Time Use by Gender and Quality of Life

Italy has no survey that was specifically designed to measure the degree of quality of life for the population, although certain other surveys exist which contribute useful information on the issue. This paper will concentrate on the potential of using existing sample surveys and on initial studies carried out starting from the Time Use survey conducted by the National Statistical Institute in 1989.Daily activities are the key factor when analysing a person's quality of life, however, these must also be considered in context. First and foremost this context is the household, within which each person carries out more or less defined roles. The roles covered are, in fact, a crucial variable when evaluating each person's quality of life. This angle of obsevation is particularly instructive when seen in terms of developments from a gender standpoint. Interpreting a woman's lifestyle according to the presence of symmeetry of asymmetry of roles, accompanying this analysis with one covering subjective perception of satisfaction as to daily activities, is an essential approach for determining the real satisfaction derived from the different aspects of a person's daily life. In addition to conventional indicators, newly conceived indicators taking into account the division of roles can be of great help when carrying out this kind of study. In this sense the analysis of individual time use in relation to household time use represents a significant step forward when studying quality of life.     

Fitting disposition codes to mobile phone surveys: experiences from studies in Finland, Slovenia and the USA

Summary.  Using mobile phones to conduct survey interviews has gathered momentum recently. However, using mobile telephones in surveys poses many new challenges. One important challenge involves properly classifying final case dispositions to understand response rates and non-response error and to implement responsive survey designs. Both purposes demand accurate assessments of the outcomes of individual call attempts. By looking at actual practices across three countries, we suggest how the disposition codes of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, which have been developed for telephone surveys, can be modified to fit mobile phones. Adding an international dimension to these standard definitions will improve survey methods by making systematic comparisons across different contexts possible.     

Do Infants Show Distinct Negative Facial Expressions for Fear and Anger? Emotional Expression in 11‐Month‐Old European American,Chinese, and Japanese Infants

Do infants show distinct negative facial expressions for different negative emotions? To address this question, European American, Chinese, and Japanese 11‐month‐olds were videotaped during procedures designed to elicit mild anger or frustration and fear. Facial behavior was coded using Baby FACS, an anatomically based scoring system. Infants' nonfacial behavior differed across procedures, suggesting that the target emotions were successfully elicited. However evidence for distinct emotion‐specific facial configurations corresponding to fear versus anger was not obtained. Although facial responses were largely similar across cultures, some differences also were observed. Results are discussed in terms of functionalist and dynamical systems approaches to emotion and emotional expression.     

⊡ Human Behavior and Environmental Sustainability: Problems, Driving Forces, and Research Topics

Social and behavioral research is crucial for securing environmental sustainability and improving human living environments. To put the following articles into broader perspective, we first give an overview of worldwide developments in environmental quality and trends in resource use. Second, five general driving forces of global environmental change are distinguished: population, affluence, technology, institutions, and culture; these are considered in view of critical transitions in the evolution of human society. Third, inspired by a four-stage model approach to common resource dilemmas, our introduction describes this issue's specific topics for research and policy support concerning environmental sustainability at different scale levels. Finally, the necessity of multidisciplinary collaboration and desirable developments in environmental psychology are discussed.     

Going the distance: 'Closeness' in qualitative data analysis software

This study about researchers' transitions to using qualitative data analysis (QDA) software identified three stages of 'closeness to the data': the tactile-digital divide; the coding trap; and the metacognitive shift. The 'tactile-digital divide' involves adapting to working on screen instead of paper, an initially distancing process. As users gain comfort with the software, they experience 'the coding trap'--an issue of too much closeness to the data. Users warned that there was a tendency to become 'bogged down' in coding, and developed strategies to provide analytical distance. 'The metacognitive shift' involves learning to think about software processes with the same level of reflectivity that should accompany qualitative research processes in general, including developing strategies for error recognition. These transitions invite reflections on the nature of 'cognitive tools' and expertise with them, which lead to implications for evaluating research and considering trustworthiness.     

Nano Risk Analysis: Advancing the Science for Nanomaterials Risk Management

Scientists, activists, industry, and governments have raised concerns about health and environmental risks of nanoscale materials. The Society for Risk Analysis convened experts in September 2008 in Washington, DC to deliberate on issues relating to the unique attributes of nanoscale materials that raise novel concerns about health risks. This article reports on the overall themes and findings of the workshop, uncovering the underlying issues for each of these topics that become recurring themes. The attributes of nanoscale particles and other nanomaterials that present novel issues for risk analysis are evaluated in a risk analysis framework, identifying challenges and opportunities for risk analysts and others seeking to assess and manage the risks from emerging nanoscale materials and nanotechnologies. Workshop deliberations and recommendations for advancing the risk analysis and management of nanotechnologies are presented.