Rational-experiential thinking style and rational intergroup cooperation: the moderating role of intergroup conflict / Estilos de pensamiento racional-experiencial y la cooperación intergrupal racional: el rol modulador del conflicto intergrupal

Cooperative relationships between groups are difficult because of the high human capability to differentiate between in-group vs. out-group members. This obstacle exists even when the groups can obtain benefits for themselves from cooperation with other groups (rational cooperation). Based on an interactionist approach, the authors propose that personal (individual differences) and situational (conflicts) factors contribute to rational intergroup cooperation. The authors conducted a preliminary correlational study (Study 1) and an experimental investigation (Study 2). In Study 1, the authors examined, with 105 participants, the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Rational–Experiential Inventory (REI), measuring individual differences in information processing. In Study 2, the authors conducted an experimental investigation with 141 participants, testing the role of individual differences and conflict in intergroup rational cooperation. Findings of Study 1 showed that the scale has adequate psychometric properties. Results of Study 2 confirmed that the existence of both manipulated and perceived intergroup conflict reduces the magnitudes of the relationships between rational ability and rational cooperation. In addition, perceived intergroup conflict increased the magnitude of the links from experiential ability and experimental engagement to rational cooperation. Both individual differences and previous conflict have a role in predicting rational intergroup cooperation. According to the interactionist approach, personal and situational factors should be considered in the understanding of intergroup relationships.     

The weighted jackknife for ratio estimation

Using the idea of impirical influence function, Hinkley (1977), the weighted jackknife technique is extended to ratio estimation. A weighted jackknife variance estimator for the ratio estimator is developed. Using the prediction theory approach, the properties of the weighted jackknifed variance estimator are examined. The implications of the failures of regression model on the behaviour of the weighted jackknifed variance estimator, for ratio estimation, are also studied.     

略论元诗“宗唐得古”说的理论可能——以语义学分析为线索

“宗唐得古”是元诗的基本特征之一,但这种后来的归纳与认定却被过度引申.客观史料和语义学的分析证明:元诗“宗唐得古”说的理论引申必须得到限制,它只能在“陈述”与“总结”的基础上被理解;元诗的理论口号与实践间存在巨大差异,由口号上的“宗唐”得出元诗“反宋”的引申并不能成立;元代诗风的建立在很大程度上也是一个官方“雅正”诗风建立的过程,元人自身的陈述既剖明又遮蔽了历史.     

中国问题、文论旅行与原创焦虑

讨论中国问题时,应该充分意识到其中的复杂性,尤须摆脱那种形而上的理论化迷思,尊重男男女女汹涌如潮的切肤体验;应该妥善处理好中国文学体验与域外文学理论之间的关系难题,特别是,不能以特殊性否认乃至对抗一般性的价值;应该致力于理论启蒙,致力于融会贯通后的自然创新,放弃原汁原味式理论原创的幻想,进而消除因其不可得而引发的焦虑与怨恨。     

Asymmetries in Information Processing in a Decision Theory Framework

Research in psychology suggests that some individuals are more sensitive to positive than to negative information while others are more sensitive to negative rather than positive information. I take these cognitive positive–negative asymmetries in information processing to a Bayesian decision-theory model and explore its consequences in terms of decisions and payoffs. I show that in monotone decision problems economic agents with more positive-responsive information structures are always better off, ex ante, when they face problems where payoffs are relatively more sensitive to the action chosen when the state of nature is favorable.      

Economics of the firm and economic growth: a hybrid theoretical framework of analysis

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to achieve a critical discussion around the conceptualization of the firm and its role in the dynamic process of economic growth. By reviewing the theoretical matrix of the economics of the firm we go beyond the mainstream economics of the firm proposing a hybrid approach combining evolutionary and population ecology, which is likely to constitute a fruitful path for the conceptualization of the firm in the process of economic growth. Specifically, the analysis confronts the distinct theoretical perspectives around some imperative and controversial issues such as the nature of knowledge and learning and the cognitive capacities of economic agents within the firm. We argue that the economic understanding of growth and development of human societies will strongly benefit from a conceptualization of the firm capable of capturing the spirit of the Knightian firm. Overcoming the shortcomings of the mainstream growth models, which conceive firms as a black box, the proposed hybrid approach recalls the true nature of the firm as an organization. Issues related to the organizational arrangements that sustain the feasibility of productive activities and to the incentive contracts are also taken into account. Although acknowledging some recent important contributions within mainstream economic growth theory to adopt more realistic concepts of the firm, we believe that evolutionary and organizational population perspectives include crucial pointers in developing further research aimed at the construction of economic growth models based on a micro-economic perspective that is closer to the reality of firms.     

From pillar to post: Women and social work studies in the 21st century

Abstract

A decade or so after the acknowledgement and inclusion of women's issues in mainstream social work courses, we find the circumstances in which such education occurs have changed. The 'third wave' of feminism has revisited the feminist agenda of the 1960s and 1970s; there has been a paradigm shift in what tertiary education is perceived to offer; and global theories have been replaced by post modern interpretations. This article discusses the impact of these changes for social work education drawing on the authors' experiences with the 'Women and Social Work' elective subject in the Bachelor of Social Work Degree at the University of New South Wales, Australia. This elective was popular until the mid 1990s when it failed to attract students. The authors reflect on their experience of teaching the subject and their understanding of current feminism to identify a way forward in the attempt to rekindle student enthusiasm for feminist understandings and provide education which will further the emancipatory project of social work.     

Testing Covariance Stationarity

In this paper, we show that the widely used stationarity tests such as the Kwiatkowski Phillips, Schmidt, and Shin (KPSS) test have power close to size in the presence of time-varying unconditional variance. We propose a new test as a complement of the existing tests. Monte Carlo experiments show that the proposed test possesses the following characteristics: (i) in the presence of unit root or a structural change in the mean, the proposed test is as powerful as the KPSS and other tests; (ii) in the presence of a changing variance, the traditional tests perform badly whereas the proposed test has high power comparing to the existing tests; (iii) the proposed test has the same size as traditional stationarity tests under the null hypothesis of stationarity. An application to daily observations of return on U.S. Dollar/Euro exchange rate reveals the existence of instability in the unconditional variance when the entire sample is considered, but stability is found in subsamples.     

从《林纾的翻译》看钱钟书的翻译思想

本文重点探讨了著名翻译学家钱钟书在其所著的《林纾的翻译》一文中所提出的“诱”、“讹”、“化”的翻译思想，以及其对于中西异质性语言文化之间的互解互译具有的理论上的实践意义。     

社会环境观在连续体文体分析中的应用——基于《高级英语》的案例分析

用韩礼德的社会环境观分析连续体文体《高级英语》，既可以加深对《高级英语》的认识，又能探索出一条区别于语言描写的连续体文体分析之路。分析过程表明：社会环境观的研究角度独特，研究结果见地深刻，且操作性强，但与语言描写法相比，其产生的结论较为宏观，故在日常的研究中，两种方法应结合起来使用，以相辅相成，互作补充。