Young, Working and Black: A Study of Empowerment, Oppression, Race and Gender in Community Settings

This purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between race, gender, and power in community settings. Taking the experiences of young Black Canadians within the workplace as an exemplar, the study sought to answer three main research questions: (a) How does oppression influence the psychological empowerment of Black youth and young adults in the workplace? (b) How do workplace characteristics promote Black youths’ and young adults’ psychological empowerment?, and (c) How does gender influence Black youths’ and young adults’ experiences of oppression and empowerment in the workplace? To answer these questions I conducted narrative interviews with 24 Black Canadian youth and young adults (aged 16–35), and critical self-reflections on my personal work experiences. Data were analyzed using a combination of narrative and grounded theory approaches. Findings are presented using the metaphor of the working game to conceptualize participants’ stories of race, gender and power in the workplace. Narratives of workplace oppression suggest that young Black Canadian workers are disadvantaged by an unequal playing field comprised of stereotypes and unequal intergenerational legacies, and by racialized interpersonal gameplay. Their stories describe various moves that young Black Canadians use to negotiate oppression, as well as an oppressed subjectivity characterized by a sense of difference, uncertainty, and frustration. Narratives of workplace empowerment suggest that empowering workplace settings function as surrogate legacies that include four key characteristics (relationships, roles, opportunity, and incentives), that promote six empowered outcomes (independence, confidence, eye opening, appreciation, a desire to give back, and the ability to talk to others), through four main psychological processes (encouragement and advice, exposure, respect, and validation). Narratives of gender suggest a common perception that the intersection of gender and race in the working game function to disadvantage Black males through severe stereotypes and absent male legacies. Gender differences in valued empowering workplace characteristics were found, with Black females emphasizing encouragement and Black males emphasizing opportunity. The discussions highlight theoretical contributions to community psychology\u27s understanding of power, race, and gender in community settings, including an emphasis on social networks, dramaturgy, and identity. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed

To Think or Not to Think?: A New Perspective on Optimal Consumer Decision Making

This research introduces a new theoretical perspective (termed the Adaptive Processing Perspective) that reexamines how consumers should think before making decisions and the optimal outcomes that result. New insights into conscious (“careful deliberation”), unconscious (“sleeping on it”), and intuitive (“going with your gut”) thought processes are provided. Across four studies, empirical evidence demonstrates that consumers can make significantly better decisions by thinking more about routine choices, using their intuition for occasional purchase decisions, and distracting themselves before making major purchase decisions. Specifically, in study 1, increased conscious thought optimized routine decision making due to increases in openness to information. In study 2, consumers using intuition optimized an occasional purchase decision by focusing attention on relevant information. Study 3 demonstrated unconscious thought to be optimal for consumers when making a major purchase decision via their engagement in associative processing. Lastly, study 4 provided further support for the Adaptive Processing Perspective by manipulating the decision setting (i.e., routine, limited, extensive) across a common product and replicating the earlier study results. Several theoretical and practical advances to the domains of information processing and consumer decision making are offered and discussed

The oversharenting paradox: when frequent parental sharing negatively affects observers’ desire to affiliate with parents

Modern-day parents increasingly engage in sharing of their children’s information and photos on social media. However, when parents post about their children on social media with high frequency, the phenomenon of “oversharenting” occurs. This research explores the impact of oversharenting on others’ desire to affiliate with parents. While parents post about their children to socialize with others, three experimental studies conducted with U.S. residents recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk demonstrate that parents who oversharent are viewed as less desirable acquaintances than parents who do not. This effect is mediated by observers’ perception that oversharenting constitutes a social norm violation (Study 1; N = 147). Specifically, observers assume that parents who oversharent try to become the center of attention through their children (Study 2; N = 168). The negative effect of oversharenting on affiliation is mitigated in the case of observers who themselves post frequently on social media (Study 3; N = 478). In summary, this research contributes to the understanding of parental sharing in social media environments by demonstrating that, paradoxically, parents’ oversharenting behavior may negatively affect the very goal that parents attempt to fulfill through social media sharing

Validating Measures Of Self Control Via Rasch Measurement

Self control has been offered as a fundamental explanation for consumption behavior in a number of marketing settings. Until recently, measurement of self control had been inadequate, with advances being made only in specific domains. Tangney, Baumeister, and Boone (2004) introduced a reflective measure of self control which has gained popularity across social science research. However, the authors did not subject this critical measure to a review of fit and function through a psychometric lens. This study reviews their measure with consideration of fit and function, applying item response theory, and more specifically, Rasch measurement. Findings suggest that moderate levels of the unidimensional construct of self control are captured by the scale but high risk groups may be neglected by the measure in its current form

Costs of Adverse Drug Events in German Hospitals—A Microcosting Study

AbstractObjectiveIn Germany, only limited data are available to quantify the attributable resource utilization associated with adverse drug events (ADEs). The aim of this study was twofold: first, to calculate the direct treatment costs associated with ADEs leading to hospitalization and, second, to derive the excess costs and extra hospital days attributable to ADEs of inpatient treatments in selected German hospitals.MethodsThis was a retrospective and medical record–based study performed from the hospitals' perspective based on administrative accounting data from three hospitals (49,462 patients) in Germany. Total treatment costs (“analysis 1”) and excess costs (i.e., incremental resource utilization) between patients suffering from an ADE and those without ADEs were calculated by means of a propensity score–based matching algorithm (“analysis 2”).ResultsMean treatment costs (“analysis 1”) of ADEs leading to hospitalization (n = 564) were €1,978 ± 2,036 (range €191–18,147; median €1,446; €843–2,480 [Q1–Q3]). In analysis 2, the mean costs of inpatients suffering from an ADE (n = 1,891) as a concomitant disease or complication (€5,113 ± 10,059; range €179–246,288; median €2,701; €1,636–5,111 [Q1–Q3]) were significantly higher (€970; P < 0.0001) than those of non-ADE inpatients (€4,143 ± 6,968; range €154–148,479; median €2,387; €1,432–4,701 [Q1–Q3]). Mean inpatient length of stay of ADE patients (12.7 ± 17.2 days) and non-ADE patients (9.8 ± 11.6 days) differed by 2.9 days (P < 0.0001). A nationwide extrapolation resulted in annual total treatment costs of €1.058 billion.ConclusionsThis is one of the first administrative data–based analyses calculating the economic consequences of ADEs in Germany. Further efforts are necessary to improve pharmacotherapy and relieve health care payers of preventable treatment costs

The Effects of Guilt and Sadness on Sugar Consumption

This research examines how the discrete negative emotions of guilt and sadness impact individual preference for carbohydrates, specifically in the form of sugar. Using Cognitive Appraisal Theory and research in biological psychology, we identify how these two discrete emotions influence the release of cortisol, which impacts sugar preferences. The results of four studies indicate that consumers select and prepare foods with higher amounts of sugar when experiencing sadness relative to when they feel guilt. Implications for public policy as well as marketing practitioners are discussed

Less Light, Better Bite: How Ambient Lighting Influences Taste Perceptions

Atmospheric factors within a retail environment provide efficient and effective methods for influencing customer behavior. Drawing on the concept of sensory compensation, this research investigates how ambient lighting influences taste perceptions. Three studies demonstrate that dim lighting enhances taste perceptions. The results of Studies 1a and 1b provide support that low lighting positively influences consumers\u27 perceived taste of single taste dimension foods (e.g., sweet). Study 2 shows the number of taste dimensions (e.g., sweet vs. sweet and salty) stimulated serves as a boundary condition, attenuating the significant effect of dim lighting on taste perceptions

Synthesis of Insecticides from Selected Plant Materials

The quest on sustainable development has called for eco-friendly anthropogenic activities. Consequently, this research work looked into the synthesis of biodegradable fumigants from plant materials. With simple technologies, formulations with insecticidal properties were produced from Neem seeds, Garlic bulbs, Orange peels and Penny royal leaves. The formulations were prepared with the following combinations; Neem oil + Garlic extract (‘A’), Neem oil + Orange oil (‘B’), Neem oil + Penny royal (‘C’), Neem oil + Garlic extract + Orange oil + Penny royal (‘D’) and Garlic extract + Orange oil + Penny royal (‘E’). Mosquitoes (Culex spp. and Anopheles spp.), houseflies (Musca domestica) and black ants (Lasius niger) were used as test specimens for the formulations prepared. Formulation ‘A’ yielded the best insecticidal property killing mosquitoes in an average time of 1.78 ± 0.45 seconds, houseflies in 5.18 ± 0.43 seconds and black ants in 23.52 ± 0.54 seconds. The rest of the formulations produced varying results. A non-uniform performance pattern was realized when further studies were conducted on the effects of dose and distance on the potency of the formulations. A comparative study between formulation ‘A’ and a chemical insecticide revealed that, formulation ‘A’ was more potent that the chemical insecticide in killing tes

Issue 2: Imagining a Community-Led, Multi-Service Delivery Model for Ontario Child Welfare: A Framework for Collaboration Among African Canadian Community Partners

This article imagines a new model for child welfare in Ontario, specifically for African Canadian children, youth, and families. Throughout the article, we discuss both what needs to be changed and how those changes can be achieved, including the development and implementation of community-led organizational structures, programs, and services, and the restructuring of government-community relations and funding allocation, to enable African Canadian community-based agencies to deliver preventative, culturally relevant, family-centred supportive services to African Canadians. The article outlines the development of a community-led, multi-service delivery model for Ontario child welfare, and the potential challenges and opportunities for the delivery of such services to African Canadian children, youth, and families

PHP8 ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS IN GERMANY: COST ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE HOSPITALIZATIONS

La irrupción de las nuevas tecnologías en la vida cotidiana ha supuesto una enorme revolución a la hora de determinar tanto las relaciones entre los sujetos como de comprender e interpretar la realidad. Por ello, la alfabetización mediática se plantea hoy como una disciplina indispensable en los sistemas educativos de todo el mundo. Este artículo recoge los resultados obtenidos en un experimento con estudiantes de educación secundaria. El objetivo es observar hasta qué punto la alfabetización mediática puede resultar de utilidad a la hora de potenciar las competencias interpretativas de los estudiantes. La muestra está formada por alumnos de 14-15 años, pertenecientes al curso Décimo de tres centros escolares de Guayaquil. La variable independiente es conformada por cinco spots. Los resultados subrayan que, al margen del contexto socioeconómico, los alumnos instruidos mediáticamente muestran una capacidad interpretativa y decodificadora superior a aquellos otros que no lo fueron.&nbsp; &nbsp