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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Sociology

Syracuse University

Series

2016

Articles 1 - 18 of 18

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

What Can Social Networks Tell Us About Learning Ecologies?, Caroline A. Haythornthwaite Nov 2016

What Can Social Networks Tell Us About Learning Ecologies?, Caroline A. Haythornthwaite

School of Information Studies - Faculty Scholarship

The ecology metaphor is drawn from the biological sciences and refers to the “scientific study of the distribution, abundance and dynamics of organisms, their interactions with other organisms and with their physical environment” (British Ecological Society, 2016). In recent decades, the metaphor has become useful for tackling the complexity of new information and learning environments, particularly as driven by the increasing quantity of information, the growing number of available media and means of communicating, the extended reach of information technologies, and the new practices arising from these configurations. This paper brings to the discussion of learning ecologies the research and …

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Retention Heterogeneity In New York City Schools, Douglas Almond, Ajin Lee, Amy Ellen Schwartz Nov 2016

Retention Heterogeneity In New York City Schools, Douglas Almond, Ajin Lee, Amy Ellen Schwartz

Center for Policy Research

Performance on proficiency exams can be a key determinant of whether students are retained or "held back" in their grade. In New York City, passing the statewide proficiency exam essentially guarantees promotion, while roughly 13% of those students who fail the exam are retained. Using regression discontinuity methods, we find that female students are 25% more likely to be retained in their grade due to exam failure than boys. Hispanic students are 60% more likely and Black students 120% more likely to be retained due to exam failure (relative to White students). Poverty and previous poor performance also increase the …

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The Health Care Expenditure And Income: A Global Perspective, Badi H. Baltagi, Raffaele Lagravinese, Francesco Moscone, Elisa Tosetti Nov 2016

The Health Care Expenditure And Income: A Global Perspective, Badi H. Baltagi, Raffaele Lagravinese, Francesco Moscone, Elisa Tosetti

Center for Policy Research

This paper investigates the long-run economic relationship between health care expenditure and income in the world using data on 167 countries over the period 1995-2012, collected from the World Bank data set. The analysis is carried using panel data methods that allow one to account for unobserved heterogeneity, temporal persistence, and cross-section dependence in the form of either a common factor model or a spatial process. We estimate a global measure of income elasticity using all countries in the sample, and for sub-groups of countries, depending on their geo-political area and income. Our findings suggest that at the global level, …

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Research Brief: "Prevalence Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Veterans Who Utilize Veterans Health Administration Primary Care", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Oct 2016

Research Brief: "Prevalence Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Veterans Who Utilize Veterans Health Administration Primary Care", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the rate at which female veterans utilizing VHA primary care experience intimate partner violence, as well as the risk factors for intimate partner violence. In policy and practice, health practitioners should check for signs of intimate partner violence among female veterans and should inform veterans of services and programs for individuals affected by it; family members should be supportive of female veterans who experience intimate partner violence. The VA could offer more mental health services and the DoD could offer employment programs to help female veterans. Suggestions for future research include studying how female veterans who …

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A Roadmap For Reducing Gun Violence In America, Daniel Webster Oct 2016

A Roadmap For Reducing Gun Violence In America, Daniel Webster

Center for Policy Research

How do you reduce gun violence in America? It seems rather daunting. I’m going to take you through some key things I think we can do to have far less gun violence in America

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Research Brief: "Changes In Overall And Firearm Veteran Suicide Rates By Gender, 2001-2010", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Sep 2016

Research Brief: "Changes In Overall And Firearm Veteran Suicide Rates By Gender, 2001-2010", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about suicide rates and trends among female and male veterans. In policy and practice, veterans who have thoughts about suicide should contact services such as suicide hotlines, medical providers should assess veterans for suicidal risk, and the VHA should continue its impactful suicide prevention program. Suggestions for future research include studies to understand the trend of firearm suicides among female veterans and a study to provide more generalizable results.

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Urban Agriculture As Embedded In The Social And Solidarity Economy Basel: Developing Sustainable Communities, Isidor Wallimann Sep 2016

Urban Agriculture As Embedded In The Social And Solidarity Economy Basel: Developing Sustainable Communities, Isidor Wallimann

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is a viable strategy in dealing with some contemporary problems known both in industrial and developing countries. Addressed is how local populations could reach certain objectives and satisfy certain needs using techniques characteristic of SSE and, thus, carve out a social and economic space of their own vis-à-vis anonymous markets, global actors, local and national elites. Illustrated further is this strategy on the example of Urban Agriculture Basel, a unit of the Social Economy Basel. Within this self governed space, it is suggested, a path can be laid for the necessary transition towards local, …

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How Civility Works, Keith Bybee Sep 2016

How Civility Works, Keith Bybee

Institute for the Study of the Judiciary, Politics, and the Media at Syracuse University

Is civility dead? Americans ask this question every election season, but their concern is hardly limited to political campaigns. Doubts about civility regularly arise in just about every aspect of American public life. Rudeness runs rampant. Our news media is saturated with aggressive bluster and vitriol. Our digital platforms teem with expressions of disrespect and trolls. Reflecting these conditions, surveys show that a significant majority of Americans believe we are living in an age of unusual anger and discord. Everywhere we look, there seems to be conflict and hostility, with shared respect and consideration nowhere to be found. In a …

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A Framework For Measurement Error In Self-Reported Health Conditions, Ling Li, Perry Singleton Aug 2016

A Framework For Measurement Error In Self-Reported Health Conditions, Ling Li, Perry Singleton

Center for Policy Research

This study develops and estimates a model of measurement error in self-reported health conditions. The model allows self-reports of a health condition to differ from a contemporaneous medical examination, prior medical records, or both. The model is estimated using a two-sample strategy, which combines survey data linked medical examination results and survey data linked to prior medical records. The study finds substantial inconsistencies between self-reported health, the medical record, and prior medical records. The study proposes alternative estimators for the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions and estimates the bias that arises when using self-reported health conditions as explanatory variables.

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So Many Hospitals, So Little Information: How Hospital Value Based Purchasing Is A Game Of Chance, Andrew I. Friedson, William C. Horrace, Allison F. Marier Aug 2016

So Many Hospitals, So Little Information: How Hospital Value Based Purchasing Is A Game Of Chance, Andrew I. Friedson, William C. Horrace, Allison F. Marier

Center for Policy Research

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, participating Medicare hospitals have part of their Medicare reimbursements withheld and then redistributed based on quality performance. The Hospital Value Based Purchasing reimbursement plan relies partly on ordinal rankings of hospitals to determine how money is distributed. We analyze the quality metric distributions used for payment and show that there is not enough information to reliably differentiate hospitals from one another near the payment cutoffs; and conclude that a large part of the payment formula is driven by sampling variability rather than true quality information. Alternative reimbursement plans are developed.

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The Dynamic Effect Of Disability On Marriage: Evidence From The Social Security Disability Insurance Program, Ling Li, Perry Singleton Jun 2016

The Dynamic Effect Of Disability On Marriage: Evidence From The Social Security Disability Insurance Program, Ling Li, Perry Singleton

Center for Policy Research

This study examines the dynamic effect of disability on marriage. Data on disability and marriage come from the New Beneficiary Survey, designed to characterize new beneficiaries of the Social Security Disability Insurance Program. Using an event-study model, the study finds that disability onset decreased marriage among beneficiaries, but only at younger ages. The study further examines whether the effect of disability on marriage is due to formation, dissolution, or both, and whether the effect varies by educational attainment and subsequent mortality. The results highlight the importance of marriage selection in the oft-cited relationship between marriage and better health.

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Research Brief: "Military Sexual Trauma Among Recent Veterans: Correlates Of Sexual Assault And Sexual Harassment", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Apr 2016

Research Brief: "Military Sexual Trauma Among Recent Veterans: Correlates Of Sexual Assault And Sexual Harassment", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study examines the population prevalence of military sexual trauma among OEF/OIF-era veterans. It found that almost 41% of women and 4% of men reported a military sexual trauma, indicating a high prevalence of OEF/OIF-era veterans who have experienced an MST. In practice, servicemembers and veterans who have experienced a military sexual trauma (MST) should seek medical help, such as counseling. In policy, the Department of Defense (DoD) might continue its efforts to reduce negative repercussions often associated with reporting sexual assault or sexual harassment. Suggestions for future research include having more data on the prevalence of MST in the …

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Research Brief: "Women Military Veterans, Disability, And Employment", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Mar 2016

Research Brief: "Women Military Veterans, Disability, And Employment", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study compares the disability status of female veterans to non-veterans and male veterans using American Community Survey data pooled from 2008, 2009, and 2010. In practice, both female and male veterans who have a service-related disability and are involved in the civilian labor force should familiarize themselves with their employment rights under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). In policy, the Department of Labor (DOL) might continue enforcing federal laws to protect veterans with service-related disabilities and help them gain employment in the civilian workforce. The VA and the DOL might also partner to assist female veterans in obtaining …

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Research Brief: "Aging Well Among Women Veterans Compared With Non-Veterans In The Women’S Health Initiative", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Mar 2016

Research Brief: "Aging Well Among Women Veterans Compared With Non-Veterans In The Women’S Health Initiative", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study analyzes a veteran status' effects on aging among women 80 years and older. For policy and practice, this research clearly states that mental health and healthy behaviors are important for aging women, and that the VA should continue research on health needs of aging female veterans. Suggestions for future research include studies to better understand special health risks among older female veterans, how self-resiliency among female veterans affects their health as they age, and how educational attainment relates to older female veterans' health.

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Research Brief: "Intersecting Identities: Race, Military Affiliation, And Youth Attitudes Towards War", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Feb 2016

Research Brief: "Intersecting Identities: Race, Military Affiliation, And Youth Attitudes Towards War", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research examines the difference between African American service members and their support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and African American civilians who oppose the wars. Seeking counseling could be beneficial to the individual as a service member and a civilian. It is recommended that future research in this area should compare the behaviors of service members and civilians who identify as LGBTQ, and applying social identity theory is beneficial to this study as a whole.

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Research Brief: "Three Generations, Three Wars: African American Veterans", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Feb 2016

Research Brief: "Three Generations, Three Wars: African American Veterans", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study addresses the gap in literature on the African American perspective of veteran's experiences during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Research found that the interviewed men reported racist experiences, and also found they perceived service to the country aided their growth as men and as activists. Although African American service members were essential to the U.S. war effort, official accounts of their service are often excluded or misreported, and would benefit from policymakers using the narrative experiences of veterans to continue to introduce policies and programs that encourage diversity. Researchers are encouraged to continue …

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Research Brief: "Out From The Shadows: Female Student Veterans And Help-Seeking", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Jan 2016

Research Brief: "Out From The Shadows: Female Student Veterans And Help-Seeking", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study explored what happened when female veterans brought three military-cultural contexts (responsibility, worth, and pride) into their transition to civilian life and help-seeking attitudes in college. In practice, student veterans exhibiting components of military culture should use these military cultural components to their benefit, and student veterans struggling to adjust to the type of thinking often required of college students should feel comfortable seeking support at their university student veteran center. In policy, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) might continue offering their campus toolkit, which has been found to be a great resource for many IHEs, offering them …

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Research Brief: "Race Relations Within The Us Military", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University Jan 2016

Research Brief: "Race Relations Within The Us Military", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research examines minority representation within the military, as well as analyzing racial bias incidents and institutional racism within the system. The study found that minority service members deployed in discriminatory environments were at an increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, and that new policies should review systems for filing racial discrimination complaints. For future research in this field, studies should include more research to identify the means by which discrimination occurs and might be reduced.

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