A network analysis of student mobility patterns from high school to master’s

Human migration involves the movement of people from one place to another. An example of undirected migration is Italian student mobility where students move from the South to the Center-North. This kind of mobility has become of general interest, and this work explores student mobility from Sicily towards universities outside the island. The data used in this paper regards six cohorts of students, from 2008/09 to 2013/14. In particular, our goal is to study the 3-step migration path: the area of origin (Sicilian provinces), the regional university for the bachelor’s degree, and the regional university for the master’s. Our analysis is conducted by building a multipartite network with four sets of nodes: students; Sicilian provinces; bachelor region of studies; and the master region of studies. By projecting the students’ set onto the others, we obtain a tripartite network where the number of students represents the link weight. Results show that the big Sicilian cities—Palermo, Catania, and Messina—have different preferential paths compared to small Sicilian cities. Furthermore, the results reveal preferential paths of 3-step mobility that only, in part, reflect a south-north orientation in the transition from the region of study for the bachelor degree to that for the master’s.

     

Simulation analysis of cold chain performance based on time–temperature data

Perishable goods are a fundamental source of revenue for the retail sector; their management, however, constitutes a severe challenge for retailers and supply chain partners. A significant cost in particular is the fraction of products perished through the supply chain, which also constitutes an ethical and environmental concern. Supply chain organisation and operative characteristics have a significant influence on this matter, as in fact ensuring suitable temperature conditions for the stock-keeping units throughout the supply chain is mandatory for perishable products. Recent developments in sensing and communication technologies allow detailed monitoring and control of cold chain; however, depending on the characteristics of the supply chain, an inherent risk of perished products is often inevitable, even in the hypothesis of perfect control. This article proposes a methodology to evaluate the performance of a cold chain in terms of expected product quality at the retail store, and to estimate the expected fraction of perished products, according to the supply chain configuration. The approach is based on Monte Carlo simulation, and implements referenced shelf-life models. A real application is also presented, involving a preliminary analysis and mapping of the supply chain activities based on time–temperature data, in order to demonstrate the practicability of the approach proposed.     

Interpersonal distance preferences

The utility of various curvilinear comfort models of interpersonal distance was examined in a study employing subjects' responses to a broad range of videotaped, seated distances. Results obtained provided considerable support for these models. Intermediate distances were rated as more comfortable, preferable, and appropriate than more extreme close or far distances. This pattern of results was manifested for interaction situations involving both two- and four-person groups.This research was supported by Grants #HD-07045 and HD-8546-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and by a NIH Biomedical Research Support grant 5S07 RR07087-12.     

A further look at equilibrium theory: Visual interaction as a function of interpersonal distance

This paper presents a study that examined the relationship between visual interaction and interpersonal distance as it relates to an equilibrium theory of social interaction. Differential boundaries were found to exist for the effect of distance on five highly related male and female visual behaviors, exemplifying different overall equilibrium levels for the sexes. While males looked more as distance increased, females looked less after an intermediate distance of 6.5 feet. These data support a modified equilibrium model that posits that eye contact functions to regulate the comfort of an interaction and is also a response to the degree of interaction comfort; further, comfortable interaction distances promote eye contact and, more importantly, uncomfortable distances diminish it. Because women tend to be more oriented toward inclusive relationships, they are more comfortable at closer interaction distances and, hence, look more at these distances. At greater distance, however, they are more uncomfortable and, consequently, look less.This research was supported by NIMH Grant MH-10779-04, grants from the Research Council of Rutgers University, and Grant HD-8546-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This article is based in part on the author's doctoral dissertation completed at Michigan State University; some of these data were presented at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 1973. The author is very grateful to the numerous students who assisted in these studies and to Jeanne Gullahorn, Eugene Jacobson, Lawrence Messe, William Crano, Yakov Epstein, and Miles Patterson for their critical reading of early drafts of this research.     

Development of personal space among Puerto Ricans

Puerto Rican children at the first-, sixth-, and eleventh-grade levels were observed interacting in same-sex dyads in two different cultural environments, New York and Puerto Rico. In accord with results obtained with other cultural groups, older children used larger interaction distances than did younger children. This development occurred later, however, for Puerto Rican children than had been reported for Americans of northern European ancestry. Further, Puerto Rican children and adolescents did not display the consistently reported sex differences in personal space preferences. Females did stand more directly with one another (face-to-face) though, and older children of both sexes interacted at more direct orientations than younger children. The results are discussed in the context of cultural differences in socialization practices.     

The Influence of the Psychoanalytic Community of Emigrès (1930–1950) on Clinical Social Work with Children

This study examines the influence of emigrè psychoanalysts on clinical social work with children in America. It is anticipated that this study will be useful in understanding the transformation of some social workers into more psychoanalytically-oriented clinicians regarding the treatment of children during the period 1900–1950. Using literature review and primary source material, the study examines the evolution of clinical social work with children from a child welfare model to a child guidance model incorporating psychoanalytic thinking. The study examines how psychoanalytic theory influenced social workers in their conceptualization and treatment of children, and describes the difficulties confronted by the emigrè psychoanalytic community as it tried to enter professional practice in America.     

A secret vice: a study of private language and imaginary kingdoms in childhood and adolescence

Children and adolescents often make up languages of their own and some belong to secret societies. This is a creative endeavor similar to the other expressive arts and may reveal a secret inner life in the child and a special gift expressed in forms of language. This is discussed as an issue in the childhood of several artists and in its implications for treatment.Ms Gerber is a Senior Caseworker, Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services and a Doctoral Candidate & Adjunct Lecturer at New York University School of Social Work and in private practice.This paper was presented in a somewhat different form for the International Conference on Fantasy in the Arts held in Beaumont, Texas, March 1985.