Ford's Procedure for Combining Multiple Sets of Partially Ordered Data

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66929/2/10.1177_001316447303300104.pd

Stability and change in levels and structure of subjective well-being: USA 1972 and 1988

It has long been recognized that more needs to be known about the dynamic behavior of measures of subjective well-being. As the Social Indicators Movement matures, it becomes possible to explore issues of stability and change in measures of perceived life quality. To contribute to this research need, this paper reports results of administering similar measures of subjective well-being to several representative samples of the adult American population assessed 16 years apart — in 1972 and in 1988. Results show that in the United States, which has experienced reasonably continuous economic prosperity and no major social disruptions during these 16 years, the structure of the subjective well-being measures (i.e. how they relate to one another and how concern-level measures predict global-level measures) has remained remarkably constant. This is in accord with expectation and enhances confidence in the validity and usefulness of the measures. Changes were found in the levels of some of the measures: For the total population, feelings about life-as-a-whole, oneself, and one's own health became notably more positive; evaluations of own income and the national government also gained; but assessments of one's own family life, social relationships, community, and job remained fairly stable. Some of these gross changes were general throughout the population, but others occurred only for certain age, racial, or socioeconomic groups. Younger cohorts and people with higher educations and incomes showed more gains in subjective well-being than other groups.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43685/1/11205_2004_Article_BF00727649.pd

Modeling the psychological determinants of life quality

Personality and social psychologists have recently focused on a number of issues which life quality researchers have also examined. This study combines these two perspectives on well-being to address the following two questions: (1) To what extent are perceptions of stress, internal and external control, social support, performance, anxiety, and depression determinants of life quality? (2) To what extent are the predictors of different aspects of life quality (affective, cognitive, global, specific domains) similar or different? Data were collected from 675 respondents in a longitudinal study. Respondents were interviewed four times, six weeks apart. Bivariate analyses, stepwise regressions, and structural modeling were used to analyze the data. The modeling results suggested that internal control, social support, and performance caused increased life quality, whereas stress and depression caused decreased life quality. Control by others did not relate to life quality. The positive affect component of life quality related most strongly to ‘positive’ psychological concepts. Similarly, the negative affect component of life quality related most strongly to ‘negative’ psychological concepts. The implications of these findings for future life quality research are described.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43683/1/11205_2004_Article_BF00317657.pd

Response to Borg and Bergermaier

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43704/1/11205_2004_Article_BF00300658.pd

Developing measures of perceived life quality: Results from several national surveys

This report presents the current status of a series of studies oriented toward the assessment of perceived life quality. The conceptual model proposes that a person's overall sense of life quality is understandable as a combination of affective responses to life ‘domains’, which are of two types-role situations and values. Over 100 items used to measure a wide variety of domains and 28 items assessing perceived overall life quality are presented. Various subsets of these items were used in interviews with several representative samples of American adults. Based on these data the domain items were grouped into a smaller number of semi-independent clusters which were internally stable across 10 different subgroups of the respondents and whose interrelationships were highly replicable in independent national samples. A series of analyses, some replicated in more than one survey showed: (1) an additive combination of 12 selected domains explained 50–60% of the variance in an index of overall life quality, (2) neither other domains nor several social characteristic variables contributed additional explanatory power, (3) this level of explanation was achieved in each of 22 subgroups of the population, and (4) additive combinations of domains worked as well as more complicated combinations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43676/1/11205_2004_Article_BF00286419.pd

Time pressure and performance of scientists and engineers: A five-year panel study

Time pressure experienced by scientists and engineers predicted positively to several aspects of performance including usefulness, innovation, and productivity. Higher time pressure was associated with above average performance during the following five years, even when supervisory status, education, and seniority were controlled. Performance, however, did not predict well to subsequent reports of time pressure, suggesting a possible causal relationship from pressure to performance. High performing scientists also desired more pressure. Innovation and productivity (but not usefulness) were low if the pressure experienced was markedly above that desired. The five-year panel data derived from approximately. 100 scientists in a NASA laboratory. Some theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34022/1/0000298.pd

Specifying, Manufacturing, And Testing A Cryogenic Turboexpander Magnetic Bearing System.

LecturePg. 3-10The state-of-the-art magnetic bearing system, as it exists today, has several unique characteristics which tend to make certain applications of this technology more favorable than others. One application which seems quite favorable is the use of magnetic bearing systems in turboexpanders. One such project is discussed, beginning with the initial concept and ending with the rigorous testing of the finished machines. Several problem areas and the associated corrective actions are discussed

Using 3-D mapping to understand an Upper Ordovician buildup and facies complex in the upper Lexington Limestone, central Kentucky, USA

The upper parts of the Upper Ordovician Lexington Limestone in central Kentucky, USA, are interpreted to reflect a structurally controlled carbonate buildup, represented by a facies mosaic of shoal complexes and interbedded shale units. Facies intertonguing is complex and two-dimensional (2-D) mapping has been difficult. In this project, we converted 2-D maps to 3-D maps to show the extent of various facies and the complex nature of intertonguing. The resulting 3-D maps can be viewed from various vantage points and show the likely influence of basement structures as well as the results of post-depositional structural activity

SPIRITS 15c and SPIRITS 14buu: Two Obscured Supernovae in the Nearby Star-Forming Galaxy IC 2163

SPIRITS---SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey---is an ongoing survey of nearby galaxies searching for infrared (IR) transients with Spitzer/IRAC. We present the discovery and follow-up observations of one of our most luminous ($M_{[4.5]} = -17.1\pm0.4$ mag, Vega) and red ($[3.6] - [4.5] = 3.0 \pm 0.2$ mag) transients, SPIRITS 15c. The transient was detected in a dusty spiral arm of IC 2163 ($D\approx35.5$ Mpc). Pre-discovery ground-based imaging revealed an associated, shorter-duration transient in the optical and near-IR (NIR). NIR spectroscopy showed a broad ($\approx 8400$ km s$^{-1}$), double-peaked emission line of He I at $1.083 \mu$m, indicating an explosive origin. The NIR spectrum of SPIRITS 15c is similar to that of the Type IIb SN 2011dh at a phase of $\approx 200$ days. Assuming $A_V = 2.2$ mag of extinction in SPIRITS 15c provides a good match between their optical light curves. The IR light curves and the extreme $[3.6]-[4.5]$ color cannot be explained using only a standard extinction law. Another luminous ($M_{4.5} = -16.1\pm0.4$ mag) event, SPIRITS 14buu, was serendipitously discovered in the same galaxy. The source displays an optical plateau lasting $\gtrsim 80$ days, and we suggest a scenario similar to the low-luminosity Type IIP SN 2005cs obscured by $A_V \approx 1.5$ mag. Other classes of IR-luminous transients can likely be ruled out in both cases. If both events are indeed SNe, this may suggest $\gtrsim 18\%$ of nearby core-collapse SNe are missed by currently operating optical surveys.Comment: 19 pages, 7 Figures, 4 Table