Developing a Social Capital Index for the Netherlands

This paper integrates a set of independent social capital indicators into one index by using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares estimation (PLS). The social capital index consists of two dimensions: participation and trust. In each of the two dimensions, three levels are distinguished: social (micro), organizational (meso), and political (macro). The main objectives of the index are to: (1) provide a coherent overview of social capital in the Netherlands; (2) monitor social capital over time; and (3) compare subpopulations. A broad spectrum of indicators is included, however, these are only weakly correlated and consequently treated as distinct. Therefore, traditional index development methods such as factor analysis and reflective modeling cannot be applied. Consequently, formative modeling in which the indicators are specified as causes rather than as effects is used. We employ the Permanent Survey on Living Conditions 2009 (POLS), administered face-to-face to 7,560 respondents in the Netherlands. We find that the index predicts well-being and health, which demonstrates nomological validity. Subsequently, bootstrapping is conducted to test the robustness of the index. And the 2009 index is replicated based on the 2010 POLS data. The replication shows that the 2009 model is relatively stable and results are robust. Finally, the model is extended by including volunteering and informal help, which changes the model but the results remain largely the same. This index, which is shown to be valid and robust, contributes to a further understanding of the concept of social capital.     

Displeasure at plurality and fear of strangers? An empirical study among youth in Germany and the Netherlands

A comparison between the Netherlands and Germany concerning religious, cultural and ethnic plurality provides interesting insights. Germany has never defined itself as a multicultural society, as was historically the case in the Netherlands. The outcomes of the research are somewhat surprising. Dutch pupils – especially boys – are more negative about plurality than their German contemporaries are. Belonging to a church in Germany appears to be connected to a positive attitude to migrants, while in the Netherlands this is not important at all.     

Set and revealed preference axioms for multi-valued choice

Theory and Decision - We consider choice correspondences that assign a subset to every choice set of alternatives, where the total set of alternatives is an arbitrary finite or infinite set. We...     

Needed but Not Liked – The Impact of Labor Market Policies on Natives’ Opinions about Immigrants

This article builds on the notion that immigrants’ integration into the labor market benefits migrants and shapes natives’ opinions about immigrants. Using insights from the newest literature on labor immigration and drawing upon the literature on attitudes toward immigrants, the article explores in a multilevel design the impact that regulations in the EU member states concerning immigrants’ access to domestic labor markets have on threat perceptions and on opinions about immigrants’ economic role. It finds that labor market regulations have a positive effect on opinions about immigrants’ economic role and reduce the negative relationships between precarious labor market status and opinions about the economic role. However, a robust effect of labor market regulations on threat perceptions was not found. Our results imply that labor market incorporation rules need to be accompanied by other measures to close the gap between natives and immigrants.     

Reviews and abstracts

Dalsace, Jean, and Dourlen Rollier, Anne‐Marie. L'Avortement. Tournai: Casterman, 1970.

Goldman, George D. and Milman, Donald S. Modern Woman: Her Psychology and Sexuality. Charles C Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill. 1969, xviii + 275 pages.

Hartman, William E., Fithian, Marilyn and Johnson, Donald. Nudist Society. An Authoritative, Complete Study of Nudism in America. Illustrated. Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1970, 432 pp.

Huhphreys, Laud. Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Co. 180 pages. Price: $5.95.

Legman, G. Oragenitalism. Oral Techniques in Genital Excitation. New York: Julian Press, 1969. 319 pages. Price §15.00     

孟子和施韦泽:具体人性的伦理学

孟子是具体人性和实践伦理学的发现者和创始人,他是第一位真正将伦理的普遍视野和人道观念与人具体、实际的需要相结合的伟大思想家,这种结合正是施韦泽非常强调的。在全球化时代,需要发现一种新的途径来扩展应用伦理学的方法,以强调新的世界范围的功能毗邻、相互依赖和相互作用。从伦理上来说,全球化引发的剧烈变化呼唤一场发生在我们伦理思想领域以及伦理实践和人道主义实践中的革命。     

Optimal design in average for inference in generalized linear models

This paper considers the problem of optimal design for inference in Generalized Linear Models, when prior information about the parameters is available. The general theory of optimum design usually requires knowledge of the parameter values. These are usually unknown and optimal design can, therefore, not be used in practice. However, one way to circumvent this problem is through so-called “optimal design in average”, or shortly, “ave optimal”. The ave optimal design is chosen to minimize the expected value of some criterion function over a prior distribution. We focus our interest on the aveD _A-optimality, including aveD- and avec-optimality and show the appropriate equivalence theorems for these optimality criterions, which give necessary conditions for an optimal design. Ave optimal designs are of interest when e.g. a factorial experiment with a binary or a Poisson response in to be conducted. The results are applied to factorial experiments, including a control group experiment and a 2×2 experiment.