Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gmm Estimation With Brownian Kernels Applied To Income Inequality Measurement, Jin Seo Cho, Peter C.B. Phillips

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

In GMM estimation, it is well known that if the moment dimension grows with the sample size, the asymptotics of GMM differ from the standard finite dimensional case. The present work examines the asymptotic properties of infinite dimensional GMM estimation when the weight matrix is formed by inverting Brownian motion or Brownian bridge covariance kernels. These kernels arise in econometric work such as minimum Cramer-von Mises distance estimation when testing distributional specification. The properties of GMM estimation are studied under different environments where the moment conditions converge to a smooth Gaussian or non-differentiable Gaussian process. Conditions are also developed for …

Welfare Accounting, Eduardo Dávila, Andreas Schaab

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops a welfare accounting decomposition that identifies and quantifies the origins of welfare gains and losses in general economies with heterogeneous individuals and disaggregated production. The decomposition — exclusively based on preferences and technologies — first separates efficiency from redistribution considerations. Efficiency comprises i) exchange efficiency, which captures allocative efficiency gains due to reallocating consumption and factor supply across individuals, and ii) production efficiency, which captures allocative efficiency gains due to adjusting intermediate inputs and factors, as well as technical efficiency gains from primitive changes in technologies, good endowments, and factor endowments. Leveraging the decomposition, we provide a …

An Examination Of Civil Asset Forfeiture In South Carolina, Jeffrey Trowbridge

Theses and Dissertations

Civil asset forfeiture allows the government to seize and forfeit property that is associated with criminal activity without arresting or charging the property owner. Although expansive in its potential application, little is understood about the characteristics of civil asset forfeiture cases, the property owners involved in forfeiture cases, or the characteristics of any criminal cases pursued parallel to the civil cases. Utilizing open-source, public court records, this dissertation provides an exploratory analysis of these gaps in the literature by examining the types of civil asset forfeiture used, the value of asset forfeiture cases, how money from asset forfeiture is divided …

Lbsci 700 / Info 7001. The Technology Of Information., Brandon K. Jeffries Mr.

Open Educational Resources

This course will introduce the student to the conceptual and practical elements of visual and computer literacy for the library and information science profession. Particular attention will be paid to the place and role of libraries and information centers. A laboratory session following each class will give students the opportunity to apply some of the concepts learned in class.

Two Academic Libraries, One Study: Using Project Outcome For Assessment And Advocacy Across Partner Institutions, Katy Miller, Karen Kaufmann, Rachel E. Trnka

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Slides from a webinar presentation hosted by ACRL Project Outcome promoting the publication of the book, Assessment and Advocacy: Using Project Outcome for Academic Libraries. The book collects case studies demonstrating how a variety of libraries have used Project Outcome to make improvements in their practice and highlighting the value the toolkit has brought to institutions and the academic library profession.

Psci 102: Political Controversies: Democracy, Politics, And Freedom., Antonia Cucchiara

Open Educational Resources

This course aims to provide students with an introduction to the analysis of political controversies stemming from issues related to freedom and democracy in America today. Students will first engage with questions central to the understanding of the concepts above, such as: What is freedom? What is the relationship between freedom and democracy? How have thinkers, from the ancient to modern era, defined freedom? How can we compare and contrast the varied definitions of freedom put forward by thinkers across time? Students will then apply the theories of freedom and democracies to analyze a series of case studies from the …

Impact Of Electronic Resources On Research Productivity Of Scholars In Universities Of Jamshoro, Sindh, Ali Ahmed Jamali, Shamshad Ahmed Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between electronic resources and the research productivity of scholars at universities in Jamshoro, Sindh. The important role of electronic resources in enhancing research productivity has been widely acknowledged. The purpose of this study was to look objectively at the impact of electronic resources on the research productivity of scholars in universities of Jamshoro, Sindh. The level of awareness, usage frequency, dependency, purposes, satisfaction level, and challenges and their impact on research productivity are the main areas of this study. A survey approach to data collection was used with the help …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 27, Number 4, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Daily Stress, Problematic Social Media Use, And Executive Functions: A Daily Diary Approach, Wee Qin Ng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

A growing body of research suggests that daily stress may be a risk factor for problematic social media use. However, findings concerning the relation between stress and social media use are mixed, suggesting the presence of moderators that may buffer the relation between stress and problematic social media use. Further, previous studies have relied on either cross-sectional designs or longitudinal designs that may not fully capture daily experiences of stressors and social media use. To overcome these limitations, the present study utilized a 7-day daily diary study to investigate the within-individual associations between daily stress and problematic social media use. …

Construction And Empirical Assessment Of An Employee Health Management Index System For Chinese Enterprises, Ming Dong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Purpose: Employee health management is critical for enhancing corporate productivity, and scientific evaluation is core to effective health management practices. This study aims to construct an evaluation index system for assessing the employee health management effectiveness tailored to China’s national conditions (Hereinafter called “evaluation system”), and to empirically assess its differentiation, accuracy, and universality.

Methodology: (1) Grounded in literature and policy analysis, the study adopts the PDCA theory as a foundational framework and employs a modified Delphi method to finalize the evaluation system's structure. Indicator weights were determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and a standard scale was created for …

How Does Highly Educated Chinese Woman’S Endorsement Of Traditional Family Values Impact Her Well-Being?, Qiong Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With global advancements in gender equality and open-minded influence, Chinese women now have more opportunities to pursue higher education or independent work. However, there is a question of whether Chinese traditional family value still impacts Chinese women’s lives, thus affecting women's individual well-being.

Based on the results of a questionnaire survey and regression analysis of 301 highly educated Chinese women, we find that the endorsement of traditional family values by these women can indirectly affect their individual well-being through their engagement in job and family; that is, their achievements and satisfactions of job, family and self will be impacted by …

Full Issue, Volume 12, Number 2, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Elizabeth Gregory North

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Innovations In Data Visualization: Local Patterns In Young People’S Health Equity In The U.S., Emily Pangalila, Miriam J. Temin, Sanyukta Mathur, Rene Nevarez, Karen Austrian

Adolescents and Young People

Social and structural determinants of health (SSDoH) significantly impact equity among young people aged 10–24 in the US. Prior research shows that connectedness and support in school, family, and peer environments are crucial determinants of youth health and well-being. Understanding local variations in these relationships and their impact on health equity, while vital for policy and investment, remains a challenge. Council researchers explored relationships between select SSDoH and health outcomes among young people at sub-state levels to assess the potential of national survey data to inform decision-making & improve health equity.

Understanding Human Statistical Learning In Language Acquisition: Insights From Neural Networks, Anna Kopec

Holster Scholar Projects

This project explores how the cognitive mechanisms associated with human statistical learning in language acquisition align with computational processes in three kinds of neural networks: feedforward networks (FFN), simple recurrent networks (SRN), and long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent networks. Prior research in infants has provided evidence of statistical learning in discovering word boundaries within continuous spoken speech. Replicating statistical learning tasks using neural networks could allow for a better understanding of the fundamentals of these parallel processes in our brains and neural networks alike. This project tested the ability of FFNs, SRNs, and LSTMs to make syllable-by-syllable predictions from sequential …

Late Life Cognitive Function Trajectory Among The Chinese Oldest-Old Population-A Machine Learning Approach, Jierong Hu, Minzhi Ye, Juan Xi

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Informed by the biopsychosocial framework, our study uses the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) dataset to examine cognitive function trajectories among the oldest-old (80+). Employing K-means clustering, we identified two latent groups: High Stability (HS) and Low Stability (LS). The HS group maintained satisfactory cognitive function, while the LS group exhibited consistently low function. Lasso regression revealed predictive factors, including socioeconomic status, biological conditions, mental health, lifestyle, psychological, and behavioral factors. This data-driven approach sheds light on cognitive aging patterns and informs policies for healthy aging. Our study pioneers non-parametric machine learning methods in this context.

Associations Between Self-Reported Levels Of Aggression, Irritability, And Depression In Collegiate Athletes With A History Of Concussion, Amber Mae Bankston

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between history of concussion and symptoms of aggression, irritability, and depression. Furthermore, the relationship between these variables were examined in a small subgroup of participants before and after sustaining a head injury.

Methods: Archival data of NCAA Division II and club collegiate athletes from Florida Institute of Technology was included in the present study. Participants were included in this study if they completed baseline and/or post-trauma neuropsychological evaluations that included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), and Irritability Questionnaire (IRQ). Athletes’ demographic information along with …

Childhood Adversity's Impact On Criminal Behavior, Isobel Marie Avento

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and family criminal history, have been identified as potential risk factors for negative physical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes. Emerging literature suggests that ACEs are also among the primary factors leading to delinquency and adult criminal behavior. However, there is limited applied research that provides practitioners with appropriate insight to intervene when ACEs are identified among juvenile delinquents to reduce recidivism risk. This study adds to the existing literature by examining how cumulative ACEs shape criminal behavior of individuals from the onset until its desistance over the span of twenty years. Using …

What Is The Fallacy Of Approximation?, Matthew Hammerton, Sovan Patra

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Many philosophers appeal to the “fallacy of approximation”, or “problem of second best”. However, despite the pervasiveness of such appeals, there has been only a single attempt to provide a systematic account of what the fallacy is. We identify the shortcomings of this account and propose a better one in its place. Our account not only captures all the contexts in which approximation-based reasoning occurs but also systematically explains the several different ways in which it can be in error.

Towards An Extended Resource Theory Of Marital Power: Parental Education And Household Decision-Making In Rural China, Cheng Cheng, Yu Xie

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing literature on the resource theory of marital power has focused on the relative resources of spouses and overlooked the resource contributions of spouses’ extended families. We propose an extended resource theory that considers how the comparative resources of a couple’s natal families are directly associated with marital power, net of the comparative resources of the couple. Using data from the China Panel Family Studies, we examine how the relative education of a couple’s respective parents affects the wife’s decision-making power, net of the relative education of the couple. Results suggest that the higher the wife’s parental education relative to …

A Rose Or A Unicorn? Asean’S Mission Under The Spotlight, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary, SMU President Professor Lily Kong explores the question posed by political scientist Donald Emmerson in 1995 - is Southeast Asia more like a vibrant rose or an elusive unicorn? Against the backdrop of the 44th ASEAN Summit, with the theme "Connectivity and Resilience", Prof Kong highlights ASEAN's efforts in fostering regional connectivity and resilience through economic growth, cultural exchanges, and digital advancements. Despite substantial economic integration and digital connectivity, she points out that ASEAN faces challenges in creating a cohesive regional identity. The piece argues for deeper cultural engagement and a focus on shared values to build …

Deliberately Making And Correcting Errors In Mathematical Problem-Solving Practice Improves Procedural Transfer To More Complex Problems, Janson Boon Khang Yap, Sarah Shi Hui Wong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

How can students effectively learn and transfer mathematical procedures to solve new problems? Here, we tested the effects of deliberately committing and correcting errors during mathematical problem-solving practice on transfer of the learned procedures. In two experiments, university students were instructed on mathematical algorithms (synthetic division and matrix multiplication) and solved practice problems during open-book study. Learners were then tested on flexibly adapting the algorithms to solve novel problems that were structurally more complex or embedded in “real-life” scenarios (i.e., mathematical word problems). Deliberately committing and correcting procedural errors during problem-solving practice yielded better transfer than errorless repeated practice (Experiment …

Fulcrum, Newsletter Of The Furman University Libraries. Issue 21, Madeline Eastergard, Kathie Sloan

Libraries Institutional Records

Paladin Legacy Project: Preserving the Stories of Furman's Student Organizations

From the Director

Furman Library Presents 'Medieval Manuscripts' Exhibition

Libraries Receive Gift of 17th and 18th Century Literature

Enhancing Library Student Assistant Training: A New Era Begins

Meet Our New Library Team Members

A Heartwarming Story Pulled from the Digital Archives

Furman Libraries Welcome Music Librarians for Conference

Publish Open Access with Transformative Agreements

Cothran Center Conversations Now Online

What We're Reading

Does Ceo Agreeableness Personality Mitigate Real Earnings Management?, Shan Liu, Xingying Wu, Nan Hu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite efforts to mitigate aggressive financial reporting, earnings management remains challenging to parties interested in inhibiting its dysfunctional effects. Using linguistic algorithms to assess CEO agreeableness personality from their unscripted texts in conference calls, we find that it is a determinant that mitigates a firm's real earnings management. Furthermore, such an effect is more pronounced when firms confront intensive market competition and financial distress and have weaker managerial entrenchment or when CEOs face stronger internal governance. Our findings persist even after we utilize several alternative real earnings management metrics and control other confounding personalities in prior earnings management studies. The …

Revising A Right To Food Road Map—Perspectives Of Australian Key Informants, Rebecca Lindberg, Vivien Yii, Elizabeth Millen, Stephanie Godrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: In Australia, an estimated 1 in 10 households experiences food insecurity. The objective of this study was to devise a visual synthesis to summarise the activities, processes and principles that support the right to food for everyone in Australia. Methods: Semi-structured key informant interviews (n=30) were conducted during 2019–20. Content analysis synthesised perspectives and assisted co-authors in revising an initial draft (shared during the interview) to finalise the road map through semantic realist data analysis and re-design. Results: The six components of the right to food road map summarise the actions, processes, and principles to address the human right …

The Role Of Grandparents In Facilitating Children’S Physical Activity, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Timothy Budden, Hayley Christian, David A. Coall, Ben Jackson, Andrea Nathan, Emma Glassenbury

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Research suggests there is considerable opportunity to improve children’s movement behaviors while they are being cared for by their grandparents. An understanding of the extent to which grandparent practices facilitate children’s engagement in physical activity is critical to the development of health interventions targeting grandparent caregivers. This study examined the activity-related beliefs and practices of grandparents and their association with grandchildren’s engagement in various movement behaviors while in grandparental care. Methods: Australian grandparents (N = 1190; 60% women) who provided regular care to a grandchild aged 3–14 years were recruited via a web panel provider to complete an online …

Taking The Law Into Their (Virtual) Hands: Facebook And Digital Vigilantism, Christine Anne R. Cox

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

Digital vigilantism is an emerging phenomenon whereby netizens engage in forms of targeted surveillance, naming and shaming through new media, supposedly for social justice ends. The multi-layered case of Christine Dacera, the Filipina flight attendant who was found dead on New Years Day 2021, is one such case that warrants the critical investigation of the role of Facebook in vigilant behaviors of Filipino users. Using netnographic data and an affordances approach, this study asks the following: What are the dominant affordances associated with the use of Facebook for digital vigilantism, and how does surveillance enable the new normal of community …

Jetstream Fall 2024, Nancy Anzalone, Tim Hasin, Tabitha Ochtera, Marianna Czeisel, David Nochimson, Gillian Demetriou, Brianna Paoli

JETstream: Library Newsletter

The fall semester is in full swing here at Molloy and this issue of JETstream hopes to provide you with an overview of some of the exciting things happening here. We are pleased to introduce the Learning Services Student Advisory Group (LS/SAG), a collaborative group created in the spring 2024 semester. The group was created so that we can hear what you want, not what we think you want. Monthly meetings are open to all undergraduates and the 24-25 schedule is up! Please check out Molloy University’s Open Access Week where the JET Library will be offering several informative workshops. …

Relational Resilience, Grace, And The Role Of Divine Forgiveness, Bethanie Pusey

Senior Honors Theses

The constructs of relational resilience, divine forgiveness, and grace have recently grown in popularity within the field of positive psychology, yet their associations have thus far remained unexplored. The present study sought to fill this gap in the literature and determine what relationship exists between these variables while controlling for other related factors such as interpersonal forgiveness, self-forgiveness, spirituality, and general resilience. Participants (N = 247) from a large private Christian university provided responses to both trait and conflict-specific measures. Correlational findings supported significant positive relations between relational resilience and divine forgiveness, interpersonal forgiveness, and self-forgiveness. Relational resilience was …

Employing Expressive Art To Explore Mexican Americans’ Grief Experiences Of Loss Due To Covid-19, Leyla Feize, Varesh Gorabi, Vanessa Garza, Christian Baggett, Cassandra Sarmiento, Margarita Tirado, Angela Maldonado, Melissa Daniels

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic changed people’s lives and resulted in tremendous pain, loss and suffering. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV), in the state of Texas in the U.S., was one of the regions with the highest number of infections and deaths during the pandemic. However, individuals’ bereavement in the RGV is rarely addressed. In this qualitative study, a snowball sample of 47 individuals who had lost their loved ones during the years 2020–2021 were interviewed and invited to engage in an art activity. The findings revealed four themes: peculiar funeral, grieving confusion, loved ones’ memories, and connection to self and the …

Challenges Of Using More Precise Temporal And Spatial Resolution Of Remote Sensing Data For Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Ivan Rykin

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Monitoring river suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is critical for environmental challenges such as understanding the fate of thawed permafrost sediment and its impact on global carbon cycling. However, traditional SSC monitoring using Landsat imagery is limited by spatial and temporal constraints, particularly for narrow rivers in cloudy and/or snowy regions.

This study investigates the use of higher spatial (3 m) and temporal (daily) resolution satellite imagery from the PlanetScope constellation to estimate SSC in remote rivers such as those in the Arctic. I compare the performance of PlanetScope’s spectral resolution (4 and 8 bands) with Landsat 7. Merging data from …