Using Object Knowledge in Visual Tracking and Reaching

Nine‐month‐old infants were presented with an engaging and challenging task of visually tracking and reaching for a rolling ball that disappeared and reappeared from behind an occluder. On some trials, the infant observed the experimenter place a barrier on the ball's track; the barrier remained partially visible above the occluder throughout the remainder of the trial. When the task involved only predictive tracking, infants' anticipatory gaze shifts were faster when no barrier was present. When the task involved both tracking and reaching, there were more reaches when no barrier was present. If the infant reached, the timing and extension of the reach and the accompanying gaze shift did not differ with regard to the barrier. Because catching the ball was quite difficult for these infants, task demands interfered with the integration of visual information and visuospatial reasoning about the barrier with the reaching action.     

M-quantile models with application to poverty mapping

Over the last decade there has been growing demand for estimates of population characteristics at small area level. Unfortunately, cost constraints in the design of sample surveys lead to small sample sizes within these areas and as a result direct estimation, using only the survey data, is inappropriate since it yields estimates with unacceptable levels of precision. Small area models are designed to tackle the small sample size problem. The most popular class of models for small area estimation is random effects models that include random area effects to account for between area variations. However, such models also depend on strong distributional assumptions, require a formal specification of the random part of the model and do not easily allow for outlier robust inference. An alternative approach to small area estimation that is based on the use of M-quantile models was recently proposed by Chambers and Tzavidis (Biometrika 93(2):255–268, 2006) and Tzavidis and Chambers (Robust prediction of small area means and distributions. Working paper, 2007). Unlike traditional random effects models, M-quantile models do not depend on strong distributional assumption and automatically provide outlier robust inference. In this paper we illustrate for the first time how M-quantile models can be practically employed for deriving small area estimates of poverty and inequality. The methodology we propose improves the traditional poverty mapping methods in the following ways: (a) it enables the estimation of the distribution function of the study variable within the small area of interest both under an M-quantile and a random effects model, (b) it provides analytical, instead of empirical, estimation of the mean squared error of the M-quantile small area mean estimates and (c) it employs a robust to outliers estimation method. The methodology is applied to data from the 2002 Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) in Albania for estimating (a) district level estimates of the incidence of poverty in Albania, (b) district level inequality measures and (c) the distribution function of household per-capita consumption expenditure in each district. Small area estimates of poverty and inequality show that the poorest Albanian districts are in the mountainous regions (north and north east) with the wealthiest districts, which are also linked with high levels of inequality, in the coastal (south west) and southern part of country. We discuss the practical advantages of our methodology and note the consistency of our results with results from previous studies. We further demonstrate the usefulness of the M-quantile estimation framework through design-based simulations based on two realistic survey data sets containing small area information and show that the M-quantile approach may be preferable when the aim is to estimate the small area distribution function.     

GENDER AND PROSOCIAL VALUES DURING ADOLESCENCE: A Research Note

To date, relatively little is known about the prosocial values of adolescents. Research has shown that females attach more importance to certain prosocial values than males do in late adolescence but has not considered whether this gender difference is evident across stages of adolescence and whether it varies by race. We examine values that focus on doing things for others, using data from a nationwide survey of 12- to 17-year-olds. We find that girls place more importance on these prosocial values than boys at younger ages. However, we also find important patterns in this gender difference across racial groups as well as across age. White boys appear to attach less importance to prosocial values than other race and gender groups. Furthermore, the gender gap in prosocial values is larger at older ages, with older adolescent boys placing less importance on prosocial values than younger ones.     

Implementing Fall Prevention Guidelines with Vulnerable Older Adults: The Social Work Role

Falls are the leading cause of injury among the older adult population, resulting in costly and devastating aftermaths. National fall prevention guidelines (FPGs) have been established to assist healthcare professionals with addressing fall risk, but little is understood about the extent to which FPGs have been implemented by social workers. Social workers, however, may beuniquely positioned to implement FPGs with older adults due to their expertise in care coordination and home- and community-based service settings. This conceptual paper addresses the timely issue of fall prevention and social workers’ potential role in implementing FPGs to address fall risk.     

How dimensions of internationalization shape the MNE's renewal capability: Multidimensional and multilevel considerations

We investigate the theoretical and empirical implications of internationalization as a multidimensional and multilevel construct and its relationship to the renewal capability of the firm. Theoretically, internationalization describes a diverse range of cross-border activities by the multinational enterprise (MNE), and thus carries with it multiple dimensions of depth, breadth, and speed. Empirically, internationalization contains both within- and between-MNE variance, each with potentially different effects on the MNE's renewal capability. Using a unique, longitudinal dataset of 94 MNEs, we find support that each dimension and level of internationalization relates differently to the renewal capability of the MNE. At the within-level, the MNE internationalization breadth is negatively related to the its renewal capability, yet internationalization speed is positively related to renewal. At the between-level, the depth of internationalization is positively related to the MNE's renewal capability. In concert, our results suggest that the effects of internationalization on important outcomes cannot be simplified into general relationships. Rather, attention to the nuances of internationalization, especially as related to the MNE's capabilities, is needed.     

Shape analysis for automated sulcal classification and parcellation of MRI data

We describe geometric invariants that characterize the shape of curves and surfaces in 3D space: curvature, Gauss integrals and moments. We apply these invariants to neuroimaging data to determine if they have application for automatically classifying and parcellating cortical data. The curves of sulci and gyri on the cortical surface can be obtained by reconstructing cortical surface representations of the human brain from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. We reconstructed gray matter surfaces for 15 subjects, traced 10 sulcal curves on each surface and computed geometric invariants for each curve. These geometric features were used classify the curves into sulcal and hemispheric classes. The best classification results were obtained when moment-based features were computed on the sulcal curves in native space. Gauss integral measures showed that they were useful for differentiating the hemispheric location of a single sulcus. These promising results may indicate that moment invariants are useful for characterizing shape on a global scale. Gauss integral invariants are potentially useful measures for characterizing cortical shape on a local, rather than global scale. Gauss integrals have found biological significance in characterizing proteins so it is worthwhile to consider their possible application to neuroscientific data.     

Mixing Apples and Oranges and Other Methodological Problems with a Meta-Analysis of Long Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Current trends in mental health practice indicate that mental health practitioners, including clinical social workers, are tending to move away from psychodynamic approaches and are favoring short-term empirically supported approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Recently, the presumption that long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) approaches lack empirical support has been challenged, however, with the publication in major peer reviewed journals of meta-analyses that are claimed to demonstrate its equality to or superiority over empirically supported short-term therapies for some conditions. The present article examines the methodology employed in one particular meta-analysis which compared LTPP to short term therapies and the studies upon which the analysis was based. We found that major methodological and statistical flaws with the meta-analysis and with the individual studies preclude drawing any conclusions regarding the efficacy of LTPP.     

Using the Delphi method to engage stakeholders: A comparison of two studies

Involving stakeholders can greatly impact evaluation results. The Delphi method, a consensus-building tool, is a promising process to promote and encourage involvement from all stakeholders during the evaluation framing process. The Delphi method removes geographic challenges and time boundaries allowing all stakeholders to participate. The Delphi method uses a series of surveys interspersed with controlled feedback designed to gather information and build consensus without requiring face-to-face meetings. Two different formats of the Delphi method, a paper-and-pencil, postal-mail version and a web-based, real-time computer version are compared in this study. Both versions of the Delphi were administered to a non-profit community based organization as part of framing an evaluation. Participation rates were better with the paper–pencil version. The quantity and quality of data collected were comparable in both versions.