Comparison of measuring devices

Although it is common to determine if two devices give the same results, we apply an affine transformation to make the two devices the same on the average. The device with a lower variability in its measurement results is more accurate. Repeated observations are required. The design is balanced if each object is measured the same number of times by each device. The properties this design yields justify this approach.     

Model for the distribution process of attitudes in a two-party-system

This article considers a social system where a political decision is to be made. Only two alternatives are permitted: YES or NO. Within the total population A there are two groups, one (X) campaigns for a YES decision, the other one (Y) argues for a NO decision. It is assumed that every individual within the total population has the same opportunities in the field of communications. The question to be answered is as follows: How are the opinions within the total population A distributed after a certain length of time. In our model we use a quantitative concept: The ‘Influence of Opinion in a Two-Party-System’. It is assumed that the relative influence of a group of people having a certain opinion is the stronger, the faster they are able to publicize their decision within the total population A. This and other assumptions (axioms) are formulated more precisely in the following discussion.     

The Uniqueness of the Child–Father Attachment Relationship: Fathers' Sensitive and Challenging Play as a Pivotal Variable in a 16-year Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal study of forty‐four families explored fathers’ as compared to mothers’ specific contribution to their children's attachment representation at ages 6, 10, and 16 years. In toddlerhood, fathers’ and mothers’ play sensitivity was evaluated with a new assessment, the sensitive and challenging interactive play scale (SCIP). Fathers’ SCIP scores were predicted by fathers’ caregiving quality during the first year, were highly consistent across 4 years, and were closely linked to the fathers’ own internal working model of attachment. Qualities of attachment as assessed in the Strange Situation to both parents were antecedents for children's attachment security in the Separation Anxiety Test at age 6. Fathers’ play sensitivity and infant–mother quality of attachment predicted children's internal working model of attachment at age 10, but not vice versa. Dimensions of adolescents’ attachment representations were predicted by fathers’ play sensitivity only. The results confirmed our main assumption that fathers’ play sensitivity is a better predictor of the child's long‐term attachment representation than the early infant–father security of attachment. The ecological validity of measuring fathers’ sensitive and challenging interactive play behavior as compared to infant proximity seeking in times of distress is highlighted. Findings are discussed with respect to a wider view on attachment in that both parents shape their children's psychological security but each in his or her unique way.     

On the detection of changes in autoregressive time series I. Asymptotics

Various test statistics are discussed which can be used for detecting changes in the parameters of an autoregressive time series. In this first part of our study, the limiting behavior of the test statistics is derived under the null hypothesis of no change as well as under alternatives. In a forthcoming second part of our investigation, these asymptotic results will be compared to some corresponding bootstrap procedures, and a small simulation study will be conducted.     

Historical regional patterns of infant mortality in Austria

First an overview is given of the secular decline of infant mortality in Austria between 1820 and 1950 is given. Second the study analyses the historical regional differences of infant mortality in Austria comparing data for all 99 political districts (Politische Bezirke) for the period 1900 to 1950. The most important results are: At the turn of the 19th century infant mortality rates were generally lower in Alpine than in non-alpine regions and lower in cities than in their surrounding areas. This geographical pattern which remained constant until the 1950s was solely determined by differences in post-neonatal mortality rates. Plausible explanations for these regional differences are discussed.En premier lieu cette étude fournit une vue d'ensemble du déclin séculaire de la mortalité infantile en Autriche en 1820 et 1950. Elle analyse ensuite les différences régionales de mortalité infantile en comparant les données des 99 districts politiques (Politische Bezirke) autrichiens, de 1900 à 1950. Les principaux résultats sont les suivants: à la fin du XIX^e siècle les taux de mortalité infantile étaient en général plus faibles dans les régions alpines que dans les autres et plus faibles dans les villes que dans les aires adjacentes. Ce modèle géographique, qui est resté le même jusqu'en 1950, était uniquement déterminé par les différences entre les taux de mortalité post-néonatale. Des explications plausibles de ces différences régionales sont discutées ici.