and Bystander Responses to Anti-Gay Bullying

Amnestic heterosexism (AH) reflects the belief that, in contemporary society, people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) no longer experience discrimination related to sexual orientation. We investigated potential associations between individuals’ AH beliefs and their responses to anti-gay bullying. Heterosexual undergraduates (N = 238) completed a measure of AH before responding to a scenario in which a man accuses another man of being a “fag.” As expected, those with greater AH beliefs perceived the situation as less severe/dangerous, felt less personally responsible to intervene, and were more blaming toward the target of bullying. In multivariate analyses, AH was indirectly associated with intent to confront the perpetrator via a path of reduced personal responsibility. Our results indicate that beliefs denying the existence of discrimination based on sexual orientation reduce feelings of personal responsibility to address anti-gay bullying. In turn, low personal responsibility inhibits confrontation of those who perpetrate bullying behaviors.     

Exposure to Violence,Coping Strategies,and Diagnosed Mental Health Problems Among Adults in a Migrant-Sending Community in Central Mexico

Deadly violence has spread throughout Mexico, affecting the well-being of citizens. What is the impact of this violence on the daily lives of Mexican adults? Building upon the stress process model, we used a mixed-methods approach to examine relationships between multiple indicators of exposure to and fear of violence and four diagnosed mental health outcomes, as well as self-rated mental health, in a Mexican community using the Survey of Health and Mexican Migration (456 surveys; 49 interviews). The multivariate models provide evidence that perceptions of insecurity are associated with diagnosed depressive episode, agoraphobia, alcohol abuse, a total count of mental health conditions, and poor self-rated mental health. Past victimization is associated with anxiety. Stress and coping behaviors did not formally mediate these violence–mental illness associations. The qualitative results confirm that residents fear violence and cope by adjusting their personal behaviors. These results foreshadow the emergence of mental health conditions as a critical public health concern for Mexicans living under the threat of violence.     

超大城市社会结构的演化：广州市职业结构变迁分析

论文以广州市职业结构变迁为例，以行业结构变化说明了宏观社会变革对个人职业结构变化的影响，以就业者年龄、教育水平变化说明个人素质上升对职业结构变化的作用。最后论文指出，外来人口在大城市的职业结构变化中起重要作用。     

The Role of Beliefs on Learning About Homosexuality in a College Course

The present research investigated how personal beliefs about homosexuality influence learning in a college course. We tested students in introductory psychology over material on the science of homosexuality by Simon LeVay (2010). All students reported information about their typical academic habits and the extent to which homosexuality was consistent with their beliefs and values. The results showed that students’ personal beliefs were related to academic behaviors (e.g., reading assignments, skipping class) and retention of the course material. The results also showed that students’ recall of course material six weeks later was predicted by the extent to which they reported studying information that is inconsistent with their beliefs for an exam and then forgetting it. Students who reported the material to be inconsistent with their beliefs engaged in selective forgetting of the material on homosexuality. The results provide evidence that personal beliefs can reduce the retention of belief-inconsistent information in a college course.     

I Want to Pretend I'm Eleven Years Younger: Subjective Age and Seniors' Motives for Vacation Travel

Subjective age–as distinct from chronologicalAge–is a relatively recent area of scientificinquiry within quality-of-life studies. Thepurpose of this empirical study was to seewhether the size of the gap between actual andself-perceived age could be predicted from aknowledge of a senior's reasons for wanting totravel on vacation, and his or her valuepriorities and sense of physical well-being. Asurvey of 356 Australian seniors ranging in agebetween 56 and 93 yielded data on theirsubjective age, measured in terms of (a) howold they felt; (b) the activities they wouldchoose to experience or enjoy while on avacation; and (c) the age they wished to betreated and recognized as–as well as theirpsychological motives for vacation travel,personal values, and self-rated health. Theresults of multivariate analyses indicate thatthe gap between actual age and subjective ageis a function of seniors' particular motivesfor travel and what they value in life, and,for certain aspects of subjective age, howhealthy they feel and their gender.     

广东流动人口性行为及其影响因素

本研究从不同层面、不同角度调查流动人口性与生殖健康的知识、态度和行为的现状．分析影响该人群性和生殖健康水平以及他们在获取生殖健康服务方面所遇到的障碍。研究提示流动人口婚前性行为相当活跃,婚外性行为相对自由,性满意度较高,性行为的影响因素多,存在一定程度的强迫性行和性压抑。     

Age of Onset of Alcohol Consumption and Subsequent Negative Health Outcomes in Gay and Bisexual Men Who Have Sex With Men

ABSTRACT

The correlation between current alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) is well documented, but little is known about age of drinking onset and current risks among this population. Data from a 2008 Internet survey of 8,452 MSM in the United States were used to assess factors associated with age of onset of alcohol use. In a multivariable model, drinking onset before age 15 was significantly associated with a higher number of lifetime male anal sex partners and being behaviorally bisexual in the past 12 months. Men who reported depressive symptoms in the past two weeks or who screened positive for alcohol abuse in the past 60 days were more likely to have early age of drinking onset. Findings suggest the need for targeting younger adolescents for alcohol screening, particularly sexual minority youth, to prevent risk behaviors in adulthood.     

Looking back . . . looking forward: addressing the lives of lesbians 55 and older

This study explored the life course experiences of older lesbians and their concerns and needs as they age. Interviews with sixty-two lesbians, age 55 and older, living in the three west coast states, revealed common themes related to coming out, family and partner relationships, sources of support, aging-related concerns, personal accomplishments, and hopes for the future. Implications for research with older lesbians and for appropriate social work practice and service delivery with this aging population are discussed.     

流动人口的生育意愿与生育行为差异研究

文章利用中国人民大学人口与发展研究中心于2009年在北京朝阳区、广东东莞市和浙江诸暨市组织进行的流动人口调查数据,分析了流动人口的生育意愿与生育行为之间的关系。研究发现,流动人口中既存在生育意愿与生育行为悖离的一面又有一致的一面,在4个维度上均有所表现,在时间、间隔和性别上二者更多的表现为悖离,在数量上更多的表现为一致。研究还发现,年龄、初婚年龄、初育年龄、受教育程度、职业角色、已有孩子的性别结构等对生育意愿与生育行为的悖离有显著影响。     

“We’re Disgusted With Queers,not Fearful of Them”: The Interrelationships Among Disgust,Gay Men’s Sexual Behavior,and Homonegativity

ABSTRACT

Using a combination of personal reflections, published literature, and original empirical research, we argue that the disgust triggered by gay men’s sexual practices (specifically, anal intercourse) is a critical, though overlooked, contributor to heterosexual men and women’s homonegativity (i.e., negative attitudes and behaviors directed toward men who are or are perceived to be gay). We conclude our article by articulating several directions for future inquiry that we believe will advance current understanding of prejudice and discrimination directed toward gay men.     

Risk-Taking Behaviors of Gay and Bisexual Men in New York City Post 9/11

Until now, the reactions of gay and bisexual populations have been largely overlooked in response to terror and disaster. This study assesses risk-taking behaviors in gay and bisexual men two weeks before and after the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan. For the purposes of this study, risk-taking behaviors include drug use and unprotected anal sex. These behaviors and associated desires were examined in relation to race/ethnicity, age, geographic location, and HIV status, within and across time. The results of this study demonstrate that HIV status may be a pivotal demographic feature in understanding risk-taking behaviors post disaster. No changes in drug use were reported pre and post 9/11. However, there was an increase in risky sexual behaviors in relation to serostatus, with HIV-positive men reporting a higher number of sexual partners post 9/11. In contrast, the number of sexual partners remained constant in HIV-negative men. There was also an interaction effect, demonstrating that HIV-positive men were more likely than HIV-negative men to act on their desire for sex. Thus, as a population already faced with the prospect of death, HIV-positive men may be a population more vulnerable in the face of terror and disaster.