The median estimate of the autoregressive location parameter

A median-based estimate of the location (i.e. intercept) parameter in an autoregressive time series is considered. Specifically, the asymptotic joint distribution of the location estimate and a location invariant estimate of the AR parameter vector is derived. Applications of this result to rank-based estimates are briefly discussed and illustrated with a numerical example.     

Some findings on Britain's black working class, 1900–1914

The identification of members of a visible minority in early twentieth century Britain not only shows something of their participation in working class life but also that black people were not solely resident in towns and cities. As Britain was highly urbanized, the presence of such migrants in rural areas suggests that the number of black people in Britain was higher than has been assumed.     

From Christianity to paganism: The new middle ages and the values of ‘medieval’ masculinity

Abstract

In the context of the upsurge of interest in all things medieval, this essay examines the promotion in popular culture of ‘medieval’ masculine role models. It begins with an assessment of the 19th century's creation of a version of medieval masculinity which was essentially Christian and chivalric. It traces the transfer of this image from literature to cinema in the 20th century. It argues that the image remained dominant until the 1960s when it was eclipsed by a new version of medieval masculinity, a violent pagan ‘Dark Age’ model. This new image triumphed because of changes in society and in the structure and strategies of the cinema industry and its audience. The essay concludes by examining possible medieval alternatives to the pagan ‘Dark Age’ image: the revived chivalric knight, the eco‐warrior and the transplanted modern rationalist. The evidence suggests that they have not yet dented the dominance of the pagan image.     

A public health perspective for youth gambling

The recent emergence of gambling problems among youth around the world is alarming. For those most vulnerable in our society, children and adolescents, problem gambling presents a serious public health concern. Our current knowledge and understanding of the magnitude of the problem and its considerable impact upon the well-being of youth compels us to respond in a timely and effective manner. A general public health paradigm to gambling, originally articulated by Wynne (1997) and Korn and Shaffer (1999), highlights the importance of such an approach. However, a conceptual model and framework to understand and specifically address youth problem gambling within a public health framework is needed. This article articulates a theoretical framework and model that will help facilitate the development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, multi-level health promotion and prevention strategy for youth problem gambling.     

ON FRIENDSHIP

Many countries recognize foreigners for the work they have done with their country. For example, France has the Legion of Honor. Germany has the Order of Merit. England bestows an honorary knighthood.These are all deeply meaningful acts of appreciation by the governments of those countries. And yet I cannot help feeling that China is giving us something even more meaningful.To me, terms like honor, merit, and even knighthood reflect a kind of arm’s-length assessment of an individual’s actions,     

Local and omnibus goodness-of-fit tests in classical measurement error models

We consider functional measurement error models, i.e. models where covariates are measured with error and yet no distributional assumptions are made about the mismeasured variable. We propose and study a score-type local test and an orthogonal series-based, omnibus goodness-of-fit test in this context, where no likelihood function is available or calculated-i.e. all the tests are proposed in the semiparametric model framework. We demonstrate that our tests have optimality properties and computational advantages that are similar to those of the classical score tests in the parametric model framework. The test procedures are applicable to several semiparametric extensions of measurement error models, including when the measurement error distribution is estimated non-parametrically as well as for generalized partially linear models. The performance of the local score-type and omnibus goodness-of-fit tests is demonstrated through simulation studies and analysis of a nutrition data set.     

Physiological Regulation and Fearfulness as Predictors of Young Children's Empathy‐related Reactions

Indices of physiological regulation (i.e., resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA] and RSA suppression) and observed fearfulness were tested as predictors of empathy‐related reactions to an unfamiliar person's simulated distress within and across 18 (T1, N = 247) and 30 (T2, N = 216) months of age. Controlling for T1 helping, high RSA suppression and low fearfulness at T1 predicted T2 helping. In a structural model, empathic concern was marginally positively related to resting RSA at both assessments whereas personal distress was related to RSA suppression within time (marginally positively at T1 and significantly negatively at T2). Fearfulness was associated with self‐oriented, distress‐related reactions within time. Comfort seeking (an index of personal distress) declined in mean level with age whereas helping increased, and both behaviors exhibited differential continuity (as did resting RSA). Individual, as well as developmental, differences in the types of reactions that young children exhibit when witnessing others' suffering and distress were discussed.     

Review of Teaching Statistical Concepts

A χ² test with a rejection region in the low tail is sometimes used to test whether data could plausibly have been generated by random sampling. A data set, taken from the statistical literature, is exhibited, which is suitable for demonstrating this test in the classroom.