Money Over Marriage: Marriage Importance as a Mediator Between Materialism and Marital Satisfaction

While the negative relationship between materialism and marital satisfaction is well documented, mediators that possibly explain this association have not been widely explored. Based on the Incompatibility of Materialism and Children Model and Marital Paradigms Theory, this article explores the perception of marriage importance as a potential mediator between materialism and marital satisfaction. Using a sample of 1310 married individuals, we found evidence of partial mediation in that materialism was negatively associated with perception of marriage importance, and this association partially explained why being materialistic was associated with lower marital satisfaction. Thus, as counselors, therapists, and financial planners work with married clients, it is important that they consider how their clients’ materialistic tendencies may influence the family both financially and relationally. Suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Population growth, the dependency rate, and the pace of economic development

Abstract The analysis of population's impact on the economy has frequently been developed in the context of the dependency-rate argument. The dependency rate, typically measured as the proportion of the total population outside the labour force, is a summary statistic which is intended to capture the influence of a population's age structure on the process of economic growth. Unfortunately, there has been substantial confusion surrounding the economic interpretation of the dependency rate. This confusion derives from the fact that the dependency rate has been used as a proxy for several age-specific influences of population on economic growth. Additionally, for anyone of these influences of population, the impact on the economy will be determined by the particular economic model within which the dependency rate is being analysed. In other words, depending on which age-specific economic aspect of the dependency rate is being examined, and depending on which economic model forms the basis of the analysis, it is possible that an increase in the dependency rate may be associated with either an increase or a decrease in the economy-wide growth of output per head. As a result, the widely used dependency-rate statistic may not be a particularly useful predictor of economic - demographic - growth-rate interrelationships unless the analyst makes explicit his underlying economic framework, and unless the particular economic influences for which the dependency rate is taken as a proxy are delineated.     

Watching the detectives: crime programming, fear of crime, and attitudes about the criminal justice system

Research demonstrates a complex relationship between television viewing and fear of crime. Social critics assert that media depictions perpetuate the dominant cultural ideology about crime and criminal justice. This article examines whether program type differentially affects fear of crime and perceptions of the crime rate. Next, it tests whether such programming differentially affects viewers' attitudes about the criminal justice system, and if these relationships are mediated by fear. Results indicated that fear mediated the relationship between viewing nonfictional shows and lack of support for the justice system. Viewing crime dramas predicted support for the death penalty, but this relationship was not mediated by fear. News viewership was unrelated to either fear or attitudes. The results support the idea that program type matters when it comes to understanding people's fear of crime and their attitudes about criminal justice.     

Trust,commitment and team working: the paradox of virtual organizations

Abstract In this article we take an agent‐centred approach to explore the role of trust and commitment in the virtual organization. The findings of a case study in an international information technology consultancy indicate that multiple relationships arising from the alliance‐based structure require clear commitment to enable the development of trust as a basis for longer‐term partnership. Paradoxically, the perceived low level of commitment from the organization does not engender the high level of trust and commitment required from virtual teams to maximize their performance. However, over time and with extended exchanges, the commitment level and form may evolve, thus necessitating a realignment of existing psychological understanding and trust between the actors. If there is general agreement that an upward shift from short‐term to long‐term commitment is beneficial to all, then the virtual arrangement will continue to be effective.     

Does National Income Inequality Affect Individuals’ Quality of Life in Europe? Inequality,Happiness, Finances,and Health

This paper analyses the effect of income inequality on Europeans’ quality of life, specifically on their overall well-being (happiness, life satisfaction), on their financial quality of life (satisfaction with standard of living, affordability of goods and services, subjective poverty), and on their health (self-rated health, satisfaction with health). The simple bivariate correlations of inequality with overall well-being, financial quality of life, and health are negative. But this is misleading because of the confounding effect of a key omitted variable, national economic development (GDP per capita): Unequal societies are on average much poorer (r = 0.46) and so disadvantaged because of that. We analyse the multi-level European Quality of Life survey conducted in 2003 including national-level data on inequality (Gini coefficient) and economic development (GDP) and individual-level data on overall well-being, financial quality of life, and health. The individual cases are from representative samples of 28 European countries. Our variance-components multi-level models controlling for known individual-level predictors show that national per capita GDP increases subjective well-being, financial quality of life, and health. Net of that, the national level of inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, has no statistically significant effect, suggesting that income inequality does not reduce well-being, financial quality of life, or health in advanced societies. These result all imply that directing policies and resources towards inequality reduction is unlikely to benefit the general public in advanced societies.     

The Impact of Women’s Work on Gendered Health Inequities

ABSTRACT

How does the work that American women perform, both in the formal economy (paid labor) and in the caring economy (caring for children and households) negatively affect their health? The World Health Organization’s social determinants of health model is used to illuminate the causes of gendered health inequities. The social determinants of gendered health inequities that are correlated with women’s work include globalization, cultural norms, an imbalance of power between men and women, the feminization of work, the gendered pay gap, unequal responsibilities in the caring economy, the lack of recognition of the value of caring work, stress, and poverty.     

Union List Management: The Initial Project and Afterwards

Abstract

Two additional libraries have now joined the West Texas Union List. One is a city-supported; the other, state-supported. These two libraries have also joined the Texas Statewide Union List of Serials. Fees for the West Texas Union List are invoiced to each member directly. So far fees for the Texas Statewide Union List have been absorbed by grants awarded the Texas State Library. At this time, the statewide list will be funded with grants for two more years.

Member libraries update information in different workflows and on different schedules. Union list coordinators learn that members will update the information in their union lists; when, will vary from library to library and from list to list. Agents and coordinators must be aware of the attitude each member library has towards the list. If the list is available on OCLC, some members may only update holdings when they replace the individual institutional list used in their library. If the list is stored on computer tape, some members may have been interested in it only because it could assist them in future serial automation projects and may not have given much thought to the importance of the list as an ongoing venture.

There may be a problem if the library staff responsible for updating the list was never really involved in the decision to join a union list and is not committed to the list beyond the initial project phase. In some cases the members have every intention of keeping the information current but are not good managers or communicators. The agent should ask what is being done and advise members on getting started, and might even offer to visit the library to assist in setting up the proper workflow.

Working with libraries involved in union list activities is a challenge. As with all management tasks, communication is the key to success. When users or members discover a problem, the group must solve it quickly or the list will lose its credibility. Each list must face the possibility that members may not want to retain membership. Some members may not want the list to grow in size, while others do. Interpreting standards and choosing bibliographic and holdings formats are potentially controversial issues.

If the members agree that the list is needed and if the list is important to them from the beginning, then they will be more flexible and understanding of the problems in each library, and more likely to contribute to keeping the list current. As the members learn to work together, their union list product becomes a major goal or interest. The list becomes a product that represents the work and cooperation of the group as a whole.