The Impact of Insurance Prices on Decision-Making Biases: An Experimental Analysis

This paper tests whether the use of endogenous risk categorization by insurers enables consumers to make better-informed decisions even if they do not choose to purchase insurance. We do so by adding a simple insurance market to an experimental test of optimal (Bayesian) updating. In some sessions, no insurance is offered. In others, actuarially fair insurance prices are posted, and a subset of subjects is allowed to purchase this insurance. We find significant differences in the decision rules used depending on whether or not one observes insurance prices. Although the majority of choices correspond to Bayesian updating, the incidence of optimal decisions is higher in sessions with an insurance option. Most subjects given the option to purchase actuarially fair insurance choose to do so, however fewer subjects purchase insurance when the probability of a loss is higher. Working Paper 06-1

Introduction: The Dynamics of Epistemic Communities

[No abstract][No keywords]

Clarifying Goals, Revitalizing Means: An Independent Evaluation of the Freedom Online Coalition

This independent evaluation of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) was commissioned by the Coalition as it approaches its fifth anniversary. The FOC sought input into a wider strategic review they are carrying out to assess its effectiveness with a particular focus on four areas – membership, governance and structure, the Coalition’s efforts and activities, and funding. Thirty interviews with government representatives, members of civil society, business representatives, and academics were conducted between September 2015 and January 2016, along with an in-person consultation with 14 stakeholders at the Internet Governance Forum in Brazil in November 2015. Desk research on five similar types of organizations was used for comparative purposes. The findings of this research show that there is significant support for the existence of the Coalition and for it continuation as a government only coalition. However, there are a number of criticisms of the FOC, including the lack of transparency about its activities, inadequate consequences for countries not meeting their commitments, and frustration at the ambiguity of the aims and objectives of the Coalition, and the few tangible results that have been produced so far. A number of respondents also talked about the ways in which the Snowden revelations have complicated efforts to work on Internet freedom. There are specific recommendations in each of the four areas covered in the evaluation, but the highest priority suggestions for the Coalition moving forward are as follows: Clarify the aims and objectives of the Coalition; Increase the legitimacy of the Coalition by establishing a mechanism through which stakeholders can raise concerns about the actions of a member government; Institute a mechanism whereby members’ performance at meeting their commitments can be periodically reviewed; Establish more stable funding for the Coalition through the introduction of multi-year commitments and a tiered funding model; Create a formal link between the working groups and the FOC’s governance in order to ensure that outputs from the working groups are considered and responded to by the FOC; Improve the Coalition’s communication, clarifying membership criteria and rendering more transparent, to the extent possible, its diplomatic interventions. The Coalition is still a young institution and some of the issues it faces are a reflection of this. However, there are areas that the FOC must address to increase its effectiveness. Ultimately, the question for the Coalition is whether it can rise to the challenge of leading the global conversations that will drive action and policy making on Internet freedom in an increasingly complex world

Reactions of metal complexes with Lewis bases and their utilisation in the selective filtration of smoke

This thesis is concerned with internal redox reactions of metal complexes and the application of such reactions in the selective filtration of tobacco smoke. The reactions of Fe(II), Fe(III) and Cu(II) quinoneoximic complexes and of some other complexes of these metals with Lewis bases (e.g. Ph3P and py) have been investigated. From the results obtained and from a critical consideration of analogous reactions reported in the literature the behaviour of metal chelates towards Lewis bases has been assessed. It has been established that the reaction between a metal chelate and a Lewis base may lead to: (i) Adduct formation, (ii) condensation and (iii) to an internal redox reaction, M(chel)n LB[over arrow] M(chel)n-1(LB)x + chel* The latter is favoured when the metal in M(chel)n has a stable lower oxidation state, by Lewis bases capable of E[eta]—bonding and by chelating ligands exerting a strong ligand field. The type of behaviour shown by chel* has been considered. The dissociated radical may: (i) Abstract a hydrogen atom to give the protonated ligand, (ii) dimerise, (iii) undergo coupling or degradation. A detailed investigation of the reactions of Fe(l-nqo)3 and Fe(2-nqo)3 with Ph3P (including kinetic studies) showed that these complexes undergo internal redox reactions to give iron(II) complexes and products arising from the deoxygenation of the nqo* radical. Mechanisms for these resctions have been proposed. The behaviour of quinoneoximic complexes of iron towards the Lewis base CO has been examined both directly and indirectly by studying the behaviour of nqoH towards Fe(CO)5 or Fe(CO)5/PhNH2. Fe(CO)5 and 1-nqoH or 2-nqoH afforded complexes of the type Fe(nqo)2, without formation of CO adducts or deoxygenation products. In the presence of PhNH2 complexes of type Fe(nqo)2 and Fe(nqo-A)2 resulted, where nqo-A is a species arising from the coupling of the nqo ligand with PhNH2. Both systems also afforded various organic products. On the basis of Mossbauer and other techniques oligomeric structures have been suggested for the complexes Fe(nqo)2 and Fe(nqo-A)2. Whereas CO did not react with Fe(nqo)2 or Fe(nqo)2.2py, it reacted with Fe(nqo)3, possibly via an internal redox process. For Fe(2-nqo)3 products arising from a deoxygenated ligand and a complex tentatively formulated as the nitrene species, Fe(2-nq)2, were isolated. The reactivity of the Fe(nqo), complexes towards CO has been successfully utilised in the selective filtration of tobacco smoke. Both Fe(1-nqo)3, and Fe(2-nqo)3 were shown to be capable of significantly reducing the level of CO in tobacco smoke under smoking conditions when supported on suitable filters. Reduction of the levels of other Lewis bases in tobacco smoke, e.g. nicotine and furfural, was observed. The complexes Fe(nqo)2, Fe(nqo)2.2py and Fe(nqo)3 reacted readily with NO to give complicated mixtures, but their effectiveness in removing NO from tobacco smoke has not been unambiguously established

IDENTIFICATION OF PERFECTIONISTIC COLLEGE STUDENTS

The purpose of the study was to identify distinctive personality characteristics for perfectionistic college students. One hundred eighty-four graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in psychology and business courses were asked to participate by completing a measure of perfectionism and a personality test. The participants scores were arranged into groups based on their MPS subscale scores. Discriminant analyses revealed 3 separate clusters of variables which predicted perfectionism group membership with surprising accuracy

Gaskell's heroines and the power of time

This paper, using Cranford, Ruth, Wives and Daughters and Sylvia's Lovers, develops the topics of the Scott chapter to suggest that, through an awareness of the power of time and circumstance to shape our lives, the traditional female values of love and forgiveness are revealed as our best hope for changing the course of history and directing the future of the community and the nation

Petrology of Passive Margin-Epeiric Sea Sediments: The Garden City Formation, North-Central Utah

The Lower Ordovician Garden City Formation is part of the thick sequence of Lower Paleozoic limestones, dolostones, and minor siliciclastic sedimentary rocks of the western United States. The carbonate rocks were formed predominantly by shallow water deposition in tropical, passive-margin epeiric seas. The Garden City Formation is composed of nine lithotypes which represent the various environments. The formation is a storm-influenced transgressive sequence which may be divided into innershelf shallow subtidal and outer-shelf deep subtidal environments separated by a skeletal accumulation. The skeletal accumulation, formed by storm initiation, was a submerged topographic high, below normal wave base. The inner shelf includes the initial peritidal transgressive and shoreface material, which was extensively reworked by storm action, and a patchy distribution of shallow subtidal deposits. It is characterized by shoreward fossil banks and mud mounds, a restricted fauna, large amounts of terrigenous material and repeated occurrences of storm-created intraclastic layers within a nodular limestone. The outer shelf sediments have a diverse fauna, are extensively burrowed and bioturbated, and have significant amounts of chert. Uncommon intraformational conglomerate layers signify deposition below mean storm-wave base. The Garden City Limestone facies were deposited in broad, energy-related zones parallel to the ancient shoreline. These facies were compared to the model of epeiric sea deposition presented by Shaw (1964) and Irwin (1965). There was a lack of evidence within the Garden City sediments to support the existence of an extensive, shoreward, tideless low-energy zone as predicted by the model. The inner shallow subtidal environments remained near normal marine conditions, with water circulation provided by tidal action. Early diagenetic features of the Garden City Formation include compaction, micritization, cementation and neomorphism. Chert formation preceded pressure solution and probably represents silicification of burrows. Dolomitizing fluids moved along faults, unconformities, and bedding planes to selectively dolomitize the formation. Near-surface weathering resulted in dedolomitization and the oxidation of pyrite to hematite

Organizations as Communities: Creating Worksite Campaigns to Promote Organ Donation

Organizations as Communities: Creating Worksite Campaigns to Promote Organ Donatio