BEYOND THE INERTIA OF AFFLUENCE

O aquecimento global engendra perigos sem precedentes para a humanidade e é um produto de atividades humanas: a produção e o consumo de combustíveis fósseis, acompanhados de níveis cada vez maiores de gases de efeito estufa na atmosfera. Algumas das consequências previstas do aquecimento já se fazem presentes; efeitos ainda mais catastróficos serão experimentados no futuro. Dois processos comportamentais operam para manter o uso de combustíveis fósseis: 1) Estudos sobre descontos do atraso das consequências sugerem que resultados de valor relativamente menor que estão disponíveis agora (e.g., dirigir carros pessoais) são provavelmente preferidos frente ao valor de um planeta sustentável para toda a humanidade, a ser atingido em um futuro indefinido e 2) atividades atuais que envolvem o uso de combustíveis fósseis são, provavelmente, muito persistentes devido à longa e rica história de reforçamento para indivíduos (e.g., conforto e conveniência) e para a indústria de combustíveis fósseis como um todo (e.g., empregos e lucros). Uma maneira de confrontar essa persistência é taxar as emissões de gases de efeito estufa, o que pode transferir os incentivos atuais da energia baseada em combustíveis fósseis para as energias renováveis, mesmo que o abrandamento final das mudanças climáticas seja remoto. As contingências de taxação do carbono são semelhantes às empregadas para tratar o comportamento problema; descreve-se um exemplo bem-sucedido desta abordagem.Palavras-chave: aquecimento global, consumo de combustível fóssil, taxação do carbono, desvalorização pelo atraso, momento do comportamento. Global warming poses unprecedented dangers to humankind, and it is a product of human activities: Production and consumption of fossil fuels, accompanied by steadily increasing levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.  Some of the predicted consequences of warming are already upon us; yet more catastrophic effects will be experienced in the future.  Two behavioral processes operate to maintain fossil fuel use: 1) Delay discounting studies suggest that relatively lesser-valued outcomes (e.g., driving private cars) that are available now are likely to be preferred to the value of a sustainable planet for all humankind, to be achieved in the indefinite future; and 2) ongoing fossil-fueled activities are likely to be highly persistent because of the long and rich history of reinforcement for individuals (e.g., comfort and convenience) and for the fossil-fuel industry as a whole (e.g., jobs and profits). One way to counter that persistence is to tax greenhouse gas emissions, which can shift current incentives away from fossil-fuel based energy toward renewables, even though the ultimate slowing of climate change may be remote.  Carbon-tax contingencies are similar to those employed to treat problem behavior; a successful example of this approach is described.Key words:  Global warming, fossil fuel consumption, carbon tax, delay discounting, behavioral momentu

The Deforest Creek Landslide and Sediment Transport in Deer Creek, Skagit County, Washington

Unit stream power, stream power per unit channel length, and total boundary shear stress were used to assess probable zones of river-sediment transport and storage following a large landslide into the Deer Creek basin, Skagit County, Washington. Since an initial deep-seated failure in glacial deposits in 1983 and a larger failure in 1984, the DeForest Creek landslide has introduced fine (±75% finer than coarse sand) sediment into the main channel of Deer Creek. The influx of sediment has caused infilling of void space in channel gravel by sand and silt, increased bank erosion, and increased slump activity adjacent to the stream. Bankfull discharge (considered to be a channel-forming discharge) was calculated for each of 114 reaches in the 13.4 km study reach. The discharges were used in conjunction with thalweg slopes, bankfull widths, and active-channel depths to calculate unit stream power, stream power per unit channel length, and total boundary shear stress. Analysis of unit stream power for successive reaches of Deer Creek indicates that this variable is sensitive to the degree of bedrock control on channel morphology. In turn, unit stream power exerts a significant control on sites of bank erosion, channel aggradation, and degradation; and it appears to control, at least in part, sites of sediment storage. Thus, unit stream power can help locate reaches most likely to change as Deer Creek adjusts to the increased sediment load from the DeForest Creek landslide

Innovative pupil topographies for sparse aperture telescopes and SNR

Since the first application of the telescope to astronomy in 1610, most new astronomical discoveries require larger and larger radiation collecting areas. Today, the twin 10-meter Keck telescopes are operational and several 30-meter-aperture class telescopes are being planned. Optical interferometers and sparse aperture ground telescopes for astronomy have been proposed and built. Fienup showed the dependence between exposure time and the dilution factor of the aperture needed to maintain image quality.1 Carpenter suggests a sparse aperture telescope system for the purpose of imaging across the surfaces of stars.2 This paper demonstrates that the ability to reconstruct images from white-light extended sources with different contrast levels also depends on the specific pupil topography that is applied to the telescope system. Signal-to-noise ratios for recorded images are calculated for scene contrast, pupil shape, detector full-well, detected photons, and exposure times

Behavioral Momentum Theory: Equations and Applications

Behavioral momentum theory provides a quantitative account of how reinforcers experienced within a discriminative stimulus context govern the persistence of behavior that occurs in that context. The theory suggests that all reinforcers obtained in the presence of a discriminative stimulus increase resistance to change, regardless of whether those reinforcers are contingent on the target behavior, are noncontingent, or are even contingent on an alternative behavior. In this paper, we describe the equations that constitute the theory and address their application to issues of particular importance in applied settings. The theory provides a framework within which to consider the effects of interventions such as extinction, noncontingent reinforcement, differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, and other phenomena (e.g., resurgence). Finally, the theory predicts some counterintuitive and potentially counterproductive effects of alternative reinforcement, and can serve as an integrative guide for intervention when its terms are identified with the relevant conditions of applied settings

Narcissus

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-me/1175/thumbnail.jp

Oh! Mollie Tell Me Why : Song And Dance

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/5686/thumbnail.jp

How Fairness Garners Loyalty in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Role of Trust in the Wholesaler-Pharmacy Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand how fairness garners loyalty by breeding trust in the pharmaceutical wholesaler‐pharmacy relationship. Specifically, the paper seeks to understand if the two dimensions of fairness – procedural and distributive – contribute differently in fostering the two types of trust – credibility and benevolence. The paper further aims to examine how the two dimensions of trust mediate the fairness‐loyalty relationship. Design/methodology/approach – Data from 156 retail pharmacies on their relationship with the pharmaceutical wholesalers are used to test the hypotheses. The mediation models are tested using the Barron and Kenny procedure. Findings – The findings of this paper show the importance of both procedural and distributive aspects of fairness on the part of pharmaceutical wholesalers as perceived by the pharmacies. Each aspect of fairness plays a more prominent role for fostering a particular type of trust, which, in turn, leads to loyalty. Research limitations/implications – Future research may investigate the antecedents to fairness to unearth additional insights as to how organizations can manage their customers\u27 perceptions of fairness and thereby enhance their trust and loyalty. Practical implications – Pharmaceutical wholesale is a competitive business to retain pharmacies by building loyalty thus balancing pharmacies\u27 dependence on the more powerful pharmaceutical manufacturers in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Given the intense competition, the wholesaler that does a superior job in creating a competitive advantage leveraging fairness to engender trust will get to benefit in recruiting and retaining more pharmacies. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the fairness‐trust‐loyalty stream of literature by examining the mediation effects at the sub‐dimension level of the fairness and trust constructs. The paper also has practical implications, especially given the low gross margins for pharmaceutical wholesalers and the growing threat of direct distribution of pharmaceuticals or disintermediation by the manufacturers using third party logistics companies, such as united parcel service. The paper shows how wholesalers may be able to build loyalty with the pharmacies by signaling fairness and fostering trust

Narcissus

https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/sheetmusic/1151/thumbnail.jp