Executive Function in Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls

Executive function (EF) deficits may underlie some of the impulse control problems seen in pathological gambling. Pathological gamblers (PGs, n = 45) and controls (n = 45) were compared on several measures of EF (including measures of response inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility and perseveration, planning and decision-making), as well as memory and intelligence tests to examine whether PGs evidence EF dysfunction. Compared with controls, PGs exhibited specific deficits on measures of planning and decision-making. PGs also exhibited relative deficits on a measure of perseveration, but this deficit was no longer significant after controlling for group differences in intelligence. These results suggest that PGs may experience deficits on specific components of EF.     

Avenues for Future Minority Stress and Substance Use Research among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

Sexual and gender minority individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer [LGBTQ]) experience elevated rates of minority stress and associated substance use relative to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Although the minority stress–substance use relationship is well documented, less is currently known regarding day-to-day minority stress and substance use risk processes. Rather than criticize existing literature, this review highlights future directions and advocates for the use of experience sampling methodology as a valuable research tool regarding real-time data capture. Greater utilization of this methodology is encouraged and expected to improve understanding of daily minority stress processes, and provide insight into real-time risk monitoring and intervention strategies.     

“The Wisdom of Age”: Perspectives on Aging and Growth among Lesbian Older Adults

Older lesbian-identified women are a health disparate yet resilient population about whom knowledge is limited and emerging. Among the areas in need of research are older lesbians’ experiences of later life and stress-related growth. This article presents the findings from a qualitative study that investigated older lesbians’ experiences of adversity and adaptation as they age. In-depth, exploratory interviews were conducted with 12 lesbian-identified women who were between the ages of 65–80. This study applied grounded theory methodology to identify respondents sources of stress and fear, their strengths and coping strategies and how those relate to each other and to their growth in later life. We advance a model of adaptive change that shows how spirituality, social support, and resistance to cultural norms help older lesbian adults cope with loss, illness, and discrimination and develop wisdom in later life. Knowledgeable practitioners can help older lesbian women identify and maintain sources of social support, explore spirituality, and facilitate continuous growth through the end of life. Social workers can advocate for services that are welcoming and affirmative so as to reduce fears of isolation and dependence associated with health decline.     

The influence of economic context on the relationship between chief executive officer facial appearance and company profits

Inferences of leadership ability and personality from faces have been associated with leaders' efficacy across multiple domains. One influential factor that has only been scarcely explored, however, is the context in which leadership occurs. The present studies examined the effect of two such contextual variables: economic conditions across time and economic conditions across nations. In Study 1, inferences of leadership ability from the faces of American Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) predicted their companies' financial performance prior to the Financial Crisis of 2008 but not after. In Study 2, traits previously found to predict the success of American CEOs before the Financial Crisis (i.e., Power) predicted the success of CEOs in Germany in the year following the crisis but not in the US, consistent with the differential impact of the international recession in the two nations. These results suggest that economic events may affect the relationship between facial appearance and business leaders' success.     

Indian identity

Indian identity has undergone profound changes in the Twentieth Century, but will not disappear in the foreseeable future. This article employs the “new sciences” theory of nonlinear systems, and the concept of metaphor to present Indianness and indianness as alternative images of Indian identity. Indianness is anchored in tribally-based metaphor and is an emergent property of a vital or “living” tribal community and indianness is a generic identity formed in the dominant American society. Although indianness may generate a new Indian identity or identities in the future, the sustaining spark of contemporary Indian communities is a tribally-based Indian identity.     

Broken Boundaries or Broken Marriages? Racial Intermarriage and Divorce in the United States

Objective: Several recent studies have investigated the consequences of racial intermarriage for marital stability. None of these studies properly control for first-order racial differences in divorce risk, therefore failing to appropriately identify the effect of intermarriage. Our article builds on an earlier generation of studies to develop a model that appropriately identifies the consequences of crossing racial boundaries in matrimony. Methods: We analyze the 1995 and 2002 National Survey of Family Growth using a parametric event-history model called a sickle model. To appropriately identify the effect of interracial marriage we use the interaction of wife's race and husband's race. Results: We find elevated divorce rates for Latino/white intermarriages but not for black/white intermarriages. Seventy-two percent of endogamous Latino marriages remain intact at 15 years, but only 58 percent of Latino husband/white wife and 64 percent of white husband/Latina wife marriages are still intact. Conclusions: We have identified an important deficiency in previous studies and provide a straightforward resolution. Although higher rates of Latino/white intermarriage may indicate more porous group boundaries, the greater instability of these marriages suggests that these boundaries remain resilient.     

The Experimetrics of Public Goods: Inferring Motivations from Contributions

In public goods experiments, stochastic choice, censoring and motivational heterogeneity give scope for disagreement over the extent of unselfishness, and whether it is reciprocal or altruistic. We show that these problems can be addressed econometrically, by estimating a finite mixture model to isolate types, incorporating double censoring and a tremble term. Most subjects act selfishly, but a substantial proportion are reciprocal with altruism playing only a marginal role. Isolating reciprocators enables a test of Sugden’s model of voluntary contributions. We estimate that reciprocators display a self-serving bias relative to the model.      

An Outcomes Focus in Carer Assessment and Review: Value and Challenge

Correspondence to Elinor Nicholas, Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. E-mail: en2{at}york.ac.uk Summary A focus on outcomes and a desire to improve assessment and supportto carers are central to government policy, crystallized inthe 2000 Carers and Disabled Children Act. This paper exploresthe benefits and challenges of implementing an outcomes approachto carer assessment and review, highlighted by a research anddevelopment project, undertaken in partnership with one localauthority. The project developed and tested research-based practicetools which aimed to promote carer-centred practice, togetherwith clarity in communication and recording of outcomes intendedand achieved. Findings indicated that practice could be enhancedwith the help of a clear conceptual framework and tools, flexiblyand sensitively used to assist discussion and decision-makingwith carers about outcomes. Information about outcomes, aggregatedfrom individual records, was perceived as potentially usefulfor informing service development. Some significant obstaclesand challenges also emerged; not least, the subtle but significantculture shift required, and the additional time needed to effectivelyidentify and address outcomes with carers. A number of factorswere highlighted as important in introducing such an approach:collaboration with, and between, all stakeholders; trainingand support for practitioners to include practice in recordingoutcomes, and opportunities for continuing discussion and reflectionduring implementation.     

Implementing an employee performance management system in a nonprofit organization

Nonprofit organizations are not exempt from the imperatives of employee attraction, retention, and motivation. As competition for staff, donors, and funding increases, the need to manage employee performance will continue to be a critical human resource management issue. This article outlines a study of the introduction of a performance management system in an Australian nonprofit organization and analyzes its design and implementation. It explores how performance management can be introduced and used effectively within a nonprofit environment to benefit staff and the organization. However, the use of performance management is not without its challenges, and the research also identified initial employee resistance and a resulting initial spike in labor turnover. However, findings indicate that if nonprofit organizations are willing to undertake consultation with staff and ensure that the organization's specific context, values, and mission are reflected in the performance management system, it can be a useful tool for managers and a direct benefit to employees.     

A Cultural Appropriation Of History

Historical metaphors and mythical realities.- structure in the early history of the Sandwich Islands kingdom, by M. Sahlins. Pp. viii + 84. Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania, Special Publication 1. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 1981.