Children’s Nonverbal Displays of Winning and Losing: Effects of Social and Cultural Contexts on Smiles

We examined the effects of social and cultural contexts on smiles displayed by children during gameplay. Eight-year-old Dutch and Chinese children either played a game alone or teamed up to play in pairs. Activation and intensity of facial muscles corresponding to Action Unit (AU) 6 and AU 12 were coded according to Facial Action Coding System. Co-occurrence of activation of AU 6 and AU 12, suggesting the presence of a Duchenne smile, was more frequent among children who teamed up than among children who played alone. Analyses of the intensity of smiles revealed an interaction between social and cultural contexts. Whereas smiles, both Duchenne and non-Duchenne, displayed by Chinese children who teamed up were more intense than those displayed by Chinese children who played alone, the effect of sociality on smile intensity was not observed for Dutch children. These findings suggest that the production of smiles by children in a competitive context is susceptible to both social and cultural factors.     

Optimal design of synthetic np control chart based on median run length

The synthetic np chart is a combination of the np sub-chart and the conforming run length sub-chart. A procedure for the optimal design of the synthetic np chart is provided by minimizing the out-of-control median run length (MRL). The comparative results show that the synthetic np chart performs better than the corresponding standard np chart for detecting process shifts in the fraction non conforming, in terms of the MRL. An example is given to illustrate the operation of the synthetic np chart.     

A Double Moving Average Control Chart

The double exponentially weighted moving average (DEWMA) technique has been investigated in recent years for detecting shifts in the process mean and has been shown to be more efficient than the corresponding exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) technique. In this article, we extend the DEWMA technique of performing exponential smoothing twice to the double moving average (DMA) technique by computing the moving average twice. Using simulation, we show that our proposed DMA chart improves upon the ARL performance of the moving average (MA) chart in detecting mean shifts of small to moderate magnitudes. It is also shown through simulation that, generally, the DMA charts with spans, w = 10 and 15 provide comparable average run length (ARL) performances to the EWMA and cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts, designed for detecting small shifts.     

Children in De Facto Relationships

This paper compares the family situation of children living with de facto couples with that of children living with legally married couples and examines the attitudes of de facto couples toward having children. De facto couples with ex-nuptial children were in a less favourable socio-economic situation than either de facto couples with step children or married couples with children. Differences were also observed among de facto couples with and without ex-nuptial children and married couples in their attitudes toward having children ex-nuptially. However, de facto partners with children and married partners with children did not differ in their attitudes toward children.     

Participation of seniors in the Argentinian labour market: An option value model*

The aim of this article is to define the factors which determine seniors' decisions to continue to participate in the labour market in Argentina. An option value model is developed. This model is used to produce estimates based on micro‐data drawn from household surveys. These indicate the relative importance of the impact of conditions governing eligibility for benefits on decisions to remain actively employed. Work history is found to be the main factor in such decisions. Inadequacy of social security benefits and accumulated human capital also create incentives for economic participation in old age. On the basis of these findings, compensatory policy adjustments, to improve coverage, increase benefit levels and improve employment conditions for seniors, are proposed.     

Double sampling max chart

This study proposes a double sampling (DS) Max chart for monitoring shifts in the process mean and standard deviation. The design of the DS Max chart depends on five parameters, i.e. first and second sample sizes, warning limit at Stage 1, upper control limits at Stages 1 and 2. The optimization design of the DS Max chart is conducted using a genetic algorithm by minimizing the average run length. The comparison shows that the DS Max chart performs better than the existing charts in the literature. An example is provided to illustrate the application of the DS Max chart.     

Does physical exercise improve perceptual skills and visuospatial attention in older adults? A review

Neuroimaging studies suggest that when the brain ages, more areas are involved to perform a task in order to obtain the same results. This, together with the increase in crystalized intelligence and wisdom, is usually considered as a compensatory strategy. Research has demonstrated that physical activity might also act as a strategy and be one of the main factors that can slow down age-related perceptual and cognitive decline. Research also suggests that different types of physical exercise and sport lead to different changes in perceptual and cognitive skills as well as in several areas of the brain, especially those involving multiple domains, such as exergaming, dance or some sports. This review summarizes the findings of recent studies with older adults investigating the brain and cognitive benefits of different forms of physical exercise. Visuospatial attention, which plays a critical role in our daily lives, especially for older adults, is a central part of this analysis.