A note on the correlation structure of transformed Gaussian random fields

Transformed Gaussian random fields can be used to model continuous time series and spatial data when the Gaussian assumption is not appropriate. The main features of these random fields are specified in a transformed scale, while for modelling and parameter interpretation it is useful to establish connections between these features and those of the random field in the original scale. This paper provides evidence that for many ‘normalizing’ transformations the correlation function of a transformed Gaussian random field is not very dependent on the transformation that is used. Hence many commonly used transformations of correlated data have little effect on the original correlation structure. The property is shown to hold for some kinds of transformed Gaussian random fields, and a statistical explanation based on the concept of parameter orthogonality is provided. The property is also illustrated using two spatial datasets and several ‘normalizing’ transformations. Some consequences of this property for modelling and inference are also discussed.     

Reward-Sensitivity,Inhibition of Reward-Seeking,and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Working Memory Function in Problem Gamblers not in Treatment

Given the central role of perseverative chasing in problem gambling, the present study sought to find evidence for three hypothesized components of perseveration in problem gamblers: reward-sensitivity dominance, deficient inhibition of reward-seeking behavior, and working memory deficits. This was the first attempt to examine working memory deficits in problem gamblers using a conditional association task, which is associated with posterior-dorsolateral prefrontal functioning. In a sample that was not in treatment, and representative in terms of comorbidity, problem gamblers performed significantly worse on the conditional association working memory tasks after controlling for general memory function, compared to demographically-matched controls. This is significant because deficits in the dorsolateral prefrontal region have been consistently associated with perseveration, which suggests that problem gamblers’ perseverative chasing may be associated with a working memory deficit. Problem gamblers were not significantly higher than at-risk gamblers in terms of reward-sensitivity dominance (measured as a personality trait in terms of extraversion) suggesting that it may not be specifically associated with problem gambling. Sensation-seeking was also not associated with problem gambling in a sample that corrected for the methodological problems of previous studies which examined it. The need for gambling research to focus specifically on the perseverative inability to stop gambling is emphasized, and the present findings of specific working memory deficits in problem gamblers suggest the need for further examination of working memory as a potential risk factor for problem gambling. We propose that subsequent studies examine working memory in terms of the self-regulatory capacity for goal maintenance where attention must specifically be allocated to resist interference.     

Men's Migration and Women's Lives: Views from Rural Armenia and Guatemala*

Objectives. This study seeks to comparatively assess the consequences of men's migration for gender roles and relations in Armenia and Guatemala. Methods. We use 29 in‐depth interviews conducted with women in Guatemala and 27 interviews conducted in Armenia, complemented with field observations. Results. Men's migration exerts diverse effects on their wives' lives, and these effects are mediated by the sociocultural milieu in which the women live and by the context in which the men generate incomes. As do other studies, we find that women take on added responsibilities when their partners migrate for work, but unlike most other studies, our data do not show that these new responsibilities significantly transform women's status and relationships. Conclusions. On balance, the division of labor established through the husbands' migration further reinforces gender inequality. Men's role as breadwinners and primary decisionmakers is further strengthened, as is women's subordinate position in the household.     

Environmental Correlates of Cognition and Behavior in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

ABSTRACT

The physical, cognitive, and behavioral correlates of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have been well-researched. However, there is minimal investigation of the non-biological correlates of cognition and behavior in this population. The association between foster care placement history and cognitive and behavioral functioning was explored using archival data from 136 children with FASD. Significant cognitive and behavioral abnormalities were found in the overall sample. Children with one foster care placement performed significantly better on measures of verbal intelligence, mathematics achievement, and impulse control and endorsed fewer symptoms of internalizing disorders compared to children who were never removed from their biological home. Children with multiple foster home placements generally fell between the other two groups on assessment measures. It may be important to consider placement history of children with FASD when attempting to understand their cognitive and behavioral abnormalities.     

The Truth About Sex-Less than Meets the Eye but Less Is More Commentary on Love the Sin: Sexual Regulation and the Limits of Religious Tolerance by Janet R. Jakobsen and Ann Pelligrini

Black feminist writing has alerted us to the interplay of racial and gender identity within the black liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Elaine Brown's A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story permits investigation of these interpersonal and intrapsychic dynamics in the instance of the Black Panther Party. Of special interest is the complex role played by masculine introjects in Brown's struggle for individual and collective self-definition.     

Core Self‐Evaluations,Work–Family Conflict,and Burnout

This study investigated how core self‐evaluations relate to work–family (and family–work) conflict and burnout. Drawing from a sample of 289 police officers and civilian staff who were either married or living in a union as common‐law partners, this study advances an empirical integration of work–family and core self‐evaluations research. The results suggested that even when work, nonwork, and demographic variables are controlled for, positive core self‐evaluations (i.e., composite scale, self‐esteem, locus of control, emotional stability) are related to less work–family (and family–work) conflict. The associations between core self‐evaluations and burnout are partially mediated by work–family (and family–work) conflict. Finally, core self‐evaluations moderated the association between work–family conflict and burnout, but not the one between family–work conflict and burnout.     

The Role of Friendship,Trust, and Love in Happy German Marriages

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role that friendship, trust, and love played in the courtship and marriages of eleven German heterosexual couples (twenty-two individuals, including three couples of mixed national heritage) who reported their marriages to be happy. A conceptual model is proposed of how the components of friendship, trust, and love (i.e., love experienced as emotion, behavior, and commitment) may form a foundation for happy German marriages. Identified themes inform suggestions for how these findings can be used by educators, practitioners, and clergy to support and strengthen German marriages.     

Supplier–Buyer Negotiation Games: Equilibrium Conditions and Supply Chain Efficiency

In a decentralized supply chain, supplier–buyer negotiations have a dynamic aspect that requires both players to consider the impact of their decisions on future decisions made by their counterpart. The interaction generally couples strongly the price decision of the supplier and the quantity decision of the buyer. We propose a basic model for a repeated supplier–buyer interaction, during several rounds. In each round, the supplier first quotes a price, and the buyer places an order at that price. We find conditions for existence and uniqueness of a well‐behaved subgame‐perfect equilibrium in the dynamic game. When costs are stationary and there are no holding costs, we identify some demand distributions for which these conditions are met, examine the efficiency of the equilibrium, and show that, as the number of rounds increases, the profits of the supply chain increase towards the supply chain optimum. In contrast, when costs vary over time or holding costs are present, the benefit from multi‐period interactions is reduced and after a finite number of time periods, supply chain profits stay constant even when the number of rounds increases.