Intimacy Expectations in Same-Sex Friendships: A Prototype Interaction-Pattern Model.

A prototype interaction-pattern model of intimacy expectations was proposed. The central tenet of this model was that people develop knowledge of the patterns of relating that are likely to produce intimacy in a same-sex friendship. Further, it was posited that these interaction patterns are structured as prototypes, such that some patterns of relating are regarded as more likely to create a sense of intimacy than others. Support for this model was found in 6 studies. Interaction patterns depicting self-disclosure, emotional support, and the like were considered more prototypical of intimacy expectations than patterns depicting shared activities and practical support. Regarding gender, women rated intimacy interaction patterns higher than did men, particularly prototypical patterns. However, women and men agreed that prototypical interaction patterns were more indicative of intimacy in a friendship than nonprototypical patterns. Implications for the controversy over whether women's friendships are more intimate than men's are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem and perceptions of conveyed impressions: Is negative affectivity associated with greater realism?

Two studies examine the notion that negative affectivity (Watson & Clark, 1984) is associated with more accurate perceptions of conveyed impressions in social interactions. In Study 1 (n?=?160), low self-esteem (LSE) and high self-esteem (HSE) subjects were paired with either an LSE or an HSE partner. After a 15-min interaction, they rated themselves, their partners, and how they believed their partners would rate them on 20 adjectives related to social competence. Study 2 (n?=?40) was identical except that each interaction was observed by 2 observers who rated each participant, and participants also rated how they believed an observer would rate them. LSE subjects exhibited greater accuracy only with respect to the elevation component of observers' ratings; HSE subjects overestimated the positivity of observers' evaluations, whereas LSE subjects were relatively accurate. However, LSE subjects exhibited less overall accuracy with respect to their partners' ratings. We argue that when these results are considered with earlier research, there is no support for the notion of depressive realism in assessing conveyed impressions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Channels from Housing Wealth to Consumption

This paper uses micro-data from two national panel surveys to analyze the flow of wealth from residential property onto households' balance sheets, where it is available for discretionary spending. The examples are Australia and the UK—two of the world's most entrenched nations of owner occupation, both with relatively complete mortgage markets. We focus on the early 2000s, which set the scene for an unprecedented wave of housing equity withdrawal. We consider equity released through sales and through additional borrowing. The findings show that equity extraction overall is not only (or even) a function of higher incomes, greater wealth, and older age; rather it occurs across the life course and is linked to pressing spending needs. We draw attention in particular to the growing social and economic significance of in situ equity borrowing—a practice whose financial buffering effects may form a short-lived prelude, rather than a sustainable alternative, to trading on or selling up.     

Development of self-body-esteem in overweight youngsters.

97 children in 3 age groups (8.5–11.4, 11.5–14.4, and 14.5–17.4 yrs) were used to examine the development of self-body-esteem in overweight and normal-weight Ss. There were 47 females and 50 males; 48 Ss were overweight (112% or more of their ideal body weight). Ss were administered the Self-Esteem Inventory and a measure of body-esteem. Results show that at the youngest age, overweight and normal-weight Ss had similar self-esteem. At the middle-age, self-esteem was adversely affected in overweight males, but not in overweight females. At the oldest age, self-esteem was affected in overweight females but not in overweight males. At all ages, overweight Ss had lower body-esteem than did normal-weight Ss. Although self-esteem and body-esteem were correlated, relative weight was the best predictor of body-esteem. Independent of relative weight, Ss in the 2 older groups who had low self-esteem tended to have low body-esteem. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coordination in co-located agile software development projects

Agile software development provides a way to organise the complex task of multi-participant software development while accommodating constant project change. Agile software development is well accepted in the practitioner community but there is little understanding of how such projects achieve effective coordination, which is known to be critical in successful software projects. A theoretical model of coordination in the agile software development context is presented based on empirical data from three cases of co-located agile software development. Many practices in these projects act as coordination mechanisms, which together form a coordination strategy. Coordination strategy in this context has three components: synchronisation, structure, and boundary spanning. Coordination effectiveness has two components: implicit and explicit. The theoretical model of coordination in agile software development projects proposes that an agile coordination strategy increases coordination effectiveness. This model has application for practitioners who want to select appropriate practices from agile methods to ensure they achieve coordination coverage in their project. For the field of information systems development, this theory contributes to knowledge of coordination and coordination effectiveness in the context of agile software development.     

The Integrated Workload Scale (IWS): a new self-report tool to assess railway signaller workload

Network Rail, who own the railway infrastructure in the UK, have been interested in the assessment of mental workload (MWL) of signallers and control staff for some years. A new model of MWL has been proposed within which to develop a suite of new MWL analytical and empirical assessment tools. One of these is the Integrated Workload Scale (IWS), developed and tested for signallers. This paper describes the development of the IWS and its subsequent testing within two full-scale simulator trials with an NX (entry/exit) panel and an Integrated Electrical Control Centre (IECC) system, and then in the field at signal boxes. The IWS has proven to be a valuable measure of individually experienced peaks and troughs in workload over a period of time or within a particular set of scenarios. It is acceptable to signallers and maps well onto assessments of expected workload on the basis of timeline analysis and subject matter expert commentaries.     

Flower Inspiration: Broad-Angle Structural Color through Tunable Hierarchical Wrinkles in Thin Film Multilayers

The petals of some flowers form hierarchical structures when nano-scale cuticular ridges overlay bulged epidermal cells. These hierarchical structures can broaden the observable angles of iridescence. The resulting optical effect enhances the foraging efficiency of pollinators. Although efforts have been devoted to mimicking this unique broad-angle structural color, the intrinsic tunability offered by natural systems to control such a broadened spectrum is still absent in synthetic models. A hierarchical system is developed that provides hierarchical wrinkle-based structures that tune the observable angles for structural color. Laser diffraction measurements demonstrate that the observable angle of reflectance is broadened in proportion to the square root of the applied compressive strain. The morphology controls the diffraction pattern: the small wrinkles control the diffraction angles and the large wrinkles broaden the observable range. The development of a multi-mode wrinkling system to produce this broad-angle structural color only occurs within a limited range of conditions, which are experimentally discovered and theoretically modeled. Without diffractive small wrinkles, single wrinkling modes do not display structural colors. The control of wrinkling modes mimics the tunability of petals, which gives new insight into the natural system and provides a robust foundation for tunable structural color control.     

The female voice and traditional discourse biases: The case of francophone African literature

This study reports on a statistical approach to Francophone African literature, addressing the issues of discourse bias and the specificity of female writing as against male. The research is based on a comparison of all the characters present in 20 novels written by male and female African authors, under the headings of importance, power and attitude. It suggests that a number of significant differences characterize the make-up of novels written by African female and male authors.Beverley Ormerod, from Jamaica, is currently associate professor of French at the University of Western Australia. Her publications concerning the literature of the French Caribbean and Francophone Africa includeAn Introduction to the French Caribbean Novel (London: Heinemann, 1985) andRomancières africaines d'expression française, with J.-M. Volet (Paris: L'Harmattan, 1994). Jean-Marie Volet, born in Switzerland and currently Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of French Studies at the University of Western Australia, is pursuing research in the fields of African literature and women's writing. His publications includeLa Parole aux Africaines (Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1993) andRomancières africaines d'expression française, with B. Ormerod (Paris: L'Harmattan, 1994). Hélène Jaccomard, a tutor in the Department of French Studies at the University of Western Australia and a translator, has research interests in autobiography and literary theory. She has published a book onLe Lecteur et la lecture dans l'autobiographie française contemporaine (Geneva: Droz, 1994) and articles, including Françoise d'Eaubonne: Accuser (la) Réception,The French Review, 68, 3 (1994).     

Spectroscopic electron tomography

The elemental mapping techniques in analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy filtered imaging (EFTEM) and EDX-mapping, are shown to provide new routes for tomographic reconstructions of 3D chemical maps on the nanoscale. The inelastic scattering does not only provide chemical sensitivity but also improves the linear projection relationship between mass density and image intensity, which often fails in bright field TEM of crystalline materials due to diffraction contrast. Instrumental requirements and artefact sources within the contrast formation mechanisms and within the numerical reconstruction are assessed.     

Rail human factors: Past, present and future

Rail human factors research has grown rapidly in both quantity and quality of output over the past few years. There was an early base of work at a few institutions carried out over the 1960s and 1970s, followed by a lull in the 1980s and early 1990s. The continual influences of safety concerns, new technical system opportunities, reorganisation of the business, needs to increase effective, reliable and safe use of capacity, and increased society, media and government interest have now accelerated rail human factors research programmes in several countries. In this paper we review the literature on rail human factors research, covering driving, signalling and control, maintenance, reporting systems, passenger interests, planning and technical systems change. Current major rail human factors programmes are summarised and future research needs proposed. It is asserted that general human factors models and methods are being re-assessed, and new ones developed, to meet the requirements of the railways.