Authoritative parenting and sensation seeking as predictors of adolescent cigarette and marijuana use

Adolescents with high sensation-seeking tendencies often seek out thrill seeking experiences to satisfy their need for stimulation and sensation. In many cases, sensation-seeking adolescents fulfill their need for stimulation and sensation by using illicit substances. However, not all high sensation seekers use drugs, although the factors that prevent or buffer sensation seeking remain unexplored. This study fills this gap in extant research by examining the role of authoritative parenting as a protective factor that prevents or buffers cigarette and marijuana use by adolescents with high sensation-seeking tendencies. Data from 1461 adolescents attending 6th through 8th grades in central Colorado were gathered during a semester-long classroom-based intervention to prevent the onset or further use of cigarettes. Results indicate that authoritative parenting moderated the effect of sensation seeking on adolescent marijuana attitudes, intentions, and peer influence but not behaviors. Further, authoritative parenting was a stronger influence than sensation seeking on cigarette-related outcomes with just the opposite effect observed for marijuana-related outcomes.     

An adjusted likelihood-ratio approach to the behrens-fisher problem

In many situations it is necessary to test the equality of the means of two normal populations when the variances are unknown and unequal. This paper studies the celebrated and controversial Behrens-Fisher problem via an adjusted likelihood-ratio test using the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters under both the null and the alternative models. This procedure allows the significance level to be adjusted in accordance with the degrees of freedom to balance the risk due to the bias in using the maximum likelihood estimates and the risk due to the increase of variance. A large scale Monte Carlo investigation is carried out to show that -2 InA has an empirical chi-square distribution with fractional degrees of freedom instead of a chi-square distribution with one degree of freedom. Also Monte Carlo power curves are investigated under several different conditions to evaluate the performances of several conventional procedures with that of this procedure with respect to control over Type I errors and power.     

新奥尔良的发展:一部环境灾难史

2005年,卡特里娜和丽塔两大飓风侵袭路易斯安那州的新奥尔良市,成为美国历史上造成损失最大的灾难之一。这一貌似自然灾害的危害事件,其实孕育于新奥尔良的长期发展之中。一部新奥尔良发展史,既是人类利用土地、河流、森林、海洋等自然实体并与自然环境搏斗以建立城市、发展航运和工商业的历史,也是这些自然实体及其哺育的众多生命不断受侵蚀以至戕害的历史。这既是一部人类文明史,也是一部环境灾难史。在这里,人类借助水利工程控制自然而建立起来的文明,由于损害了生态系统的健康,削弱了其自然防护能力,结果反而加剧了人类无法避免的自然灾害的危害。因此,飓风造成的损失不只是取决于风暴之力,也取决于人们对土地的所作所为。而保持新奥尔良生机的努力,并不需要一味地与自然相搏,与自然合作,也是一种有益的尝试。     

Historical Thinking and Sports History: A Case Study Using the Brooklyn Dodgers

Abstract

This article discusses how the history of sports can serve as way to understand abstract concepts associated with local history and social studies education. An introductory discussion outlines how sports can engage and interest students, focusing especially on ideas related to history thinking (such as change and continuity). A case study using the Brooklyn Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles is used to illustrate these ideas, focusing on themes associated with suburbanization and urban renewal. A lesson plan is also provided.     

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN MARITAL STANDARDS AND COMMUNICATION PATTERNS: HOW DOES IT CONTRIBUTE TO MARITAL ADJUSTMENT?

Couples' cognitions about marriage and their communication patterns have both been found to be highly associated with marital distress. To examine the relationships among marital cognitions, communication, and marital adjustment, we had a sample of 387 community couples complete three self-report measures: the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Inventory of Specific Relationship Standards, and the Communication Patterns Questionnaire. Results indicated that the correlation of communication with marital adjustment is higher for women with more relationship-focused standards than for women with less relationship-focused standards; this interaction does not occur for men. The implications of the interaction and the gender difference as well as the importance of teaching communication skills, and working with associated cognitions are discussed.