How People Perceive and Will Cope with Risks from the Diffusion of Ubiquitous Information and Communication Technologies

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly pervasive and continue to reshape our environment. This trend carries different risks. Therefore, the early sensitization of people to these risks, as well as improving their capacity for protective coping behavior, is essential. Based on the protection motivation theory (PMT), we examined with structural equation modeling the relationships between different components of threat and coping appraisal to explain protective and nonprotective responses. Calculations were performed with data from a representative survey on perception and use of ICT among German residents (N= 5,030). Our findings largely supported the proposed model: an increased perceived threat was positively related to the intentions to react protectively and nonprotectively. Perceived coping efficacy increased the protective and decreased the nonprotective responses. Negative affect enhanced the perceived threat and the nonprotective response, but inhibited protective intentions. The implications of these findings on how to sensitize people to the risks of these new technologies are outlined.     

Statistical techniques in stereology

Stereology typically concerns estimation of properties of a geometric structure from plane section information. This paperprovides a brief review of some statistical aspects of this rapidly developing field, with some reference to applications in the earth sciences. After an introductory discussion of the scope of stereology, section 2 briefly mentions results applicable when no assumptions can be made about the stochastic nature of the sampled matrix, statistical considerations then arising solelyfrom the ‘randomness’ of the plane section. The next two sections postulate embedded particles of specific shapes, the particular case of spheres being discussed in some detail.

References are made to results for ‘thin slices’ and other prob-ing mechanisms. Randomly located convex particles, of otherwise arbitrary shape, are discussed in section 5 and the review concludes with a specific application of stereological ideas to some data on neolithic mining.     

Determinants and Mapping of Collective Perceptions of Technological Risk: The Case of the Second Nuclear Power Plant in Taiwan

Nuclear power is a highly controversial and salient example of environmental risk. The siting or operating of a nuclear power plant often faces widespread public opposition. Although studies of public perceptions of nuclear power date back to 1970s, little research attempts to explain the spatial heterogeneity of risk attitude toward nuclear power among individuals or communities. This article intends to improve the knowledge about the major factors contributing to nuclear power plant risk perceptions by mapping the geographical patterns of local risk perception and examining the determinants in forming the nature and distribution of the perceived risk among potentially affected population. The analysis was conducted by a case study of the Second Nuclear Power Plant (SNPP) in Taiwan by using a novel methodology that incorporates a comprehensive risk perception (CRP) model into an ethnographic approach called risk perception mapping (RPM). First, we examined the determinants of local nuclear power risk perceptions through the CRP model and multivariate regression analysis. Second, the results were integrated with the RPM approach to map and explain the spatial pattern of risk perceptions. The findings demonstrate that the respondents regard the nuclear power plant as an extremely high‐risk facility, causing them to oppose the SNPP and reject the compensation payment to accept its continuing operation. Results also indicate that perceptions of nuclear power risk were mainly influenced by social trust, psychological and socioeconomic attributes, proximity, and the perceived effects of the SNPP on the quality of everyday life.     

身份认知与文化维度——中美文化背景下的集体主义与个体主义对比研究

中国的集体主义文化强调身份的集团性、社会权利和地位等级的差异性,在发生身份冲突的时候,以他人导向的方式维护集体的面子,在文化认同上强调对历史传统文化身份的维护和对集体价值观的遵守与发展。美国的个体主义文化体现了个体对自我价值、社会和文化身份的认同,强调的是面子自我导向型。个体主义的文化身份体现的不仅是社会文化价值体系的取向,更是个体文化价值的归宿。肯定中美文化的差异,加强中美文化的互相理解和文化移情,是实现有效地跨文化交际的必然途径。     

Shannon Information In k-records

In this article, we present results on the Shannon information (SI) contained in upper(lower) k-record values and associated k-record times. We then establish an interesting relationship between the SI content of a random sample of fixed size, and the SI in the data consisting of sequential maxima. We also consider the information contained in the k-record data from an inverse sampling plan (ISP).     

嘉庆六年京畿特大水灾生态原因及历史教训探析

嘉庆六年（1801）永定河决口，酿成五百年一遇的特大洪水。京畿直隶一带一百三十余个州县中，受灾地区达九十多个，堤防崩坍，房屋被毁，灾民流离失所，农作物减产绝收，给国家建设和人民生活带来重大损伤。此次灾害的原因既有17世纪全球整体气候变化所导致的极端天气，也有永定河特殊的地理情况，更有长期不当垦荒和滥砍滥伐所导致的严重的水土流失等原因。反思此次特大水灾的生态原因及历史教训，对于历史上整体大气候特别是极端气候的归纳分析，以及对今天的森林资源保护与正确开发等问题都具有重要的借鉴意义。     

大学生就业中的社会支持网络研究

大学生就业的过程，离不开家庭、亲友和社会各方的支持帮助。这里运用抽样调查和样本分析的方法，就安徽工程大学2011届本科毕业生的就业状况及其社会支持网络情况进行分析，进而了解大学生就业所需要的社会支持类型和渠道，以及它们在大学生就业中所发挥的作用，进一步完善社会支持网络理论，并在此基础上，提出改善大学生就业社会支持网络的建议和对策。     

Social perception of natural risks by local residents in developing countries—The example of the coastal area of Benin

Risk management and planning activities cannot be sustainably and efficiently implemented unless being based on a participative approach resulting from the problem consciousness and perception of the local inhabitants. This requires that the measures linked to problem perception and assessment by local stakeholders, above all by the population affected, are known. This investigation conducted in the flat Beninese coastal lagoon areas aims to assess the local inhabitants’ risk perception. The results are the following: (i) the stakeholders have group-specific ways of risk perception (according to ethnicity, social group, age); (ii) every risk management strategy should be based on the group-specific ways of risk perception and assessment; (iii) the acceptance of a given risk management strategy including interactive ways of participation can be advanced through education, dissemination of risk information as well as through communication between stakeholders.     

企业财务状况与投资者关系管理--来自 IR 百强上市公司的经验证据

依据“2007年度中国最佳投资者关系管理百强”榜的评选结果,研究了企业财务状况对上市公司投资者关系管理的影响.结果表明,投资者关系管理与企业盈利能力负相关,与股东获利能力、发展能力以及企业现金流量能力正相关.研究还发现,公司规模和流通股比例有利于提升投资者关系管理水平.