An extension of Bowen’s dynamic voting rule to many dimensions

 We ask in this paper about the effect on social decisions of limiting the size of changes that voters may propose each time in an otherwise standard dynamic social choice model. The voting rule we study can be seen as an extension of Bowen’s dynamic “majority voting” rule, and is closely related to the dynamic procedures for public good allocation in the literature (Drèze and de la Vallée Poussin 1971; Malinvaud 1971; Laffont and Maskin 1983; Chander 1993). Under general assumptions we prove existence and Pareto efficiency of equilibrium, and show that our rule motivates voters not to misrepresent preferences (more precisely, the rule is Strongly Locally Individually Incentive Compatible). Under Euclidean preferences we find that electoral cycles do not arise (i.e., the rule is convergent), that there is a unique equilibrium, and that the equilibrium coincides with the solution to an old problem of geometry, first addressed by Fermat, Torricelli, and Cavallieri. Received: 20 September 1994/Accepted: 6 August 1996     

Some Further Results on the Manipulability of Social Choice Rules

A typology of electoral environments in which strategic manipulation of voting rules can occur is proposed. From this typology, six different concepts of equilibria (or quasi-equilibria) are defined, including the usual ones. Then, focusing on three alternative elections, we derive some analytical representations for the vulnerability of a large number of voting rules to strategic manipulation by considering successively each type of equilibrium. Our results show that the hierarchy of the rules changes when the voting framework is modified. However, some rules are clearly dominated and some others (among which the Borda and the Nanson rules) appear to be uniquely the best in some specific contexts.     

Homelessness in Europe and the United States: A Comparison of Prevalence and Public Opinion

Random samples of 250–435 adults were interviewed by telephone in five different nations ( N = 1,546): Belgium, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the United States. The interview included questions on respondent attitudes, knowledge, and opinions regarding homelessness; respondents' own personal experiences with homelessness and homeless people; and demographic characteristics of the respondents. The highest rates for lifetime literal homelessness were found in the UK (7.7%) and United States (6.2%), with the lowest rate in Germany (2.4%), and intermediate rates in Italy (4.0%) and Belgium (3.4%). Less compassionate attitudes toward the homeless were also found on many dimensions in the United States and the UK. Possible explanations of these findings, drawn from various theoretical perspectives, and policy implications are provided .     

Core Self‐Evaluations,Work–Family Conflict,and Burnout

This study investigated how core self‐evaluations relate to work–family (and family–work) conflict and burnout. Drawing from a sample of 289 police officers and civilian staff who were either married or living in a union as common‐law partners, this study advances an empirical integration of work–family and core self‐evaluations research. The results suggested that even when work, nonwork, and demographic variables are controlled for, positive core self‐evaluations (i.e., composite scale, self‐esteem, locus of control, emotional stability) are related to less work–family (and family–work) conflict. The associations between core self‐evaluations and burnout are partially mediated by work–family (and family–work) conflict. Finally, core self‐evaluations moderated the association between work–family conflict and burnout, but not the one between family–work conflict and burnout.     

RANKING THE SCHOOLS: HOW SCHOOL‐QUALITY INFORMATION AFFECTS SCHOOL CHOICE IN THE NETHERLANDS

This paper analyzes whether information about the quality of high schools published in a national newspaper affects school choice in the Netherlands. We find that negative (positive) school‐quality scores decrease (increase) the number of first‐year students who choose a school after the year of publication. These effects are only large for the college‐preparatory track, such that a school receiving the most positive score for its most academic track sees 16–18 more first‐year students enroll. We find that parents respond to the most recent and most prominently displayed information. The effects of information about school quality do not seem to be greater in regions with larger relevant newspaper circulation, suggesting that direct exposure to news about school quality does not explain the response to this information.     

Variational Bayes model averaging for graphon functions and motif frequencies inference in <Emphasis Type="Italic">W</Emphasis>-graph models

W-graph refers to a general class of random graph models that can be seen as a random graph limit. It is characterized by both its graphon function and its motif frequencies. In this paper, relying on an existing variational Bayes algorithm for the stochastic block models (SBMs) along with the corresponding weights for model averaging, we derive an estimate of the graphon function as an average of SBMs with increasing number of blocks. In the same framework, we derive the variational posterior frequency of any motif. A simulation study and an illustration on a social network complete our work.     

A Note on the Hyperbolic-Secant Distribution

This note discusses briefly some basic properties of the hyperbolic-secant distribution (e.g., Johnson and Kotz 1970; Manoukian 1986; Perks 1932; Talacko 1956), which has not received sufficient attention in the published literature, and may be useful for students and practitioners.