CLOOSTING: CLustering Data with bOOSTING

We present a novel clustering approach, that exploits boosting as the primary means of modelling clusters. Typically, boosting is applied in a supervised classification context; here, we move in the less explored unsupervised scenario. Starting from an initial partition, clusters are iteratively re-estimated using the responses of one-vs-all boosted classifiers. Within-cluster homogeneity and separation between the clusters are obtained by a combination of three mechanisms: use of regularised Adaboost to reject outliers, use of weak learners inspired to subtractive clustering and smoothing of the decision functions with a Gaussian Kernel. Experiments on public datasets validate our proposal, in some cases improving on the state of the art

Working status and leisure

Paid labour is often said to come at a price. Using timebudget information on 9063 Dutch respondents and their partners, we investigated whether couples working full time economize on their solitary and social time budget. Results show that individuals who are part of a full-time working couple spend a smaller share of their available time budget on social interaction with relatives and friends than individuals from single-earner families or combination households. Instead, in full-time working couples, partners prefer to spend a relatively large share of their leisure time on institutionalized social interaction, such as volunteering, cultural participation and attending sports events.

Currently cohabiting: relationship attitudes, expectations and outcomes

This study uses prospective data from the British Household Panel Survey to analyse individuals’ relationship expectations and subsequent outcomes between 1998 and 2005. How do relationship expectations differ by age, sex, previous relationship history and parenthood? How do attitudes towards cohabitation differ by age, sex, previous relationship history and parenthood? Prospective data are particularly well suited to answering these questions as the relationship expectations are collected whilst the subjective state exists, allowing systematic empirical investigation of social change