Why Do Pacific People with Multiple Ethnic Affiliations Have Poorer Subjective Wellbeing? Negative Ingroup Affect Mediates the Identity Tension Effect

We argue that multi-ethnic affiliation as a member of both the Pacific and majority (European) group creates tension in psychological wellbeing for Pacific peoples of mixed ancestry. Study 1 showed that multi-ethnic Pacific/non-Pacific people were lower in Pacific Familial Wellbeing relative to mono-ethnic Pacific and multi-ethnic Pacific/Pacific people (n = 586). Study 2 replicated this effect in a New Zealand (NZ) national probability sample using a measure of self-esteem (n = 276). Study 2 also modelled the mechanism driving the identity tension effect, and showed that group differences in negative affect toward Pacific peoples fully mediated the effect of ethnic mixed or mono-ethnic group affiliation on self-esteem. This currently affects the one-third of Pacific people who identify as Pacific/non-Pacific in NZ and occurs because multi-ethnic identification promotes the endorsement of negative societal attitudes toward Pacific peoples. Our model indicates that endorsement of such attitudes produces a more negative self-evaluation and generally corrodes subjective wellbeing and family integration. Population projections indicate that this potentially at-risk Pacific/non-Pacific group may increase dramatically in subsequent generations (upwards of 3.3 % of the population by 2026). Implications for the study of Pacific wellbeing, and avenues for applied research targeting this newly-identified emerging social problem are discussed.     

Learning effects in coders and their implications for managing content analyses

From the perspective of study management, research is surprisingly lacking on two of the major challenges for planning and performing content analysis: determining the sample size (i.e. number of objects to code) and the required number of coders to hire. The optimization of both of these numbers will ultimately determine how efficiently available resources are used. This study contributes to the methodological discussion on coding by identifying and conceptualizing the role of learning effects with respect to the coding task and by highlighting the importance of considering the coding process when managing a content analysis. We present empirical evidence for the existence and impact of learning effects on coders’ coding speed. Accordingly, study management should take account of learning effects when determining the sample size and number of coders. We also provide an illustrative example of how learning effects can impact the results of pretests.     

Deriving Multidimensional Poverty Indicators: Methodological Issues and an Empirical Analysis for Italy

Theoretical and empirical studies have recently adopted a multidimensional concept of poverty. There is considerable debate about the most appropriate degree of multidimensionality to retain in the analysis. In this work we add to the received literature in two ways. First, we derive indicators of multiple deprivation by applying a particular multivariate statistical technique, the non-linear principal component analysis (NLPCA), which overcomes traditional limits of many of the mostly used methodologies for poverty measurement. Second, on the basis of the aforementioned indicators, we provide an accurate identification of the poor in Italy by analyzing deprivation both as a distinct phenomenon in different life domains and as a single multidimensional concept. The main determinants of poverty in Italy are then investigated by estimating logit regressions and an ordered probit model. Our empirical analysis is based on data from the Italian component of European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC-2004).     

Unemployment Insurance Reform – 1991–2006: A New Balance between Rights and Obligations in France,Germany, Portugal and Spain

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, focusing on unemployment insurance schemes, the article seeks to identify the development of social rights and obligations in four countries (France, Germany, Portugal and Spain), representative of the conservative regime, over the period 1991–2006. Second, the article aims to verify whether or not there was a common reform trajectory in time as well as in space, given the already known divergence over the appropriateness of classifying Mediterranean countries within the framework of a specific regime. Based on analysis of 25 legislative changes concerning entitlement and eligibility criteria, the study presents three major findings. First, the four insurance schemes reveal a new balance between (weaker) social rights and (stronger) obligations, which may indicate a trend toward a re‐commodification of work. Second, Portugal adopted a specific trajectory while the Spanish reform process more closely resembled that carried out by France and Germany. Finally, two waves of reform may be identified: first, between 1991 and 1997 and justified by cost‐containment concerns and, subsequently, from 2001 onwards, associated with a stronger recalibration of benefit rights.     

Bayesian approach to the inverse problem in a light scattering application

In this article, static light scattering (SLS) measurements are processed to estimate the particle size distribution of particle systems incorporating prior information obtained from an alternative experimental technique: scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For this purpose we propose two Bayesian schemes (one parametric and another non-parametric) to solve the stated light scattering problem and take advantage of the obtained results to summarize some features of the Bayesian approach within the context of inverse problems. The features presented in this article include the improvement of the results when some useful prior information from an alternative experiment is considered instead of a non-informative prior as it occurs in a deterministic maximum likelihood estimation. This improvement will be shown in terms of accuracy and precision in the corresponding results and also in terms of minimizing the effect of multiple minima by including significant information in the optimization. Both Bayesian schemes are implemented using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. They have been developed on the basis of the Metropolis–Hastings (MH) algorithm using Matlab^® and are tested with the analysis of simulated and experimental examples of concentrated and semi-concentrated particles. In the simulated examples, SLS measurements were generated using a rigorous model, while the inversion stage was solved using an approximate model in both schemes and also using the rigorous model in the parametric scheme. Priors from SEM micrographs were also simulated and experimented, where the simulated ones were obtained using a Monte Carlo routine. In addition to the presentation of these features of the Bayesian approach, some other topics will be discussed, such as regularization and some implementation issues of the proposed schemes, among which we remark the selection of the parameters used in the MH algorithm.     

ANOVA-like analysis of matched series of studies with a common structure

It is shown how to condense the information contained in a series of studies, each constituted by an objects by variables matrix and a pair of weight matrices, into a structure vector and a sum of sums of squares of residuals. Based on this condensation we propose to carry out ANOVA-like inference for matched series of studies associated with the level combinations of some factors. It is shown how to validate the assumptions underlying the inference. An application to the results of local elections in Portugal is given.     

Estimators for a Poisson parameter using ranked set sampling

Using ranked set sampling, a viable BLUE estimator is obtained for estimating the mean of a Poisson distribution. Its properties, such as efficiency relative to the ranked set sample mean and to the maximum likelihood estimator, have been calculated for different sample sizes and values of the Poisson parameter. The estimator (termed the normal modified r.s.s. estimator is more efficient than both the ranked set sample mean and the MLE. It is recommended as a reasonable estimator of the Poisson mean ( λ) to be used in a ranked set sampling environment.     

User's demography and expectation regarding search, purchase and evaluation in mobile application store

This article is result from a questionnaire about mobile app store usage. The objective of this work was to collect information about user needs and opinion regarding search, purchase and evaluation process in Android Market, Apple App Store, BlackBerry App World and Nokia Ovi Store. The data collected was analyzed to identify the positive and negative usability aspects, if the process to perform these task are any different in those stores and if the users are satisfy with their store or if they have any complains about it. Its covers the brazilian market only.