Human Recognition among HIV-Infected Adults: Empirical Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Kenya

This paper uses data from a randomized controlled trial to study the impacts of food supplementation and medical treatment on the receipt of human recognition by malnourished, HIV-infected adults in Kenya. Questions specially designed to measure human recognition were included in the trial, demonstrating how data on human recognition can be collected and analyzed as part of research or programs. The data are used to examine the impacts of interventions on human recognition, the determinants of human recognition receipt, and the role that human recognition plays in nutritional status and subjective well-being. Food supplementation has a significant, independent, positive impact on recognition received at completion of 6 months of food supplementation, but this effect does not persist 6 months after completion of the supplementation. The location of the study sites appears to play a significant role in the changes in human recognition, with smaller improvements among subjects at clinics in urban slums of Nairobi than among subjects in district and provincial hospitals outside of Nairobi, controlling for demographic, socio-economic, and health characteristics. Women receive lower levels of human recognition than men and also have worse mental health; further study is needed to better understand the relationship among gender, mental health, and human recognition. There is some evidence of an association between nutritional status and human recognition, but findings about the role human recognition plays in nutritional status and subjective well-being are mixed and further study is needed in this area, possibly over a longer timeframe than 12 months.human recognition, respect, dehumanization, HIV, AIDS, malnutrition, nutrition, food supplementation, well being, randomized trial, stigma, Kenya

Human Recognition and its Role in Economic Development: A Theoretical Model

This paper presents a model of human recognition, a concept defined as the acknowledgement provided to an individual that he is of inherent value with intrinsic qualities in common with the recognizer. The model describes provision and receipt of human recognition, its contribution to utility, its effects on health and labor supply, and the role it plays in development programs. The model provides a theoretical basis for understanding human recognition, lays the foundation for empirical study, and offers an example of how non-material components of development can be formally modeled. Key predictions from the model are that human recognition has a positive, causal relationship with utility, health outcomes, and labor supply; that multiple equilibria forhuman recognition can exist, and groups can be stuck in low-level equilibria; and that only accounting for the instrumental effects recognition has on material outcomes while ignoring its direct effects on utility leads to suboptimal programs.human recognition, economic development, health, poverty, well-being, dignity, respect, dehumanization, humiliation

Measurement of Human Recognition: A Methodology with Empirical Applications in India and Kenya

This paper develops and applies a methodology for measuring human recognition, which is defined as the acknowledgement provided to an individual by other individuals, groups, or organizations that he is of inherent value with intrinsic qualities in common with the recognizer. A framework is developed that organizes the sources of human recognition into various domains of an individual's life. The framework is used to develop an index of indicators that measures human recognition received in each of the domains and combines these domain-specific measures into a single overall measure of human recognition received. Two empirical applications of the index are presented with cross-sectional survey data from India and Kenya. Exploratory factor analysis is used to generate measures of human recognition with the index, and the resulting measures are used in multivariate regression models of nutritional status. Results from both datasets provide evidence that human recognition is a significant, independent, positive determinant of nutritional status, controlling for socio-economic characteristics. The method and applications demonstrate how latent, intangible aspects of development such as human recognition can be measured and indicate that further empirical work on the determinants and effects of human recognition is both feasible and needed.human recognition, nutrition, health, dehumanization, dignity, respect, domestic violence, measurement, India, Kenya, economic development, poverty

Person Equivalent Headcount Measures of Poverty

Headcount measures of poverty are by far the most common tools for evaluating poverty and gauging progress in global development goals. The headcount ratio, or the prevalence of poverty, and the headcount, or the number of the poor, both convey tangible information about poverty. But both ignore the depth of poverty, so they arguably present distorted views of the spatial distribution of poverty as well as the extent of progress against poverty over time. Additionally, headcount measures can provide incentives for policymakers and NGOs to focus their efforts on the least poor, an observation well understood among policymakers themselves. While other poverty measures mitigate these problems by capturing the intensity as well as the prevalence of poverty, they are often not central to policy discourse because they are perceived to be too "unintuitive" to have traction. There is a need for poverty measures that go beyond traditional headcount measures, but retain their direct interpretation. This paper presents person equivalent (p. e.) headcount measures, which do just that. Our approach draws on the logic of full‐time equivalent jobs, adult equivalent incomes, and other constructs in economics. An initial period is used to calibrate the average depth of poverty among the poor, which then becomes the "person equivalent" underlying the p. e. headcount and the p. e. headcount ratio. We illustrate our methods using $1.25 a day poverty data from 78 countries as provided by the World Bank, and show how the new measures map out different pictures of poverty and progress than traditional headcount measures. Overall, the picture is one of a more rapid decline in global poverty, but with significant redistributions of its burden across regions and countries. For example, p. e. headcounts are much higher than traditional headcounts in Latin America and the Caribbean and Sub Saharan Africa; in South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific the reverse is true. In Kenya the traditional headcount rose by 8 million and the p. e. headcount rose by 11 million; in South Africa the p. e. headcount fell by more than the traditional headcount. We discuss properties of the new measures, outline some generalizations and conclude with recommendations for using this approach in development goals to track progress and direct policy

Koinonia

In the AcademyCreating Curricular Cohesiveness in the Academy: Infusing our Sector with Being, Tony Marchese Learning Communities at Abilene Christian University: Integrating Faith, Living, and Learning, Mimi Barnard Conference SpotlightA Conversation with Ravi Zacharias A Time to Sow, a TIme to Reap, Robbie Castleman ReflectionsMid-Level Professionals Retreat, Wayne Barnard A Memoir from Wheaton: My Experience at New Professionals Retreat \u2703, Evan Perry FeaturesThe President\u27s Corner Editor\u27s Disk Book Review: Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds, reviewed by Damon Seacott Thinking Theologically: To Teach Consumers OR Students, Todd Reamhttps://pillars.taylor.edu/acsd_koinonia/1016/thumbnail.jp

Human recognition and economic development : an introduction and theoretical model: OPHI working paper no. 63

This paper introduces the concept of human recognition, defined as the extent to which an individual is acknowledged by others to be of inherent value by virtue of being a fellow human being. Following a qualitative exposition of human recognition, a formal model is presented that describes provision and receipt of human recognition, its contribution to utility, its effects on health, and its role in development programs. Key predictions from the model are that human recognition receipt has a positive, causal relationship with utility and health outcomes; that multiple equilibria for human recognition can exist; and that only accounting for human recognition’s instrumental effects on material outcomes while ignoring its direct, psychic effects on utility leads to suboptimal programs. By defining and formally modeling human recognition and its role in economic development for the first time, the paper identifies a new component of economic development and offers an example of how such intangible components can be formally modeled.Copyright © Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative 2013. This publication is copyright, however it may be reproduced without fee for teaching or non-profit purposes, but not for resale. Formal permission is required for all such uses, and will normally be granted immediately. For copying in any other circumstances, or for re-use in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from OPHI and may be subject to a fee

Human recognition and economic development : an introduction and theoretical model

This paper introduces the concept of human recognition, defined as the extent to which an individual is acknowledged by others to be of inherent value by virtue of being a fellow human being. Following a qualitative exposition of human recognition, a formal model is presented that describes provision and receipt of human recognition, its contribution to utility, its effects on health, and its role in development programs. Key predictions from the model are that human recognition receipt has a positive, causal relationship with utility and health outcomes; that multiple equilibria for human recognition can exist; and that only accounting for human recognition’s instrumental effects on material outcomes while ignoring its direct, psychic effects on utility leads to suboptimal programs. By defining and formally modeling human recognition and its role in economic development for the first time, the paper identifies a new component of economic development and offers an example of how such intangible components can be formally modeled.</p