Using Empathy to Improve Intergroup Attitudes and Relations

Recently, social psychologists have given considerable attention to the possibility that empathy can be used to improve intergroup attitudes and relations. For this possibility to bear practical fruit, it is important to know what is meant by empathy because different researchers use the term to refer to different psychological states. It is also important to understand how each of these empathy states might affect intergroup relations by reviewing theory and research on the psychological processes involved, and it is important to consider the limitations of each form of empathy as a source of improved intergroup relations. Finally, it is important to consider the role of different empathy states in existing programs designed to improve intergroup relations, whether in protracted political conflicts, in educational settings, or via media. In this article, we pursue each of these goals.     

Modelling and simulation for one‐day cricket

This article is concerned with the simulation of one‐day cricket matches. Given that only a finite number of outcomes can occur on each ball that is bowled, a discrete generator on a finite set is developed where the outcome probabilities are estimated from historical data involving one‐day international cricket matches. The probabilities depend on the batsman, the bowler, the number of wickets lost, the number of balls bowled and the innings. The proposed simulator appears to do a reasonable job at producing realistic results. The simulator allows investigators to address complex questions involving one‐day cricket matches. The Canadian Journal of Statistics © 2009 Statistical Society of Canada     

Eating in: home, consumption and identity

Food is perhaps one of the most mundane and taken for granted parts of our everyday life, yet the ways we think about shopping, cooking and eating are actually intensively reflexive. This paper uses the example of food to explore questions of identity in relation to the specific cultural location of 'the home'. Using case study examples the paper illustrates some of the complex ways in which identities, throughout the lifecourse, are produced, articulated and contested through food consumption and the spatial dynamics of cooking and eating. In doing so the paper demonstrates that households, rather than being single units of food consumption, can be sites of multiple and sometimes contradictory consumption practices and that it is necessary to understand how patterns of eating are negotiated and contested within households in order to understand how the home functions as a 'consumption site'.     

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome projections in England and Wales: interplay of methodology and data

Since the late 1980s, regular monitoring of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic in England and Wales has been carried out through the work of successive national working groups. One of their tasks has been to provide short-term projections of the incidence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In this paper the data and methods used in this projection work are reviewed and results critically assessed with the aim of highlighting the strong interaction between methodological developments and data acquisition.     

Histogram estimation of radon-nikodym derivatives for strong mixing data

Nonparametric inference for point processes is discussed by way of histograms, which provide a nice tool for the analysis of on-line data. The construction of histograms depends on a sequence of partitions, which we take tc be nonenibedded to allow partitions with sets of equal measure. This presents some theoretical problems, which are addressed with an assumption on the decomposition of second order moments. In another direction, we drop the usual independence assumption on the sample, replacing it by a strong mixing assumption. Under this setting, we study the convergence of the histogram in probability, which depends on approximation conditions between the distributions of random pairs and the product of their marginal distributions, and^almost completely, which is based on the decomposition of the second order moments. This last convergence is stated on two versions according to the assumption of Laplace transforms or the Cramer moment conditions. These are somewhat stronger, but enable us to recover the usual condition on the decrease rate of sets on each partition. In the final section we prove that the finite dimensional distributions converge in distribution to a Gaussian centered vector with a specified covariance.     

The gendered dimensions of bushfire in changing rural landscapes in Australia

This paper examines gender differences in awareness, preparedness and attitudes towards bushfire amongst landholders in rural landscapes affected by amenity-led in-migration in southeast Australia. It considers the potential of conceptualising bushfire not as a gender-neutral natural phenomenon but as an important means by which traditional gender roles and power relations within rural landscapes are maintained. Landholders were found to uphold conventional views of bushfire management as “men’s business” despite changing social circumstances. Consequently, key gender differences exist within landholders’ bushfire risk awareness, bushfire knowledge, the perceived need for bushfire preparedness measures, the willingness to perform certain tasks, and the belief in personal capacity to act. We argue that covert and less visible as well as overt gender roles and traditions are important factors in understanding landholders’ engagement with bushfire management. When gendered dimensions of bushfire are investigated in the context of hegemony, a paradox emerges between women choosing not to take control of their own bushfire safety and women being denied the opportunity to take control. The complex and contradictory actions and attitudes to bushfire that materialise through an analysis of gendered social experiences complicate attempts to create more gender-sensitive frameworks for bushfire management. The tenacious and embedded nature of gender role divisions within both public and private spheres was furthermore found to act as economic, social and political stumbling blocks for empowerment opportunities. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this paper maps out gendered dimensions of bushfire through landholders’ narratives and actions. The implications of these dimensions for bushfire management have direct relevance to recent international discussions of the vulnerability of the growing number of people living in bushfire-prone rural–urban interface areas.     

Optimal change-over designs for correlated observations

Design implications of an autoregressive model for change-over experiments are investigated. In this model, the residual effect due to the previous treatment is assumed to be proportional to the response in the previous period. In addition, the errors from the same experimental subject are assumed to be correlated according to a first-order autoregressive model. Models with fixed and random subject effects are discussed separately. An attempt has been made to identify and construct optimal or nearly optimal designs in various situations. Empirical conclusions of Taka and Armitage [Commun. Statist. Theor. Meth. (1983)12, 865-876] regarding the efficiency of some designs have also been confirmed.     

Factors Associated with Gamblers: A Population-based Cross-sectional Study of South Australian Adults

Objective To determine, using a random telephone survey, the prevalence of various gambling activities among South Australian adults, the prevalence of adult problem gamblers using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) instrument, and to examine the problem gamblers by demographic and health-related risk factors.Method A random representative sample of South Australian adults selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 6045 interviews were conducted (73.1% response rate) using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) technology.Results Overall, 75.6% (95% CI: 74.5–76.7) of respondents had participated in at least one gambling activity during the last 12 months and 2.0% (95% CI: 1.7–2.4) were identified to be problem gamblers. A wide range of factors was associated with problem gambling at a univariate level, when compared to frequent gamblers. The logistic regression analysis highlighted that problem gamblers were more likely to speak a language other than English, be employed part time and a smoker when compared to frequent gamblers. Problem gamblers were also more likely to have a mental health condition (according to the Kessler 10), have had suicidal thoughts and know of services for gambling problems.Conclusion There is a wide range of characteristics associated with problem gambling in South Australia. All of these factors need addressing during policy development to assist problem gamblers.