Value provided by interfamily economic exchange of goods and services in two cultures

The value of goods and services provided through interfamily economic exchange is examined from a household survey. The existence of an exchange system in society was documented. Over half of the respondents reported that economic transfers between families were important to the quality of their life. Estimated values varied with personal health conditions, importance attached to providing goods and services, years of residence in the community, primary recipient of services, ethnic culture, sex of respondent, and type of service provided. Estimated values can be used for calculating economic loss in community disruption and relocation, measuring family full income, and estimating the importance of nonmarket economic activity in society.The study contributes to interregional Agricultural Experiment Station Research Project NC-128 Quality of Life as Affected by Area of Residence. Cooperating States: Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, and Texas.Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907. Her Ph.D. was received from Purdue in Family Economics and Management. Current research areas are income adequacy, economic security, financial problems, and financial counseling.     

Modeling Cholinesterase Activity for Human Dietary Risk Assessment of Carbamate Insecticides

This article demonstrates statistical models to quantify the interaction between a carbamate insecticide and acetylcholinesterase. Carbamates are a class of chemicals that inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase in humans, an enzyme involved in the regulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Following exposure to a carbamate insecticide, we specifically address (1) if acetylcholinesterase activity recovers to its level of preexposure activity; (2) the level of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity; (3) the recovery time of acetylcholinesterase activity to its preexposure level for a typical individual; and (4) the upper percentiles of the recovery time of acetycholinesterase activity across individuals. A nonlinear mixed-effects model is fitted to data from a repeated measures experiment conducted with human volunteers randomly assigned to a control and four dose groups. Repeated measurements were taken prior to exposure and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 21 hours after exposure to the carbamate aldicarb. It was found that full recovery did occur. Inhibition at 1 hour was estimated with maximum inhibition most likely occurring prior to 1-hour postexposure. In addition, recovery was rapid even for sensitive individuals. Given this information, the potential effect from exposure to a carbamate consumed in the diet during a day can be quantitatively assessed.     

Geographical Dimensions and Correlates of Trust

A sample of 323 residents of New Jersey stratified by neighborhood quality (excellent, good, fair, poor) was gathered to determine if trust in science and technology to protect public health and environment at the societal scale was associated with trust of the local officials, such as the mayor, health officer, developers, mass media, and legislators who are guardians of the local environment. Societal (trust of science and technology) and neighborhood (mayor, health officer) dimensions of trust were found. These societal and neighborhood trust dimensions were weakly correlated. Respondents were divided into four trust-of-authority groups: high societal–high neighborhood, low societal–low neighborhood, high societal–low neighborhood, and low societal–high neighborhood. High societal–high neighborhood trust respondents were older, had lived in the neighborhoods for many years, were not troubled much by neighborhood or societal environmental threats, and had a strong sense of control over their environment. In strong contrast, low societal–low neighborhood trust respondents were relatively young, typically had lived in their present neighborhood for a short time, were troubled by numerous neighborhood and societal environmental threats, did not practice many personal public health practices, and felt little control over their environment.     

The Generality of Theory and the Specificity of Social Behavior: Contrasting Experimental and Hermeneutic Social Science

Since its inception, experimental social psychology has arguably been of two minds about the nature and role of theory. Contemporary social psychology's experimental approach has been strongly informed by the “nomological‐deductive” approach of Carl Hempel in tandem with the “hypothetico‐deducive” approach of Karl Popper. Social psychology's commitment to this hybrid model of science has produced at least two serious obstacles to more fruitful theorizing about human experience: (1) the problem of situational specificity, and (2) the manifest impossibility of formulating meaningful general laws of human social behavior. It is argued that a social psychology based on the search for this kind of lawfulness, under the auspices of either a strict or loose interpretation of the largely Hempelian model, is ultimately unworkable. An alternative approach to social psychology that is attentive both to the need for understanding individual situations and behaviors and to the need for generalized understanding of actual human behaviors is offered. This approach is grounded in the hermeneutic tradition.     

Democracy as a transitional compass: women’s participation in South Africa and Kerala,India

ABSTRACT

In this article I explore the attempts by the states in South Africa and Kerala to create spaces for public participation by specifically focusing on women’s involvement in local spaces. Democracy is a crucial part of any emancipatory future that seeks to challenge and overcome inequality. I show that both states have ‘invited’ participation by women in various ways, but that the transformative potential of this participation is limited by national political economy, bureaucratization, and the lack of political will. In South Africa, the invited spaces eventually transformed into avenues for delivery and in response the women in this study shifted to inventing ways to engage in development in their personal lives. By using a double comparison – South Africa over time and South Africa compared to India – I argue that transformative politics requires a combination of invented and invited spaces.     

A Mixed Method Approach to Quality of Life Research: A Case Study Approach

Increased use of qualitative and quantitative methods in quality of life projects necessitates an examination of how to effectively work within a mixed method framework. The research objectives of this paper are to (1) operationalize the two goals of mixed method research (confirmation and comprehension) and (2) develop a strategy for using mixed methods in quality of life research. Face-to-face interview (qualitative) and telephone survey (quantitative) data from the Community–University Institute for Social Research Quality of Life (CUISR QoL) project in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan were used for operationalization. Overall, confirmation and comprehension were challenging concepts to operationalize. Seven benefits and four guidelines were developed and are presented as dynamic, rather than definitive, structures.     

Racism and anti-racism in placement reports

The focus of this article is upon the way in which practice teachers and students considered individual and institutional racism and anti-racism in a sample of 40 placement reports. First of all we will examine the background to the development of CCETSW policies and requirements for social work courses and the way in which they consider racism and anti-racism. Then we will consider the limitations and aims of our research. We will present a brief summary of our findings which contrasts the content of the placement reports from two cohorts of students in 1995 and 1997, whose reports were prepared using two different placement report frameworks: one framework developed from CCETSW's 1989 guidelines, the other framework from the revised guidelines dating from 1995. We go on to consider in some depth the overall comments of practice teachers and students in the placement reports about work with black clients/users, the use of 'what if' scenarios and case studies. We continue by examining the way in which students considered the numbers of black people in the local population, and the use made by black people of the placement agencies. Also examination is made of multiple oppression, any challenges to racism made by students, differences in terminology used to consider issues associated with 'race' and the attention given to racism and anti-racism as future learning needs. Finally, we consider implications for future research and a summary of the findings.