Transactions of the Statistical Society of London (1837)

Summary. The Transactions of the Statistical Society of London (1837) appeared before the journal of the Royal Statistical Society began publication and represents the substantial statistical work that had been undertaken in the early years of the existence of the Society. The contents of this publication are summarized here against the historical background of the time.     

Communicating the risks arising from geohazards

Summary. Construction on, or in, the ground is affected by uncertainty. This includes the inherent variability of the ground itself, the effect of natural and human processes on the ground and the difficulties that are associated with the management and implementation of any construction works. The risk is considered to be in two parts: the probability of occurrence of a geohazard and the effect that this will have on the outcome of the project. Geohazards are determined as part of the ground investigation process, the principles of which are well established. Nevertheless uncertainty remains and communication between the professions and with the public is not always effective. Barriers are created by unfamiliar terminology and a lack of a forum for education and exchange of views. It is argued that the public must be continually involved—not only as recipients, but also as contributors.     

The three functions of self-control behaviour: Redressive, reformative and experiential

Self-control refers to the process by which individualsconsciously decideto take charge of their own behaviour. This process in prompted by situations in which automatic and habitual responses are interrupted or are ineffective. There are three major functions of self-control behaviour. The first function is redressive and is directed at controlling responses (such as anxiety, pain, ets.) that interfere with the normalfunctioning of the person. This function is improtant for coping with stress. The second function is reformative; it facilitates the adoption of new behaviours that have a low probability of occurence. In this category are included behviours that require delay of gratification and resistance of temptations (such as dieting, quitting smoking, etc.).These two functions were mentioned earlier in theorizing of the self-control process.A third and a new function of self-control is introduced here: experiential self-control. This enables the person to fully experience pleasurable activities (such as listening to music and enjoying a party). This paper discusses phenomena such as relaxation, hypnosis, 'absorption', and 'openness to experience' as situations that call for experiential self-control. It emphasizes the importance of this function for the growth and development of the individual. Highly resourceful individuals possess a repertoire of behaviours that enables them to maintain stability in the face of stress and promote changeby opening themselves to new experiences.     

Stratification in college entry and completion

This paper examines stratification of opportunities in college access and completion. Using propensity score methods, we investigate two comparisons: (1) four- versus two-year public colleges and (2) private versus public two-year colleges. While previous research finds lower degree completion in two-year than in four-year public colleges, the comparability of students is doubtful. This paper re-considers the public four-year college effect, but for similar students and additional relevant outcomes. The second comparison is a new one. Though recruiting similar students as public two-year colleges, private two-year colleges use different organizational procedures, and we find that they have a different impact on comparable students’ degree completion. We speculate about the reasons for these differences and whether they suggest potential benefits of adapting these procedures for public two-year colleges.     

A comparison of methods for collecting self-report data on sensitive topics

Insufficient attention has been paid to whether disclosure rates of sensitive or stigmatizing information vary as a function of method of inquiry. Methods vary both in terms of the anonymity afforded the participant and the opportunity to make a connection with the researcher, both of which might affect participants' willingness to disclose such information. In this investigation, 215 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to complete identical questionnaires using one of the three most common methods of data collection (in-person interview, telephone interview, and paper-and-pencil questionnaire) or an automated telephonic data collection (ATDC) system. Questions on six topic areas of increasing social sensitivity (study habits, substance use, physical and sexual aggression, victimization and perpetration) were included. The results indicated that there were no differences in disclosure rates due to methods and no method by topic interaction, but the two telephonic methods both produced significantly higher participation rates than the two other methods. The results suggest that, at least for a college student sample, an automated telephonic system produces data comparable to that of more traditional methods, while offering greater convenience, economy, and participation.     

Caregiving system in transition: An illustration from Shanghai,China

Population aging, the diminution of family networks, and increasing demands for care create a substantial burden for the current family-based system of caregiving for the elderly in Shanghai. Using existing data, we explore recent and future changes in demographic composition, family structure, and elderly needs in Shanghai, and evaluate how these changes affect the care of the elderly. Within this context, we also describe the current caregiving system and discuss its limitations. Finally, we propose an improved caregiving system that features a greatly expanded role of the community, but maintains an integral role of the family as caregivers. We also outline two strategies that might be followed in the development of this new system.     

Fifteen years later: Can residential mobility programs provide a long-term escape from neighborhood segregation,crime, and poverty

We examined whether the Gautreaux residential mobility program, which moved poor black volunteer families who were living in inner-city Chicago into more-affluent and integrated neighborhoods, produced long-run improvements in the neighborhood environments of the participants. We found that although all the participants moved in the 6 to 22 years since their initial placements, they continued to reside in neighborhoods with income levels that matched those of their placement neighborhoods. Families who were placed in higher-income, mostly white neighborhoods were currently living in the most-affluent neighborhoods. Families who were placed in lower-crime and suburban locations were most likely to reside in low-crime neighborhoods years later.