Deep Uncertainties in Sea-Level Rise and Storm Surge Projections: Implications for Coastal Flood Risk Management

Sea levels are rising in many areas around the world, posing risks to coastal communities and infrastructures. Strategies for managing these flood risks present decision challenges that require a combination of geophysical, economic, and infrastructure models. Previous studies have broken important new ground on the considerable tensions between the costs of upgrading infrastructure and the damages that could result from extreme flood events. However, many risk-based adaptation strategies remain silent on certain potentially important uncertainties, as well as the tradeoffs between competing objectives. Here, we implement and improve on a classic decision-analytical model (Van Dantzig 1956) to: (i) capture tradeoffs across conflicting stakeholder objectives, (ii) demonstrate the consequences of structural uncertainties in the sea-level rise and storm surge models, and (iii) identify the parametric uncertainties that most strongly influence each objective using global sensitivity analysis. We find that the flood adaptation model produces potentially myopic solutions when formulated using traditional mean-centric decision theory. Moving from a single-objective problem formulation to one with multiobjective tradeoffs dramatically expands the decision space, and highlights the need for compromise solutions to address stakeholder preferences. We find deep structural uncertainties that have large effects on the model outcome, with the storm surge parameters accounting for the greatest impacts. Global sensitivity analysis effectively identifies important parameter interactions that local methods overlook, and that could have critical implications for flood adaptation strategies.     

Can Carbon Nanomaterials Improve CZTS Photovoltaic Devices? Evaluation of Performance and Impacts Using Integrated Life‐Cycle Assessment and Decision Analysis

In emergent photovoltaics, nanoscale materials hold promise for optimizing device characteristics; however, the related impacts remain uncertain, resulting in challenges to decisions on strategic investment in technology innovation. We integrate multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and life‐cycle assessment (LCA) results (LCA‐MCDA) as a method of incorporating values of a hypothetical federal acquisition manager into the assessment of risks and benefits of emerging photovoltaic materials. Specifically, we compare adoption of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) devices with molybdenum back contacts to alternative devices employing graphite or graphene instead of molybdenum. LCA impact results are interpreted alongside benefits of substitution including cost reductions and performance improvements through application of multi‐attribute utility theory. To assess the role of uncertainty we apply Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis. We find that graphene or graphite back contacts outperform molybdenum under most scenarios and assumptions. The use of decision analysis clarifies potential advantages of adopting graphite as a back contact while emphasizing the importance of mitigating conventional impacts of graphene production processes if graphene is used in emerging CZTS devices. Our research further demonstrates that a combination of LCA and MCDA increases the usability of LCA in assessing product sustainability. In particular, this approach identifies the most influential assumptions and data gaps in the analysis and the areas in which either engineering controls or further data collection may be necessary.     

Consumers’ credit card repayment decisions: The role of higher anchors and future repayment concern

We investigated two aspects of credit card repayment decisions: the extent to which the anchoring effect of minimum repayment information may be mitigated by information on alternative anchors, specifically repayments that would repay the balance in two years (Study 1) or nine months (Study 2); and the role of future repayment concern. In two experiments, three realistic credit card statements were presented with different outstanding balances. Participants, who were randomly allocated to one of four information conditions depending on supplementary information provided on the statements, stated how much they would repay that month. They were then asked about concerns they would have about repayment difficulties if they had a fixed consumer loan over three years. In Study 1 the alternative two-year repayment anchor had a negative effect on percent repayment, whereas in Study 2 the nine-month repayment anchor had a significant positive effect, especially for those with higher future repayment concern. Also, in both studies, future repayment concern had a direct inverse effect on repayment decisions which partially mediated the effect of disposable income. It is concluded that the addition to credit card statements of a table of cost and duration information for a range of repayment amounts may usefully support repayment decisions.     

真实性学习理念下的教学方法及实践应用

本文分享了作者在美国研修期间亲身经历的体现真实性学习理念的三种教学方法与活动:同伴教学、跨时空对话、视频制作。通过真实再现纽约州立大学奥斯威戈分校研修课堂精彩片段,分析教学方法与原理,并探讨在国内高校尤其是教师教育课堂的应用途径。     

The Continuum of Care System

Abstract

The Continuum of Care System is a Decision Support System designed to assist social workers responsible for identifying and selecting alternative living arrangements for children unable to remain in their own families. The Continuum of Care System consists of two software packages called MATCH and PROFILE. MATCH produces a rank-ordered list of prospective placement alternatives by statistically comparing an individual child to groups of children previously admitted into different residential facilities. PROFILE summarizes the characteristics and problems of children at each facility in the system.     

On selecting the best population

This paper deals with the problem of selecting the “best” population from a given number of populations in a decision theoretic framework. The class of selection rules considered is based on a suitable partition of the sample space. A selection rule is given which is shown to have certain optimum properties among the selection rules in the given class for a mal rules are known.     

基于Agent的情感劝说的决策过程及模型研究

Agent具有情感后进行的劝说决策会更加理性,而现有研究还不够全面深入。针对此问题,首先结合形式逻辑理论,定义了基于Agent的情感劝说及其决策过程,并将基于Agent的情感劝说的决策过程划分为评价情感劝说行为、更新情感劝说状态、调整情感劝说目标、产生情感劝说行为四个阶段;其次针对这四个阶段,结合OCC情感模型和PAD心情模型,运用多属性效用理论,引入情感淡化因子和情感评价因子,定义了Agent情感触发函数,建立了八种Agent基本情感与劝说目标的映射关系,将Agent的情感劝说行为分为奖励型、申辩型、威胁型和反辩型四类,分别构建了相应的决策模型,从而构成了更加完整和合理的基于Agent的情感劝说的决策过程模型;最后通过算例证明了模型的合理性和有效性。     

损失厌恶、后悔厌恶与沉没成本效应的关联性分析

以往研究认为沉没成本效应的产生与损失厌恶和后悔厌恶相关,但对其相互关系的探讨较少考虑货币性沉没成本和非货币性沉没成本的不同影响.文章选取证券监管者和证券市场投资者作为被试对象,通过有情境因素的调查问卷对损失厌恶、后悔厌恶与沉没成本效应之间的关联性进行验证.实证结果发现,与证券市场投资者相比,证券监管者的损失厌恶倾向要显著更低,而二者的后悔厌恶和沉没成本效应则无显著差异;证券监管者的数据结果表明,后悔厌恶与沉没成本效应之间存在显著的相关性,而损失厌恶与沉没成本效应之间不存在显著的相关性;相比之下,证券市场投资者的数据结果则表明,损失厌恶与沉没成本之间存在显著的相关性,而后悔厌恶与沉没成本之间则不存在显著的相关性.     

李振钧题画诗考论

李振钧出身安徽太湖官宦世家,清代道光九年状元.他的诗集《味灯听叶庐诗草》中有59首题画诗.清代题画诗的繁荣,对书画的喜爱以及与画家的广泛交游促使他创作了大量的题画诗.他的题画诗反映了他看重性情、坦率放纵、追求个性自由、热爱艺术的特点,为我们提供了观照他的新角度.诗歌书画是他安顿自己痛苦心灵的处所,也是其解救自己的途径.他的人生经历反映了一个灵魂在现实的挤压和艺术的放纵里挣扎的心路历程.最终,他为了外在的功名放弃了自我,又不能适应官场的倾轧,45岁便抑郁而终.     

基于序化机理的稳健型股票价值投资决策——一个研究框架

面对资本市场风险加剧的现实背景,以"公司经营业绩与股票市场业绩一致趋优"为稳健型投资的核心要素,立足于区间数据表示、会计信息度量两个关键要素,开展稳健型股票价值投资的多准则决策建模研究。面向稳健型投资决策目标,提出满足"稳健性""局部性""全局性"3个特性的序化机理,围绕关键特征选择、特征评价、全序化建模的主体脉络建立系统性多准则决策方法,进而构建"稳健型股票价值投资决策"的研究框架。