An Examination of Consumer Financial Decision Making in Interpersonal Contexts.

The past five years have witnessed a surge of interdisciplinary research aimed at understanding and improving consumer financial decision making. Scholars in this area attempt to enhance consumer welfare by uncovering and altering situational and contextual factors that drive individuals to make financially suboptimal decisions. Naturally, most research in this nascent field has focused on how individuals approach financial decisions. However, financial decisions are often subject to social influence and are made within the context of existing relationships (e.g., between spouses). Moreover, the outcomes of such decisions can be important determinants of relationship satisfaction. Thus, my dissertation provides a more complete understanding of consumer financial decision making by examining how financial decisions influence the development of relationships (Essay 1) and how relationship dynamics influence financial decisions (Essay 2). I find that others’ chronic spending habits shape the inferences we draw about them (e.g., their perceived general self-control), which ultimately influences initial romantic and physical attraction. I also find that couples make more optimal debt repayment decisions working together than individual couple members working on their own. Unlike stranger-pairs who lack information about each other’s relative strengths and weaknesses, established couples benefit from placing greater weight on the preferences of the partner with greater financial expertise. Theoretical implications and future directions are discussed.PhDBusiness AdministrationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/113371/1/jennygin_1.pd

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS of Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology

In June 2021, JSSAM received its opening impact factor (1.957 for 2020), ranking JSSAM as 46/125 in Statistics and Probability and 29/52 in Social Sciences Mathematical Methods. This ranking is especially gratifying given the relative youth of this journal, and credit should be shared among the dedicated editors (present and emeritus), associate editors, contributing authors, and readership. Truly, the past few years have brought about personal and professional challenges thanks to the coronavirus disease pandemic. Despite this, JSSAM has maintained its high standards, continuing to make great inroads toward its objective of being “the flagship journal for research on survey statistics and methodology” (see About the Journal). Over the past 18months, there have been a few changes underway for JSSAM. For returning authors, perhaps the most noticeable change is the double-blind review process, implemented in July 2021. Implementing this process brings JSSAM in line with other AAPOR and ASA-sponsored journals and allows “honest” reviews. However, JSSAM has made other—perhaps less immediately noticeable— changes. ....

A review of IATTC research on the early life history and reproductive biology of scombrids conducted at the Achotines Laboratory from 1985 to 2005

English: For nearly a century, fisheries scientists have studied marine fish stocks in an effort to understand how the abundances of fish populations are determined. During the early lives of marine fishes, survival is variable, and the numbers of individuals surviving to transitional stages or recruitment are difficult to predict. The egg, larval, and juvenile stages of marine fishes are characterized by high rates of mortality and growth. Most marine fishes, particularly pelagic species, are highly fecund, produce small eggs and larvae, and feed and grow in complex aquatic ecosystems. The identification of environmental or biological factors that are most important in controlling survival during the early life stages of marine fishes is a potentially powerful tool in stock assessment. Because vital rates (mortality and growth) during the early life stages of marine fishes are high and variable, small changes in those rates can have profound effects on the properties of survivors and recruitment potential (Houde 1989). Understanding and predicting the factors that most strongly influence pre-recruit survival are key goals of fisheries research programs. Spanish: Desde hace casi un siglo, los científicos pesqueros han estudiado las poblaciones de peces marinos en un intento por entender cómo se determina la abundancia de las mismas. Durante la vida temprana de los peces marinos, la supervivencia es variable, y el número de individuos que sobrevive hasta las etapas transicionales o el reclutamiento es difícil de predecir. Las etapas de huevo, larval, y juvenil de los peces marinos son caracterizadas por tasas altas de mortalidad y crecimiento. La mayoría de los peces marinos, particularmente las especies pelágicas, son muy fecundos, producen huevos y larvas pequeños, y se alimentan y crecen en ecosistemas acuáticos complejos. La identificación los factores ambientales o biológicos más importantes en el control de la supervivencia durante las etapas tempranas de vida de los peces marinos es una herramienta potencialmente potente en la evaluación de las poblaciones. Ya que las tasas vitales (mortalidad y crecimiento) durante las etapas tempranas de vida de los peces marinos son altas y variables, cambios pequeños en esas tasas pueden ejercer efectos importantes sobre las propiedades de los supervivientes y el potencial de reclutamiento (Houde 1989). Comprender y predecir los factores que más afectan la supervivencia antes del reclutamiento son objetivos clave de los programas de investigación pesquera

The determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in inner-regional Australia

Background: Residents of inner-regional Australia suffer poorer health than people living in Australia’s major cities and in more remote regions of Australia. Physical activity has numerous health benefits and offers an excellent preventive health strategy. Sedentary behaviour (i.e., too much sitting) is detrimental for health, particularly among those who perform low levels of physical activity. A high proportion of people living in inner-regional Australia are insufficiently active (84%), and on average, people within this population are sedentary for one third of all waking hours. To devise effective strategies to improve the health of this population by encouraging more people to lead active lifestyles, we first need to understand why so many people within inner-regional Australia are inactive and sedentary. Therefore, the overall aim of this research was to understand why high proportions of people living in inner-regional Australia lead inactive lifestyles. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was undertaken involving two qualitative and one quantitative study. The first two studies were conducted in inner-regional southern Queensland, with qualitative methodology in the form of semi-structured interviews. The aim of the first study (N = 17) was to identify characteristics of the social and physical inner-regional environment that might impact active lifestyles. The aim of the second study (N = 8) was to identify the beliefs of people residing in inner-regional Australia in relation to physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Data from both studies were analysed by thematic analysis. The findings of these studies informed the design of the final, quantitative cross-sectional study. The aims of this study were to estimate the magnitude of the effects of characteristics of the physical and social environment on physical activity-related intentions and habit strength in inner-regional Australians, and to examine the mechanisms through which these factors affect the psychological antecedents of physical activity. An empirically-derived theoretical model was devised to guide the research. Residents of inner-regional Australia (N = 271) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed physical activity-related automaticity, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control (PBC), and autonomous motivation, in addition to perceptions of the social and physical environment, community participation, drivers of neighbourhood selection, and demographic characteristics. Findings: Neighbourhoods in inner-regional southern Queensland were described as socially cohesive, attractive, and safe. There was a strong culture of support for local sporting teams, and good pedestrian mobility infrastructure within newer housing developments. Such factors may facilitate active lifestyles and have been associated with higher levels of physical activity in previous research. Conversely, weather, poor pedestrian mobility infrastructure, dangerous traffic conditions, distance (particularly for those living outside of towns), and restricted access to destinations presented barriers to active lifestyles. Beliefs that may be conducive to active lifestyles were identified (e.g., favourable health and social outcomes were attributed to physical activity and negative health outcomes were attributed to sedentary behaviour), in addition to beliefs that may be counter to active lifestyles (e.g., features of the physical environment, such as distance to goods, services, and recreational facilities fostered beliefs about the difficulty of performing physical activity and the inevitability of transport-related sedentary behaviour). Despite the presence of some activity-supportive characteristics of inner-regional settings and beliefs that may be expected to be conducive to active lifestyles, most participants reported largely inactive lifestyles. The findings of the third study revealed that together with past physical activity and social-cognitive constructs, social cohesion, community participation, neighbourhood selection for lifestyle and community, and aesthetics accounted for substantive variation in physical activity-related intentions and automaticity. Neighbourhood selection for lifestyle and community, was associated with lower perceived difficulty to perform physical activity, and subsequently with higher physical activity-related intentions. However, contrary to predictions, the constructs representing the contextual characteristics of innerregional Australia did not exert unique effects on the psychological constructs. Past physical activity predicted all of the psychological and motivational constructs, except for attitudes. The effects of past physical activity on intentions were mediated by subjective norms and PBC. Autonomous motivation predicted automaticity, in addition to attitudes, subjective norms, PBC, and intentions. The effects of autonomous motivation on intentions were mediated by subjective norms and PBC. Conclusions: The favourable outcome expectancies attributed to active lifestyles by people in inner-regional Australia are insufficient, on their own, to generate sustained active lifestyles. Likewise, the presence of some activity supportive features of the physical and social environment are insufficient, in isolation, to encourage active lifestyles. The need for social interaction, and normative beliefs appear to be particularly salient in inner-regional communities. Autonomous motivation is a critical component of intentional and implicit processes theorised to predict physical activity. Strategies to encourage active lifestyles in inner-regional Australia should concurrently focus on fostering autonomous motivation for physical activity and minimised sedentary behaviour, and on reducing barriers to, and enhancing opportunities for, active lifestyles within the physical environment. Such strategies may be further enhanced by highlighting and promoting opportunities for social interaction through physical activity participation

Spawning and early development of captive yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

In this study we describe the courtship and spawning behaviors of captive yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), their spawning periodicity, the influence of physical and biological factors on spawning and hatching, and egg and early-larval development of this species at the Achotines Laboratory, Republic of Panama, during October 1996 through March 2000. Spawning occurred almost daily over extended periods and at water temperatures from 23.3° to 29.7°C. Water temperature appeared to be the main exogenous factor controlling the occurrence and timing of spawning. Courtship and spawning behaviors were ritualized and consistent among three groups of broodstock over 3.5 years. For any date, the time of day of spawning (range: 1330 to 2130 h) was predictable from mean daily water temperature, and 95% of hatching occurred the next day between 1500 and 1900 h. We estimated that females at first spawning averaged 1.6−2.0 years of age. Over short time periods (<1 month), spawning females increased their egg production from 30% to 234% in response to shortterm increases in daily food ration of 9% to 33%. Egg diameter, notochord length (NL) at hatching, NL at first feeding, and dry weights of these stages were estimated. Water temperature was significantly, inversely related to egg size, egg-stage duration, larval size at hatching, and yolksac larval duration

Trial feasibility and process evaluation of a motivationally-embellished group peer led walking intervention in retirement villages using the RE- AIM framework: the residents in action trial (RiAT)

Objective: The Residents in Action Trial (RiAT; ACTRN12616001177448) was a 16-week motivationally-embellished peer-led walking intervention designed to increase walking, reduce sitting, and improve mental health and well-being in insufficiently active residents in retirement villages. In this paper we report on 1) trial feasibility and acceptability, and 2) evaluate the processes involved in the implementation of the intervention using the RE- AIM framework. Method: A mixed methods design was employed, consisting of data from accelerometers, surveys, (individual, pair-based and focus group) interviews, and participant logbooks. Participants included 116 walkers (M(SD) age=78.37(8.30); 92% female), 8 peer leaders (i.e. ambassadors) and 3 retirement village managers from 14 retirement villages. Descriptives and linear mixed modelling were used to analyse the quantitative data and inductive thematic analyses were employed to analyse the interview data. Results: The intended cluster randomised controlled design became quasi-experimental due to insufficient numbers of recruited ambassadors. The perceived burden of the number and frequency of research assessments was a frequently mentioned reason for a poor recruitment. Facilitators to walking maintenance were the use of self-monitoring, goal setting, social support, and having a routine. Reach was modest (about 14% of eligible participants were recruited from each village), but retention was excellent (92%). The motivational strategies taught appeared to have been implemented, at least in part, by the ambassadors. The walkers in the main experimental condition increased marginally their step counts, but there were no group differences on mental health and well-being outcomes, partly because of low statistical power. Conclusions: Walkers and ambassadors who did take part in the study suggested that they enjoyed the programme and found it useful in terms of becoming more active and making social connections. However, the group format was not appealing to some participants, hence, other delivery options should be explored in the future

The Greater Kansas City Early Care and Education Landscape Study Final Report: Jackson County, Missouri

The report includes data that will allow districts, schools, centers, funders, and supporters to better understand who is accessing early childhood services, what services are being accessed, and who is providing those services. The survey showed that schools, centers, and homes differed with respect to children served, program characteristics, and staff characteristic. Likely as a result of their access to more sources of revenue, school-based programs were more likely to be accredited, to have appropriately educated teachers who receive fair compensation and benefits, to offer services such as transportation and summer school, and to use strategies to engage families compared to centers and homes. The focus on formal learning opportunities varied with respect to program type. School-based programs were most likely to use a curriculum and to assess kindergarten readiness (100% and 71%, respectively), followed by centers (74% and 50%, respectively), then homes (65% and 32%, respectively)

Identity-Based Perceptions of Others’ Consumption Choices

In this chapter we argue that studying “identity” means moving beyond the “self.” Consumers exist in a social context, meaning that the choices they make (a) reinforce their own identities and (b) provide information about who they are to other people. For example, someone (an “actor”) might choose to buy organic produce; someone else (an “observer”) may perceive this individual as an environmentally-conscious Millennial with higher disposable income. Importantly, observers may use an actor’s perceived identities to judge the “appropriateness” of a given purchase. We illustrate these points by focusing on income identity (e.g., socioeconomic status) and ethical consumption choices (i.e., choices that are prosocial but costly). Across several experiments, we find that low-income consumers receiving government assistance (“welfare recipients”) are seen as less moral when they choose ethical products, such as organic food and eco-friendly vehicles. This occurs in part because people expect those who are poor to be frugal. Conversely, wealthier consumers are seen as more moral for the same choices, in part, because of a belief they have earned spending freedom. We also find that these judgments extend to non-financial choices like volunteering time. This chapter is important because it highlights that who we are impacts perceptions of what we do, which may have consequences for our relationships with other consumers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. For example, identity-based cues may influence hiring practices (e.g., poor actors are seen as less employable than wealthy actors), government policies (e.g., some people may be seen as more “deserving” of aid than others), and the ability to solicit donations (e.g., people donate less to a charity providing “organic food” vs. “conventional food” to aid recipients). We hope our chapter inspires additional research activity into understanding how observer-based identity judgments influence consumer well-being and marketplace experiences