Understanding and Using Mediators and Moderators

Mediation and moderation are two theories for refining and understanding a causal relationship. Empirical investigation of mediators and moderators requires an integrated research design rather than the data analyses driven approach often seen in the literature. This paper described the conceptual foundation, research design, data analysis, as well as inferences involved in a mediation and/or moderation investigation in both experimental and non-experimental (i.e., correlational) contexts. The essential distinctions between the investigation of mediators and moderators were summarized and juxtaposed in an example of a causal relationship between test difficulty and test anxiety. In addition, the more elaborate models, moderated mediation and mediated moderation, the use of structural equation models, and the problems with model misspecification were discussed conceptually.

Southern knowledge online? Climate change research discoverability and communication practices

The networked age promises global digital cultures with flattened power relations, given the affordances of information and communication technologies to collapse distance, enable easier cross-country collaborations and create new opportunities for knowledge production and sharing. In the academic domains, indications are that knowledge patterns continue to reflect physically based geopolitical realities – where knowledge from the South is still peripheral while knowledge from the North still dominates in terms of all the conventional metrics. This study explores the potential role of digital affordances to challenge structural Northern bias and generates questions about knowledge production and dissemination in the climate change knowledge domain. It is framed by the field of scholarly communication within an African setting and by the emergent field of climate change which is fraught with debates and contestations, particularly regarding mitigation and adaptation. It draws on Southern theory which interrogates the global dynamics of knowledge production and dissemination. It explores the intersection of the discoverability and visibility of local climate change research methodologically from the outside in, through an experiment of searches for ‘climate change/South Africa’ and from the inside out by reviewing the online presence of one climate change group in a top-ranked African university.     

Video gaming in adolescence: factors associated with leisure time use

The geographies of the current generation of young people are markedly distinct from previous generations by virtue of their access to a virtual playground. The vast majority of young people now engage in video gaming as a leisure activity. Drawing on findings from the 2009/2010 WHO Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study this paper set out to investigate the factors that might be associated with higher levels of video gaming. Information was collected from 4404 school students aged 11, 13 and 15 years, using anonymised self-completed questionnaires. Higher usage was defined as game play exceeding two hours a day. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls. For both genders higher levels of game playing was associated with early adolescence, opposite sex friends and minimal parental mediation. Bullying and going to bed hungry were associated with higher usage for boys only, while life satisfaction and family activities were linked to girls’ game playing only. Parents were identified as effective mediators of young people’s video game usage. The study identified gendered motivations for higher levels of game play, suggesting different interventions for boys and girls may be required in order for young people to create a balanced approach to video gaming.     

德勒兹的“块茎”与阿多诺的“星丛”概念之比较

块茎和星丛这一对概念,分别是德勒兹和阿多诺用来取代既定体系的理想模式。这两种模型互有异同,其中最关键的重合点在于它们都聚焦在新事物的产生过程。同时,这两种关系模型都打破了传统哲学中占据统治地位的同一性逻辑,转而提倡一种非等级化的关系。然而,在对关系的强调中,它们各自的重点却有所区别:块茎强调逃逸线,而星丛则更关注成员之间的共存于互相中介的关系。这种区别造成了这两种生产性的关系模式在异质性生产方面的巨大的区别。德勒兹的"块茎"模式在一定程度上是对批判理论的悲观性的超越。而理解这一区别,对于如何在今天的社会现实中将批判性与建构性相结合十分重要。     

论调解制度的法治价值

被誉为"东方经验"的调解制度在中国具有源远流长的历史传统,作为现代法治的有机组成部分,体现着现代法治基本人文价值。本文在调解概念界定及其特征分析的基础上,将调解制度置身现代社会变革的大背景下进行思考,从多角度阐述了调解制度的复兴原因及其价值体现,认为随着社会转型的完成、社会理性的成熟、法律与社会的磨合、社会自治的提高,社会自我消解纠纷机制将逐步形成,其解决纠纷的有效性也将不断提升,社会对调解制度的价值,对其功能的评价与期待,也会慢慢发生转变。     

对法院调解的再认识

文章在分析法院调解的基本属性的基础上 ,强调指出 ,一定程度上人们对法院调解的认识已陷入误区。认为这是目前影响法院调解立法与实践操作的关键因素。笔者以此为切入点 ,主张对法院调解不可轻易言废 ,进而提出完善建议     

浅论刑事和解制度在我国的运用

设立刑事和解制度的主要目的在于维护被害人权益,在我国构建该制度具有必要性和可行性。结合我国司法现状,应从适用领域、对象、条件等方面构建刑事和解制度。当然,在具体运用该制度时应注意做到刑事和解方式的多样化等。     

论法院调解制度之改革

90年代以前，法院调解起着非常重要的作用，承担了大部分的解决纠纷的功能，但也由此而造成了一些问题，这是由多方面的原因造成的。然而随着改革开放的日渐成熟和市场经济的逐步发展，法院地位得到了空前的提高，法院调解却遭到了冷落与质疑。文章从几个方面进行分析，说明了我国法院调解前后地位变化反差的原因，并指明了法院调解改革的方向。     

和谐语境下法院调解的再思考

法院调解是我国现行民事诉讼中的一项重要制度。由于法院调解自身具有优势，加上重视非诉方式已成为世界的潮流，我国又提出构建和谐社会，法院调解也迎合了法官的心理和利益需求，当前法院调解处于繁荣景象。为使法院调解真正能发挥作用，我们应认识到法院调解与和谐社会不能画等号，去掉强调调解的制度，进一步完善法院调解制度本身。     

父母的婚姻教育匹配与子女学业表现

本研究基于2015年中国教育追踪调查（CEPS）数据,以父母婚姻教育匹配构建的“新型家庭文化资本”为视角,探讨不同婚配模式下“共同养育联盟”的水平与新型家庭文化资本被激活的效率对子女学业表现影响的作用路径。研究表明,与低等教育同质婚家庭的子女相比,向上婚以及高等教育同质婚家庭的子女学业表现更好。其二,父母婚姻教育匹配对子女学业表现的影响存在教育差距效应,随着父母间教育跨层级的增加,向上婚家庭中子女学业表现的优势递增,向下婚家庭中子女学业表现的劣势进一步扩大。其三,父母婚姻教育匹配模式对学业的影响因子女性别而异,向上婚和高等教育同质婚减弱了男孩的学习劣势,向下婚扩大了男孩的学习劣势。最后,家庭中的共同养育联盟对子女学业表现的影响发挥了部分中介作用。向上婚家庭的父亲与母亲在教养分工中建立了更互补的关系,共同养育联盟水平较高,更有效地激活了新型家庭文化资本,促进子女的学业表现。“强强联合”的婚姻教育匹配虽然成为不平等再生产的“温床”,但是,通过建立高水平的共同养育联盟这一中介路径提高新型家庭文化资本被激活的效率,则可能减缓教育不平等的代际传递。