Solving the St. Petersburg Paradox in cumulative prospect theory: the right amount of probability weighting

Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) does not explain the St. Petersburg Paradox. We show that the solutions related to probability weighting proposed to solve this paradox, (Blavatskyy, Management Science 51:677–678, 2005; Rieger and Wang, Economic Theory 28:665–679, 2006) have to cope with limitations. In that framework, CPT fails to accommodate both gambling and insurance behavior. We suggest replacing the weighting functions generally proposed in the literature by another specification which respects the following properties: (1) to solve the paradox, the slope at zero has to be finite. (2) to account for the fourfold pattern of risk attitudes, the probability weighting has to be strong enough.     

Childhood sexual experience and adult offending: an exploratory comparison of three criminal groups

The study explored the links between adult offending and exploitative sexual experiences during childhood. A questionnaire was administered to three criminal groups (child molesters, rapists and non‐sexual offenders) with the aim of investigating the statistical relationships between the men's early childhood sexual experiences. The sample comprised a total of 125 males. Fifty‐eight were in prison for non‐sexual crimes, 23 were serving sentences for rape and the remaining 44 were undergoing therapeutic treatment for their child molestation crime at a special treatment programme within the prison. Significant differences were found across the groups with respect to family context: education, subsequent occupation, religious family background and levels of abuse experienced during childhood. The two sex offending groups reported higher levels of physical and sexual abuse. The rapists reported significantly higher levels of emotional abuse and neglect. The child molester group was more likely to report both consenting and non‐consenting activity with other children and there was significance across the range of sexual behaviours. Higher abuse reporting by the child molester and rapist groups suggests that early experience may influence developmental trajectories and offending pathways. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Science news in the European dailies,the invisible network of the agenda setting

A survey of the development of press coverage of scientific and technical information in the main European dailies¹, reveals three major trends—a general explosion of coverage in the Community countries studied, an increasingly specialized body of science writers and, finally, a lack of control of the networks that communicate scientific information and ensure its recognition at an international level. Even though the subject matter is mainly international, science reporting in the daily press is still in fact a question of “jobbing”; and expresses all the cultural diversity of Europe.     

Development and Validation of an Environmental Quality of Life Scale: Study of a French Sample

The objective of this research is to develop a scale of perceived environmental quality of life and test its factorial structure and validity. The constitutive items of the scale were generated using semi-directive interviews. Four principal quality of life factors were isolated in an exploratory study carried out with 760 participants. This factorial structure was then established in a cross-validation of the scale during a confirmatory study applied to a second sample of 740 participants. The internal consistency of the environmental quality of life dimensions, the adequacy of the measurement model to the data, and the stability of the factorial structure are all proof of the good psychometric qualities of this scale.     

Self-Initiated Smoking Cessation in College Students

Abstract

Smoking cessation behaviors of college students using a university health service were examined. Forty successful and 32 unsuccessful quitters were interviewed through an open-ended questionnaire. Elements important in successful, self-initiated cessation were sought. Results demonstrated many similarities between the groups. Differences seemed related to techniques used to remain abstinent from cigarette smoking, expectations of ease or difficulties in quitting, and the influence of a boyfriend/girlfriend. These differences should be studied in a larger sample. Questions raised for further study include: examining the influence of the health service and physician; identifying differences in attitudes toward cessation between quitters and recidivists; and evaluating what use smokers make of the knowledge gained through previous cessation attempts.

“Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Responses to Meals Containing Different Carbohydrates in Normal and Diabetic Subjects,” John P. Bantle, et al. To examine whether the form of dietary carbohydrate influences glucose and insulin responses, we studied the glucose and insulin responses to five meals–-each containing a different form of carbohydrate but all with nearly identical amounts of total carbohydrate, protein, and fat–-in 10 healthy subjects, 12 patients with Type I diabetes, and 10 patients with Type II diabetes. The test carbohydrates were glucose, fructose, sucrose, potato starch, and wheat starch. In all three groups, the meal containing sucrose as the test carbohydrate did not produce significantly greater peak increments in the plasma concentration of glucose or greater increments in the area under the plasma glucose-response curves than did meals containing potato, wheat, or glucose as test carbohydrates. Urinary excretion of glucose in patients with diabetes was not significantly greater after the sucrose meal. The meal containing fructose as the test carbohydrate produced the smallest increments in plasma glucose levels, but the differences were not always statistically significant. In healthy subjects and patients with Type II diabetes, peak serum concentrations of insulin were not significantly different in response to the five test carbohydrates.

Our data do not support the view that dietary sucrose, when consumed as part of a meal, aggravates postprandial hyperglycemia. (New England Journal of Medicine 1983;309:7–12.)     

University‐industry relationships in genetic research: Potential opportunities and pitfalls

Changes in the environment in which university research is conducted, in conjunction with the development of new research technologies such as biotechnology, are contributing to the proliferation and diversification of university‐industry relationships. This paper describes and documents university‐industry relationships in five categories: research contracts, technology transfer activities, consultancies, employment, and gifts. Special emphasis is given to biotechnology research relations. Conflicts that may arise from these relations are discussed and studies evaluating the potential impacts of university‐industry relationships are summarized. While wide‐spread abuse has not been reported, subtle changes in university research may be occurring. Using the University of Tennessee as a case study, the paper ends with a discussion of the difficulties of establishing guidelines and procedures to prevent and settle conflicts of interest that might result from university‐industry relationships.     

Experienced support from family,school and friends among students in out‐of‐home care in a school‐based community survey

Youth in out‐of‐home care have elevated risks for adverse events and detrimental circumstances possibly affecting their development. Responses from 311 students in out‐of‐home care (OHC) were compared with peers living in birth parent care (BPC) and in single birth parent care (sBPC) in a regional school survey, directed to students in compulsory school eighth year and upper secondary school second year. Results indicate OHC students to experience less satisfaction with friends, leisure time, and families. They state less trust in support from friends and families but a more similar level to teachers, counsellors or nurses. OHC students also express being more exposed to abusive experiences online and perceive less sense of security at home and in school. We conclude that welfare institutions need to recognize the components in building trust and safety for students in OHC and that school and other professional institutions have an important role in serve resilience and promote well‐being for children in OHC.     

Learning social work law: An enquiry-based approach to developing knowledge and skills

This paper, written jointly by tutors and students, discusses an enquiry-based approach to learning and assessing law as part of social work qualifying training in England. It is argued that social work law is an area of learning particularly suited to an approach in which enquiry and analysis skills are promoted through practical problem solving. The paper considers the theoretical rationale for this approach and identifies how this conceptual frame informs the learning and assessment structure. It identifies how students present evidence for assessment of their skill and knowledge development, through both written and verbal submission, and considers the learning outcomes achieved. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the approach as an example of knowledge and skill development through problem solving and reflection.