Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Increasing Incidence Of Suicide: Economic Development, Individualism, And Social Integration, Gregory Scott, Joseph Ciarrochi, Frank Deane

joseph Ciarrochi

Despite significant improvement in physical health, suicide continues to represent a significant burden in the economically advanced countries. Given that the causes of suicide are not fully known, and that suicide cannot be predicted nor prevented at the individual level, national suicide rates might best be reduced by reducing the overall number of people exposed to suicide risk factors. However, economic development promotes individualism and low social integration, both of which increase suicide risk. For example, high female labor force participation and divorce, indicative of low social integration, are associated with higher suicide rates. Similarly, there appear to be social …

Development Of The Levels Of Emotional Awareness Scale For Children (Leas-C), Joseph Ciarrochi, Frank Deane, Jane Bajgar, Richard Lane

joseph Ciarrochi

A performance-based assessment of the structure and complexity of emotional awareness was developed, the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale for Children (LEAS-C). A pilot study (N=6, ages 9-12, M(age) =10.2 years) was conducted to construct, trial, and select scenarios suitable for the scale. A larger validity study (N=51, ages 10-11, M(age) =10.3 years) examined the relationship between the LEAS-C and two emotion knowledge tasks: emotion expressions and emotion comprehension; two verbal tasks: vocabulary and verbal productivity; and a cognitive developmental measure: the Parental Descriptions Scale (PDS). Gender differences in LEAS-C performance were also examined. The LEAS-C was significantly related to …

Can Peers Improve Agricultural Revenue?, Tisorn Songsermsawas, Kathy Baylis, Ashwini Chhatre, Hope Michelson

Kathy Baylis

Crop revenues vary greatly among farmers and the source of that variation is not fully understood. Using a household survey from India, we estimate peer effects on cash crop revenue. Results show that 60% of farmers' revenue can be explained by peers. Peer effects in input expenditure and land allocation cannot fully explain the variation in revenue, implying peers may also associate with management, negotiation and marketing strategies. Although caste-based networks are important, their effect is substantially smaller than that of self-reported peers. Peer effects are strongest for agricultural peers and in the cultivation of a new crop.

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure Alters Oxytocin Receptor Gene Expression And Maternal Behavior In Rat, Howard Cromwell

Howard Casey Cromwell

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is a persistent organic pollutant known to induce diverse molecular and behavioral alterations. Effects of PCB exposure could be transmitted to future generations via changes in behavior and gene expression. Previous work has shown that PCB-exposure can alter social behavior. The present study extends this work by examining a possible molecular mechanism for these changes. Pregnant rats (Sprague-Dawley) were exposed through diet to a combination of non-coplanar (PCB 47 - 2,20,4,40-tetrachlorobiphenyl) and coplanar (PCB 77 - 3,30,4,40- tetrachlorobiphenyl) congeners. Maternal care behaviors were examined by evaluating the rate and quality of nest building on the last 4 …

How Effective Are Biodiversity Conservation Payments In Mexico?, Sebastien Costedoat, Esteve Corbera, Driss Ezzine De Blas, Jordi Honey-Roses, Kathy Baylis, Miguel Angel Catillo-Santiago

Kathy Baylis