On correlation analysis of many‐to‐many observations: an alternative to Pearson's correlation coefficient and its application to an ecotoxicological study

Correlation studies are an important hypothesis‐generating and testing tool, and have a wide range of applications in many scientific fields. In ecological studies in particular, multiple environmental variables are often measured in an attempt to determine relationships between chemical, physical and biological factors. For example, one may wish to know whether and how soil properties correlate with plant physiology. Although correlation coefficients are widely used, their properties and limitations are often imperfectly understood. This is especially the case when one is interested in correlations between, say, trace element content in sediments and in marine organisms, where no one‐to‐one correspondence exists. We show that evaluating Pearson's correlation coefficient for either site‐specific means or composite samples results in biased estimates, and we propose an alternative estimator. We use simulation studies to demonstrate that our estimator generally has a much smaller bias and mean squared error. We further illustrate its use in a case study of the correlation between trace element content in sediments and in mussels in Lyttelton Harbour, New Zealand.     

Adolescents' Judgments of Doubly Deviant Peers: Implications of Intergroup and Intragroup Dynamics for Disloyal and Overweight Group Members

Group membership, loyalty, and weight are highly relevant for adolescent peer evaluations at school. This research tested how in‐group/out‐group membership affected judgments of peers who deviated from social norms for weight and loyalty. Two hundred and forty 11–13‐year‐olds (49 percent female; 94 percent Caucasian) judged two in‐group or out‐group peers: one was normative (loyal and average weight) and the other was non‐normative (i.e., ‘deviant’). The deviant target was overweight, disloyal to their own group (school), or both (‘doubly deviant’). Derogation of overweight relative to average weight peers was greater if they were in‐group rather than out‐group members, revealing a strong ‘black sheep effect’ for overweight peers. Disloyal out‐group deviants were judged favorably, but this effect was eliminated if they were doubly deviant, suggesting that their disloyalty was insufficient to overcome the overweight stigma. Consistent with developmental subjective group dynamics theory, effects of group membership and types of deviance on adolescents’ favorability toward peers were mediated by adolescents’ perceptions of how well the deviant members would ‘fit’ with the in‐group school. Implications for theory and strategies to reduce peer exclusion, particularly weight stigmatization, are considered.     

The Public Stigma of Problem Gambling: Its Nature and Relative Intensity Compared to Other Health Conditions

Problem gambling attracts considerable public stigma, with deleterious effects on mental health and use of healthcare services amongst those affected. However, no research has examined the extent of stigma towards problem gambling within the general population. This study aimed to examine the stigma-related dimensions of problem gambling as perceived by the general public compared to other health conditions, and determine whether the publicly perceived dimensions of problem gambling predict its stigmatisation. A sample of 2000 Australian adults was surveyed, weighted to be representative of the state population by gender, age and location. Based on vignettes, the online survey measured perceived origin, peril, concealability, course and disruptiveness of problem gambling and four other health conditions, and desired social distance from each. Problem gambling was perceived as caused mainly by stressful life circumstances, and highly disruptive, recoverable and noticeable, but not particularly perilous. Respondents stigmatised problem gambling more than sub-clinical distress and recreational gambling, but less than alcohol use disorder and schizophrenia. Predictors of stronger stigma towards problem gambling were perceptions it is caused by bad character, is perilous, non-recoverable, disruptive and noticeable, but not due to stressful life circumstances, genetic/inherited problem, or chemical imbalance in the brain. This new foundational knowledge can advance understanding and reduction of problem gambling stigma through countering inaccurate perceptions that problem gambling is caused by bad character, that people with gambling problems are likely to be violent to other people, and that people cannot recover from problem gambling.     

The utilization of geographic information systems to create a site selection strategy to disseminate an older adult fall prevention program

Public health programmatic interventions are increasingly required to address the prevention needs of aging populations. Falls in adults age 65 and older are the leading cause of injury hospitalization in the U.S., and a leading cause of international fatal injuries in older adults. This project used geographic information systems (GIS) to create a site selection strategy for the dissemination and pilot evaluation of a community-based fall prevention program for older adults in Pierce County, Washington. Potential site addresses (n = 84), 2000 U.S. census data for adults ≥65 years of age, and local road networks, which were converted into service areas using actual travel time, were entered in a GIS. Potential sites were then ranked by census densities of older adults who lived within 10 min travel time. Nine sites launched the program, with the goal recruiting 20 older adult program participants at each site (n = 180). At the end of 12 months, participation exceeded program goals (n = 331). GIS can be used to determine actual travel time, and may facilitate the selection of community-based prevention program sites to maximize accessibility and utilization by targeted populations.     

Bereavement, gender, and cyberspace: a content analysis of parents' memorials to their children

The study investigated how two distinct perspectives apply to the role of gender in parents' memorials on The Compassionate Friends (TCF) electronic bulletin board; cyberspace as merely a mirror of societal gendered patterns of bereavement, and cyberspace as a medium or context in which societal gendered patterns of bereavement are neutralized. Data were evaluated to determine to what extent gender differences exist concerning instrumental versus intuitive styles of bereavement. Analytic categories used in assessing gender differences in parental bereavement style included the following: invoking spirituality, directing messages to the deceased, artistic expressions, and special powers accorded to the deceased. With some exceptions, the findings supported the perspective emphasizing the gender neutralizing aspects of cyberspace parental bereavement for the population studied.