The elderly in the shopping centers: the usability study of semipublic spaces as attractiveness generator

This article aims to study the importance of the attributes of usability and attractiveness for the semi-public spaces of Shopping Centers considering the elderly users, the psycho-cognitive and bio-physiological changes resulting from the aging process, as well as their expectations of the built space. Through a qualitative study of theoretical review with a multidisciplinary focus in architecture, ergonomics, gerontology, environmental psychology and management, the conditions of the elderly users were identified, and also the attributes related to usability and attractiveness, collected in order to understand and organize their interrelationships, to suggest recommendations about the drafting of Shopping Centers, aiming to generate projects and environments that should promote the efficient and satisfactory use for elderly and may also create a competitive advantage for these enterprises.     

Usability analysis of 2D graphics software for designing technical clothing

With the advent of technology, the computer became a working tool increasingly present in companies. Its purpose is to increase production and reduce the inherent errors in manual production. The aim of this study was to analyze the usability of 2D graphics software in creating clothing designs by a professional during his work. The movements of the mouse, keyboard and graphical tools were monitored in real time by software Camtasia 7? installed on the user's computer. To register the use of mouse and keyboard we used auxiliary software called MouseMeter?, which quantifies the number of times they pressed the right, middle and left mouse's buttons, the keyboard and also the distance traveled in meters by the cursor on the screen. Data was collected in periods of 15 minutes, 1 hour and 8 hours, consecutively. The results showed that the job is considered repetitive and high demands physical efforts, which can lead to the appearance of repetitive strain injuries. Thus, the goal of minimizing operator efforts and thereby enhance the usability of the examined tool, becomes imperative to replace the mouse by a device called tablet, which also offers an electronic pen and a drawing platform for design development.     

Sequential legislative lobbying

In this paper, we analyze the equilibrium of a sequential game-theoretical model of lobbying, due to Groseclose and Snyder (Am Polit Sci Rev 90:303–315, 1996), describing a legislature that vote over two alternatives, where two opposing lobbies compete by bidding for legislators’ votes. In this model, the lobbyist moving first suffers from a second mover advantage and will make an offer to a panel of legislators only if it deters any credible counter-reaction from his opponent, i.e., if he anticipates to win the battle. This paper departs from the existing literature in assuming that legislators care about the consequence of their votes rather than their votes per se. Our main focus is on the calculation of the smallest budget that the lobby moving first needs to win the game and on the distribution of this budget across the legislators. We study the impact of the key parameters of the game on these two variables and show the connection of this problem with the combinatorics of sets and notions from cooperative game theory.     

Approximate confidence intervals for a linear combination of binomial proportions: A new variant

We propose a new adjustment for constructing an improved version of the Wald interval for linear combinations of binomial proportions, which addresses the presence of extremal samples. A comparative simulation study was carried out to investigate the performance of this new variant with respect to the exact coverage probability, expected interval length, and mesial and distal noncoverage probabilities. Additionally, we discuss the application of a criterion for interpreting interval location in the case of small samples and/or in situations in which extremal observations exist. The confidence intervals obtained from the new variant performed better for some evaluation measures.     

Intergenerational Care Perceptions of Older Women and Middle Adolescents in a Resource-Constrained Community in South Africa

ABSTRACT

This study describes intergenerational care perceptions in a resource-challenged community. Ten women (aged 60+) and eight middle adolescents (3 boys and 5 girls) participated in the Mmogo-method®, a visual data-collection method. Textual data were analysed thematically, and visual data by applying Roos and Redelinghuys (2016) proposed steps. Both groups provided physical and instrumental care to the other. Older women cared for adolescents by teaching and disciplining them, while the adolescents cared for them by obtaining an education and by showing respect. Older women felt being cared for when adolescents helped them, obeyed and complied with instructions and discipline, while the youngsters expressed it when their basic needs were addressed and school attendance was enabled. Older women’s expressions of caring about were vague, while the younger people detected, act and elicited reactions from the elders. The adopted care approach informed care perceptions. Joint intergenerational activities are proposed to discover care currencies and contributions of generational members.     

Using experts’ consensus (the Delphi method) to evaluate weighting techniques in web surveys not based on probability schemes

Weighting techniques in web surveys based on no probability schemes are devised to correct biases due to self-selection, undercoverage, and nonresponse. In an interactive panel, 38 survey experts addressed weighting techniques and auxiliary variables in web surveys. Most of them corrected all biases jointly and applied calibration and propensity score adjustments. Although they claimed that sociodemographic and web-related variables are the most useful auxiliary variables to employ in adjustments, they considered only sociodemographic variables to correct biases because of their availability.     

The making and breaking of solidarity between unwaged and waged workers in the UK

ABSTRACT

This article explores in what way solidarity relationships are made and unmade between waged and un-waged workers in the UK. It thereby feeds into the broader discussion on the decline and future of trade unionism and new ways of organizing struggle. In particular, it engages with the literature on community unionism. Methodologically it draws on Participatory Action Research undertaken between 2013 and 2017 with 12 unwaged workers’ groups organizing outside of established trade unions. Conceptually the article challenges understandings of solidarity based on self-interest by emphasising its relational complexity. It argues for a concept of workers’ solidarity that is based on a broadened understanding of work but which at the same time goes beyond a common identity by paying attention to power-discrepancies and current inequalities. Through such a lens, solidarity is created through affective bonds and is based on a shared anger about injustice and a common desire for transformation.     

Parent–child negative emotion reciprocity and children's school success: An emotion‐attention process model

Research has demonstrated that emotions expressed in parent–child relationships are associated with children's school success. Yet the types of emotional expressions, and the mechanisms by which emotional expressions are linked with children's success in school, are unclear. In the present article, we focused on negative emotion reciprocity in parent–child interactions. Using structural equation modeling of data from 138 parent to child dyads [children's mean age at Time 1 (T1) was 13.44 years, SD = 1.16], we tested children's negative emotionality (CNE) at T1 and low attention focusing (LAF) at Time 2 (T2) as sequential mediators in the relation between parent and child negative emotion reciprocity at T1 and children's grade point average (GPA) and inhibitory control at T2. Our findings supported an emotion‐attention process model: parent–child negative emotion reciprocity at T1 predicted CNE at T1, which predicted children's LAF at T2, which was, in turn, related to low inhibitory control at T2. Findings regarding children's GPA were less conclusive but did suggest an overall association of negative reciprocity and the two mediators with children's GPA. Our findings are discussed in terms of emotion regulation processes in children from negatively reciprocating dyads, and the effects of these processes on children's ability to obtain and use skills needed for success in school.