Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions Of Usability And Usefulness In Digital Libraries, Krystyna K. Matusiak

Library and Information Science: Faculty Scholarship

This paper provides an overview of a case study research that investigated the use of Digital Library (DL) resources in two undergraduate classes and explored faculty and students’ perceptions of educational digital libraries. This study found that students and faculty use academic DLs primarily for textual resources, but turn to the open Web for visual and multimedia resources. The study participants did not perceive academic libraries as a useful source of digital images and used search engines when searching for visual resources. The limited use of digital library resources for teaching and learning is associated with perceptions of usefulness and …

(Wp 2012-01) Samuels On Methodological Pluralism In Economics, John B. Davis

Economics Working Papers

Warren Samuels was an influential proponent of methodological pluralism in economics. This short paper discusses his understanding of methodological pluralism, and argues that it is based on three distinct components: (1) his critique of the idea that theories have epistemic foundations and his 'matrix approach to meaningfulness,' (2) his belief that the absence of meta-principles for science combined with our human psychology create an existential dilemma for theorists and policy-makers, and (3) his understanding of relativism, social constructivism, and 'limited but affirmative' defense of nihilism against the charge of skepticism. The paper closes with a brief discussion of what Samuels' …

African Poverty, Duncan Kennedy

Washington Law Review

African extreme poverty is probably a function (although not solely) of the balkanized post-colonial geopolitics of Africa. It is also probably a function (although not solely) of the income distribution generated by a typically perverse African political economy, through its effect on the allocation of resources to development. As between these two causes, the second is probably much the more important. This reinterpretation puts considerably more of the blame for African poverty on the Western great powers than does the “poverty trap” analytic that is a common contemporary way of thinking about the African economic situation.

The Deaf Catholic, Spring 2012

ICDA The Deaf Catholic

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in USA

ICDA The Deaf CatholicFinding Aid

Review Of Overcoming The Governance Challenge In K-12 Online Learning, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Review by Michael K. Barbour.

Chubb, John E. Overcoming the Governance Challenge in K-12 Online Learning. Washington, DC: Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 2012.

This fifth and final paper in the Fordham Institute’s series examining digital learning policy is Overcoming the Governance Challenge in K-12 Online Learning. The purpose of this report is to outline the steps required to move the governance of K-12 online learning from the local district level to the less restrictive state level and to create a free market for corporate innovation in K-12 online learning. Unfortunately, the report is based on an unsupported premise …

Kantian Optimization, Social Ethos, And Pareto Efficiency, John E. Roemer

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Although evidence accrues in biology, anthropology and experimental economics that homo sapiens is a cooperative species, the reigning assumption in economic theory is that individuals optimize in an autarkic manner (as in Nash and Walrasian equilibrium). I here postulate an interdependent kind of optimizing behavior, called Kantian. It is shown that in simple economic models, when there are negative externalities (such as congestion effects from use of a commonly owned resource) or positive externalities (such as a social ethos reflected in individuals’ preferences), Kantian equilibria dominate Nash-Walras equilibria in terms of efficiency. While economists schooled in Nash equilibrium may view …

Comm-Entary, Spring 2012 - Full Issue

Comm-entary

In this issue:

Changing Perspectives: A Medium Analysis of the Lytro Light Field Camera by Kelly Martin

Corporate Media Elections of Justices by Matthew S. Jones

The Geek Mystique: How Cultural Oversight of Programming Language Rein forces Traditional Power Structures by Kendra Mack

Male Dancer by Katelyn E. Madden

Mealtime Routines as a Resource for Meaning-Making by Brittany Adelhardt

Production Variable Manipulation and the Viewer’s Response: A Grammar Perspective of No Country for Old Men by Rachel Pink

Media Representation of Redheaded Males, the Not-Quite-Other by Joe Roy

Silence and Suspense in No Country for Old Men: A Unique Western …

Does Reducing Spatial Differentiation Increase Product Differentiation? Effects Of Zoning On Retail Entry And Format Variety, Sumon Datta, K. Sudhir

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper investigates the impact of spatial zoning restrictions on retail market outcomes. We estimate a structural model of entry, location and format choice across a large number of markets in the presence of zoning restrictions. The paper contributes to the literature in three ways: First, the paper demonstrates that the omission of zoning restrictions in the extant literature on entry and location choice leads to biased estimates of the factors affecting market potential and competitive intensity. Second, the cross-market variations in zoning regulations helps us test and provide evidence for the theory that constraints on spatial differentiation will lead …

Getting At Systemic Risk Via An Agent-Based Model Of The Housing Market, John Geanakoplos, Robert Axtell, J. Doyne Farmer, Peter Howitt, Benjamin Conlee, Jonathan Goldstein, Matthew Hendrey

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Systemic risk must include the housing market, though economists have not generally focused on it. We begin construction of an agent-based model of the housing market with individual data from Washington, DC. Twenty years of success with agent-based models of mortgage prepayments give us hope that such a model could be useful. Preliminary analysis suggests that the housing boom and bust of 1997-2007 was due in large part to changes in leverage rather than interest rates.

Bounded Rationality And Limited Datasets: Testable Implications, Identification, And Out-Of-Sample Prediction, Geoffroy De Clippel, Kareen Rozen

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Theories of bounded rationality are typically characterized over an exhaustive data set. How does one tell whether observed choices are consistent with a theory if the data is incomplete? How can out-of-sample predictions be made? What can be identified about preferences? This paper aims to operationalize some leading bounded rationality theories when the available data is limited, as is the case in most practical settings. We also point out that the recent bounded rationality literature has overlooked a methodological pitfall that can lead to ‘false positives’ and ‘empty’ out-of-sample predictions when testing choice theories with limited data.

Kantian Optimization: An Approach To Cooperative Behavior, John E. Roemer

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Although evidence accrues in biology, anthropology and experimental economics that homo sapiens is a cooperative species, the reigning assumption in economic theory is that individuals optimize in an autarkic manner (as in Nash and Walrasian equilibrium). I here postulate a cooperative kind of optimizing behavior, called Kantian. It is shown that in simple economic models, when there are negative externalities (such as congestion effects from use of a commonly owned resource) or positive externalities (such as a social ethos reflected in individuals’ preferences), Kantian equilibria dominate Nash-Walras equilibria in terms of efficiency. While economists schooled in Nash equilibrium may view …

Mandate-Based Health Reform And The Labor Market: Evidence From The Massachusetts Reform, Jonathan T. Kolstad, Amanda E. Kowalski

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We model the labor market impact of the three key provisions of the recent Massachusetts and national “mandate-based” health reforms: individual and employer mandates and expansions in publicly-subsidized coverage. Using our model, we characterize the compensating differential for employer-sponsored health insurance (ESHI) — the causal change in wages associated with gaining ESHI. We also characterize the welfare impact of the labor market distortion induced by health reform. We show that the welfare impact depends on a small number of sufficient statistics” that can be recovered from labor market outcomes. Relying on the reform implemented in Massachusetts in 2006, we estimate …

Short Run Needs And Long Term Goals: A Dynamic Model Of Thirst Management, Guofang Huang, Ahmed Khwaja, K. Sudhir

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Beverage consumption occurs many times a day in response to a variety of needs that change throughout the day. In making their choices, consumers self-regulate their consumption by managing short run needs (e.g., hydration and mood pickup) with long-term goals (e.g., health). Using unique intra-day beverage consumption, activity and psychological needs data, we develop and estimate a model of high frequency consumption choices that accounts for both intra-day changes in short run needs and individual level unobserved heterogeneity in the degree of self-regulation. A novel feature of the model is that it allows for dynamics of consumption and stockpiling at …

Mountain Monitor-4th Quarter 2011, Mark Muro, Kenan Fikri

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

Recovery was firmly underway in the Intermountain West by the fourth quarter of 2011 but its pace varied considerably across the region’s 10 major metropolitan areas. Six of the 10 metros saw job growth in the fourth quarter but only four saw it accelerate over the previous one. Output grew everywhere but only in half of the region’s metros did the pace of growth quicken. The unemployment rate was down across the board from one year earlier. House prices in most markets stabilized. Yet signs of a robust, sustained, and self-fueling recovery remained elusive.

National economic indicators from early 2012 …

Map Displays And Exhibits, Katherine Rankin

Library Faculty Research

Many patrons do not even know libraries have map collections, let alone what kinds of maps are in them or how they could use those maps. Map displays and exhibits can help increase interest in map collections. Muriel Strickland wrote an article on casual map displays with the title "Map Displays: a Means of Promoting Map Use" in volume 17, number 3 of the WAML IB (June 1986). One of the purposes of my writing this article is to reprise some of the valuable information in Muriel's article; because it was published so long ago, many of the present WAmL …

The Behavioral Ecology Of Estrus Signaling In Humans, Kylie Breuer

Social Sciences

When female primates are the most fertile, they show it by a swelling of the estrus, which is easily visible to other primates. The purpose of this is to demonstrate to male primates when the females are most likely to conceive, and therefore to reveal the best time for copulation. Human females, on the other hand, do not express as obvious of clues as to when they are the most fertile. As of recent, general knowledge has been that female humans have concealed ovulation, but there have been several studies that seem to prove otherwise. My senior project question is: …

The Social Contagion Of Violence; A Theoretical Exploration Of The Nature Of Violence In Society, Kayla Kirkpatrick

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Menarche Ceremonies & Social Change In Fiji, Anna Clauson

Social Sciences

Fiji is undergoing rapid urbanization. Over fifty percent of Fiji’s population has moved from traditional villages to the city. Changes in lifestyle associated with urbanization bring challenges to traditional Fijian values and ways of life. The occurrence of menarche ceremonies in Fiji is a lens by which to explore the implications of these social changes on Fijian women. Inductive interviews with sixteen Fijian women reveal that birth order, proximity to home villages, and maternal agency are three general factors that determine the occurrence of menarche ceremonies. Education is also identified as an impacting force on first menstruation events in Fiji, …

Color And Brand Design For Multicultural Packaging, Kyle Valdillez

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to determine how companies can use the color and brand design of packaging to effectively communicate their products across multiple cultures. Companies are entering new markets overseas where culture is affecting how a product is being perceived. Whether it is positive, negative, or neutral, they must accommodate these influences to potentially increase profits. This study will specifically explore the Spanish and Japanese cultures in comparison to the American culture, concerning the meanings of various colors and their use in brand design. The research methods used were historical research and content analysis. Through thorough examination …

Going Mobile: A Guide To Mobile Website And Application User Preferences, Kevin M. Weeks

Graphic Communication

Mobile devices are rapidly gaining popularity. There is an increasing demand for individuals who can develop quality mobile websites and applications. In the world of mobile, the most important consideration is the end user. Who is the application or mobile website trying to target and what do they want? This study was designed to determine what users value and whether current developers are accurately reflecting these values. Determining this was accomplished through surveys of mobile users, interviews with mobile web developers, and analysis of successful websites and apps through case studies. The survey included questions to determine what qualities mobile …

Transparency In The Fashion Industry: Social Media Use In Public Relations Strategies, Teri Akahoshi

Journalism

No abstract provided.

Modern Political Marketing: An Analysis Of Tactics, And The Changing Role Of The Media, Jill Donovan

Journalism

Political marketing is evolving. Campaigns now rely on political marketing for success in elections, without the marketing tactics they employ; their messaging would not be distributed to the voting public. In many of the political marketing models and theories, however, there is a massive omission; the role of traditional media as an overwhelmingly influential factor over the voting public, which can misconstrue and negatively impact the message of the candidate. This study analyses classical marketing tactics a political marketer uses, and examines the changing environment of traditional media with the rise of social networking.

Nonprofit Organizations And Social Media: Streamlining Communications To Build And Maintain Relationships, Kristin Ann Kenney

Journalism

No abstract provided.

Introducing The Ohio New Establishment Dynamics Data, Joel A. Elvery, Ellen Cyran

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Ohio New Establishment Dynamics (O-NED) data set tracks the number of establishments that first started employing people between the second quarter of 1997 and the first quarter of 2008 and measures the employment and payroll data for these new establishments. O-NED enables researchers to measure the growth trends of cohorts of new establishments for up to 5 years after the cohort’s birth. These data are the first publicly available data that document the growth rates of new establishments at the substate level. The finest unit of geography O-NED measures is a county. This article describes how O-NED is constructed …

Pragmatism And Compromise In Conservation, Peter D. Verheyen

Librarian Publications

I write this from the perspective of an apprentice-trained bookbinder and conservator who has spent most of his career working in academic research libraries in the US, work that has included working primarily with special collections, but also heavily used circulating collections and digitization. During this time I have also worked with many other conservators, interns from conservation/preservation programs and students of museum studies and librarianship. While the mission ensuring the long-term health of and continued access to the Library’s collections has not changed, how we do that work and prioritize activities has. This has been a result of changes …

Mathematics Library News 9, Aaron Lercher

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Citation Analysis Of Editorials Of Core Pakistani Medical Journals, Ashraf Sharif

Libraries

All volumes published in five years (2005-2009) of three core Pakistani medical journals, namely, Journal of Ayub Medical College (JAMC), Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA), and Journals of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (JSPSP) were analyzed to find out citation pattern of their editorials. The result revealed that JPMA has been the most cited journal. The result futher revealved that contribution of more than three authors in an editorial remained prominent in all three journals under discussion. Journals/serials had been dominating as bibliographic format in all three journals. The most citations' age remained 1-5 years old. Interestingly out of three …

Transitional Characters, Susan E. Murray

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Antitrust Energy, D. Daniel Sokol, Barak Orbach

UF Law Faculty Publications

Marking the centennial anniversary of Standard Oil Co. v. United States, we argue that much of the critique of antitrust enforcement and the skepticism about its social significance suffer from “Nirvana fallacy” — comparing existing and feasible policies to ideal normative policies, and concluding that the existing and feasible ones are inherently inefficient because of their imperfections. Antitrust law and policy have always been and will always be imperfect. However, they are alive and kicking. The antitrust discipline is vibrant, evolving, and global. This essay introduces a number of important innovations in scholarship related to Standard Oil and its modern …

Supernatural Experiences (Fa 74), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scans of two out of thirteen papers (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 74. [Supernatural Experiences] Project completed by Western Kentucky University students for a folk studies class taught by Lynwood Montell. Collection focuses on short supernatural events experienced by informants. Subjects include dreams, ghosts, Ouija boards, sleepovers, church experiences and others.