Brain-Based Vocabulary Teaching and Learning

Today’s scientists are making remarkable progress as they strive to understand and explain the many intricacies of the human brain. Educators and students alike can benefit from understanding the basic tenets of this research and then putting that knowledge into play in the classroom. To that aim, this article first explains some basic brain structures and the physiological process of learning, and next gives examples of classroom activities that can capitalize upon that knowledge in order to improve vocabulary teaching and learning through neuro-educational strategies

Reducing energy subsidies in China, India and Russia : dilemmas for decision makers

This article examines and compares efforts to reduce energy subsidies in China, India and Russia. Despite dissimilarities in forms of governance, these three states have followed surprisingly similar patterns in reducing energy subsidies, characterised by two steps forward, one step back. Non-democratic governments and energy importers might be expected to be more likely to halt subsidies. In fact, the degree of democracy and status as net energy exporters or importers does not seem to significantly affect these countries’ capacity to reduce subsidies, as far as can be judged from the data in this article. Politicians in all three fear that taking unpopular decisions may provoke social unrest.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A Multigroup Analysis of Reintegrative Shaming Theory: An Application to Drunk Driving Offenses

A restorative justice alternative to crime prevention termed reintegrative shaming theory by Braithwaite has seen increased attention as an alternative to retributive justice, although empirical investigations of its efficacy are limited. The purpose of the present study was to test confirmatory measurement and structural models of reintegrative shaming theory in order to assess the underlying theoretical model and the application of this theory in response to drunk driving offenses. Nine latent constructs were included in these models: reintegration, stigmatization, perceived fairness, self esteem, shame-guilt, embarrassment-exposure, unresolved shame, offender responsibility, and family support. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used to assess for measurement invariance of indicators used to measure these nine latent constructs between 724 drunk driving offenders randomly assigned to traditional court processing versus offenders assigned to reintegrative shaming conferencing following arrest. Partial metric and partial scalar invariance were found. Thus, analyses proceeded by conducting tests for significant differences in the latent means between groups. Offenders assigned to conferencing reported significantly higher mean values on the constructs reintegration, perceived fairness, self-esteem, shame-guilt, and family support, supporting Braithwaite\u27s theory. Finally, a structural model was hypothesized based upon Braithwaite\u27s theory to assess the relationships between the latent constructs. Three additional structural paths were included to achieve an acceptable model fit. This structural model was found to be partially invariant between groups. As predicted, a higher level of reintegration was associated with greater perceived fairness, while a higher level of stigmatization was related to decreased self-esteem and lower perceived fairness. In turn, greater self-esteem and perceived fairness were significantly related to higher reported experiences of shame-guilt and lower ratings of embarrassment exposure. Greater perceived fairness also corresponded to lower reported unresolved shame. Finally, greater shame-guilt was significantly related to greater offender responsibility and family support, while unresolved shame was significantly related to less offender responsibility acceptance. The findings from the current study support Braithwaite\u27s hypotheses regarding the importance and benefits of disapproving of the criminal act and not the person, while allowing offenders to accept responsibility for their actions and attempt to remediate the wrong that they committed

Long-distance dating relationships among college students : the benefits and drawbacks of using technology

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on September 12, 2012).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. David SchrammIncludes bibliographical references.Vita.M.A. University of Missouri-Columbia 2012.As many as 75% of college students are or will eventually be in a long-distance dating relationship (LDDR), relying on various communication technologies to connect with their partner. This study seeks to explore the use, frequency, and satisfaction with technology among college students, and its impact on their relationship satisfaction. A sample of 463 college students completed a mixed-methods online survey about a current LDDR. The results from frequency analyses revealed texting, phone calls, and video chats to be the most popular methods of communication among college students, the majority of which reported texting and calling their partner daily. In open-ended responses, participants' described several overlapping "pros and cons" of relying on technology to maintain an intimate relationship. Discussion and directions for future research are included

An Empirical Investigation of the Adaptive Nature of Shame

Throughout the empirical psychological literature on emotion, the general consensus is that shame is maladaptive, while guilt is the adaptive moral emotion. Conversely, evolutionary psychology concludes that all emotions serve adaptive functions. Specifically, shame serves an appeasement function in social relationships. In order to investigate the true nature of shame, the current study used an experimental design. Specifically, a 2 (high shame, no shame) X 2 (high guilt, no guilt) design with a no-mistakes control group was implemented, and shame and guilt were operationalized through an evolutionary lens (i.e., shame as a nonverbal display, guilt as verbalizations of apology). Participants (n = 110) were told they would be assisting psychology faculty members with interviewing candidates for a research position. During the interview, the candidate made three mistakes, and showed shame and/or guilt according to the 2 X 2 design. Participants then rated how well the candidate performed. Results were analyzed using a 2-way ANOVA and independent samples t tests, and it was found that participants rated the candidate more favorably in both shame conditions. Importantly, there were no significant differences between those participants who viewed the candidate who made no mistakes (control condition) and those that viewed the candidate showing shame after multiple mistakes. Thus, apparently saying \u27sorry\u27 is not quite enough

Student Income and Spending Patterns at Utah State University

A large number of students have entered Cache County to attend Utah State University. These students are of economic significance to Cache County in two ways. First, they are buyers of consumer goods in the Cache County in two ways. First, they are buyers of consumer goods in the Cache Trade Area. Second, they represent a part of the labor forces in Cache County. The magnitude and nature of the economic activity of Utah State University students in Cache County have never been adequately measured. It is the purpose of this study to develop marketing and economic facts concerning Utah State University students\u27 income and spending patterns. It will provide information about the spending patterns of an important segment of the Cache County population. It will also supply empirical data which will be useful in further analytical studies of consumer\u27s economic behavior in the development of student income and expenditure theory

Comparison of cause of death between ANZDATA and the Australian national death index.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to understand the differences in how cause of death for patients receiving renal replacement therapy in Australia is recorded in The Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) compared to the National Death Index (NDI). Methods: Data linkage was performed between ANZDATA and NDI for all deaths in the period 1980-2013. Cause of death was classified according to ICD-10 chapter. Overall and chapter specific agreement were assessed using the Kappa statistic. Descriptive analysis was used to explore differences where there was disagreement on primary cause of death. Results: The analysis cohort included 28 675 patients. Ninety five percent of ANZDATA reported deaths fell within +/- 3 days of the date recorded by NDI. Circulatory death was the most common cause of death in both databases (ANZDATA 48%, NDI 32%). Overall agreement at ICD chapter level of primary cause was poor (36%, kappa 0.22). Agreement was best for malignancy (kappa 0.71). When there was disagreement on primary cause of death these were most commonly coded as genitourinary (35%) and endocrine (25.0%) in NDI, and circulatory (39%) and withdrawal (24%) in ANZDATA. Sixty-nine percent of patients had a renal related cause documented as either primary or a contributing cause of death in the NDI. Conclusion: There is poor agreement in primary cause of death between ANZDATA and NDI which is in part explained by the absence of diabetes and renal failure as causes of death in ANZDATA and the absence of 'withdrawal' in NDI. These differences should be appreciated when interpreting epidemiological data on cause of death in the Australian end stage kidney disease population