Choice Patterns Research Articles

Comparison of Preferences and Data Quality between Discrete Choice Experiments Conducted in Online and Face-to-Face Respondents.

Discrete choice experiments (DCE) are increasingly being conducted using online panels. However, the comparability of such DCE-based preferences to traditional modes of data collection (e.g., in-person) is not well established. In this study, supervised, face-to-face DCE was compared with its unsupervised, online facsimile on face validity, respondent behavior, and modeled preferences. Data from face-to-face and online EQ-5D-5L health state valuation studies were compared, in which each used the same experimental design and quota sampling procedure. Respondents completed 7 binary DCE tasks comparing 2 EQ-5D-5L health states presented side by side (health states A and B). Data face validity was assessed by comparing preference patterns as a function of the severity difference between 2 health states within a task. The prevalence of potentially suspicious choice patterns (i.e., all As, all Bs, and alternating As/Bs) was compared between studies. Preference data were modeled using multinomial logit regression and compared based on dimensional contribution to overall scale and importance ranking of dimension-levels. One thousand five Online respondents and 1,099 face-to-face screened (F2FS) respondents were included in the main comparison of DCE tasks. Online respondents reported more problems on all EQ-5D dimensions except for Mobility. The face validity of the data was similar between comparators. Online respondents had a greater prevalence of potentially suspicious DCE choice patterns ([Online]: 5.3% [F2FS] 2.9%, P = 0.005). When modeled, the relative contribution of each EQ-5D dimension differed between modes of administration. Online respondents weighed Mobility more importantly and Anxiety/Depression less importantly. Although assessments of face validity were similar between Online and F2FS, modeled preferences differed. Future analyses are needed to clarify whether differences are attributable to preference or data quality variation between modes of data collection.

Early anthropic occupation and geomorphological changes in South America: human–environment interactions and OSL data from the Rincão I site, southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACTThis article aims to refine the description of the artefacts and the geomorphological, geological, pedological and chronological (optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analyses of sedimentary deposits) characterisation of the Rincão I site (southeastern Brazil) to contribute to the understanding of early human–environment interactions. The archaeological site occupation took place on hillslopes truncated by the Mogi‐Guaçu River's lateral (~1200 m) and vertical (~5 m) movements during the Late Quaternary, in an area where in situ bedrock outcrops are uncommon. This geological context favoured human groups simultaneously having access to the resources provided by the alluvial plain and hillslopes. Here we describe how about three hundred lithic artefacts are associated with soils that originated from sandy colluvium with OSL ages between 20.3 and 5.5 thousand years. These ages are consistent with the local palaeopedological and geomorphological contexts of landscape changes, and partly controversial from the perspective of models currently in vogue for the human occupation of southeastern Brazil. The vestiges of past human presence amid the hillslope sandy colluvium deposits include: 1) a set of flakes and formal artefacts (one stemmed point and three convex artefacts) made of sandstone obtained from hillslopes near (<10 km) the site; and 2) predominant detritus and flakes of quartz and flint obtained mostly from the adjacent (<1.5 km) alluvial plain, linked to flaking sequences other than those of the formal artefacts. Only quartz artefacts were found in the lower levels of the site stratigraphy, whereas in the intermediate and upper levels quartz, flint and sandstone artefacts were found, suggesting that there were changes in the raw materials used for flaking over time. The formal artefacts from the site have technological attributes like the ones observed in assemblages associated with a previously known lithic industry (Rioclarense), but a different pattern of choice of raw materials. This suggests that technical standards underwent a process of adaptation to the environmental particularities surrounding the Rincão I site.

Referential choice in two languages: The role of language dominance

Aims and Objectives: Bilingual speakers that speak a null subject (Spanish) and a non-null subject language (English) may show some indeterminacy in referential choice in their nondominant language in comparison to monolingual speakers. The present study tests the production of referring expressions in the two languages of bilingual speakers (Spanish and English) to assess attainment at the discourse level and explore the role of language dominance on referential choice. Methodology: A group of 49 Spanish–English bilinguals participated in a picture description task in English and Spanish measuring referential choice in contexts of reference maintenance and topic-shift. Data and Analysis: The results of our study show that at a group level, bilingual speakers produced more underspecified references in maintenance contexts than English monolingual speakers and produced more overspecified references in topic-maintenance and topic-shift contexts than Spanish monolingual speakers. The results further show that language dominance in the target language is associated with more monolingual-like referential choice. Conclusions: We discuss the role of language dominance in the development of bilingual referential choice patterns.

The relationship between the personality characteristics of the "Dominant" and "Subordinate" person in the parental family and the personality characteristics of the child

The object of the study is some patterns of character formation, the direction of aggression, as well as patterns of professional and marital choice of men and women, depending on the gender and personality characteristics of the "Dominant" and "Subordinate" person in the family of the subjects. Typical conflicts for four types of couples are also investigated: 1) the wife has a "Dominant" – a woman, and the husband too; 2) the wife and husband have a "Dominant" – a man; 3) the wife has a "Dominant" – a woman, and the husband has a man; 4) the wife has a "Dominant" – a man, and the husband has a woman. The novelty lies in the identification of the fact that two people have a key influence on the formation of personality orientation: The "dominant" is the one who ruled the family until about the age of 14, when the child was not yet able to resist adults, and the "Subordinate" is the one from the household who was most devoted to the "Dominant", admired him and called for the subordination of others. The child copies the traits of the "Dominant", which allow him to control the "Subordinate", and the criterion for the success of this tactic is the approval of the "Subordinate". If the sex of the "Subordinate" and the sex of the child coincide, this causes gender dysphoria and low self-esteem, especially if the position of the "Subordinate" in the family hierarchy is unenviable. A person is inclined to choose such a sphere of self-realization and such a spouse, with the help of which he will be able to rise above the "Dominant".

Language shift: gender differences in Chaouia use in Algeria

Abstract The paper explored the shift away from Chaouia, a variety of Tamazight, to the use of Algerian Arabic in Batna (northeast Algeria). The Chaouia-speaking community had recently witnessed a large rural exodus and significant social changes and mobility due to economic opportunities, education and ethnic contact. The paper focused on gender differences in language use and considered how socialisation and cultural ideologies regarding men’s and women’s relationship to language shape linguistic decisions and choices. Building upon representations of masculinity and femininity, we investigated the ways in which these gendered practices constrain or restrict Chaouia use among working-class Chaouias. We used a qualitative approach with an embedded quantitative element to analyse interviews and surveys across the domestic setting as well as schools and social networks in Batna to examine the interplay between gender identities and language socialisation at home, language choices at school and among friends. The increase in cross-ethnic contact with the larger Arabic-speaking community had introduced significant re-considerations of social and linguistic priorities in the community. The findings showed a clear impact of parents on the acquisition of a gendered pattern of language choice, with boys being socialised in Chaouia and girls in Algerian Arabic. This pattern was further reinforced at school and among peers through teachers and social networks. Females’ networks were ethnolinguistically heterogeneous whereas males’ networks were Amazigh-oriented. Hence, the traditional link of Tamazight to femininity was re-negotiated to generate a discourse of blame for the ongoing language shift and identity loss.

Code Choices Among Multilingual Families: a Pilot Study

Living in a multi-ethnic and multilingual country, Indonesian citizens have the privilege of being exposed to different languages and using them in various degrees of proficiency. As it becomes typical for an individual to mix and/or switch languages in everyday interaction, there is certainly room for more in-depth investigation, especially in determining the pattern of code choices among multilingual families. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, we observed how code choices occur in the family of two multilingual young adult speakers in Universitas Negeri Malang. The data of this current study were collected from two interview videos as a part of a larger project (Family Language Policy) we carried out in 2021 with a focus on how language selection processes work in their families. The results showed that there were different code choice patterns practiced in these two families; for example, the first family used Javanese as a primary communication code among family members, while the second family chose to use Indonesian. However, interestingly both families communicate in Indonesian when speaking to very young members or children. The findings of this current paper are important particularly in predicting the language shift phenomena in Indonesian contexts.
 Keywords: code choices, family language policy, multilingual families, Indonesia

Cooperation and partner choice among Agta hunter-gatherer children: An evolutionary developmental perspective.

Examining development is essential for a full understanding of behaviour, including how individuals acquire traits and how adaptive evolutionary forces shape these processes. The present study explores the development of cooperative behaviour among the Agta, a Filipino hunter-gatherer population. A simple resource allocation game assessing both levels of cooperation (how much children shared) and patterns of partner choice (who they shared with) was played with 179 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Children were given five resources (candies) and for each was asked whether to keep it for themselves or share with someone else, and if so, who this was. Between-camp variation in children's cooperative behaviour was substantial, and the only strong predictor of children's cooperation was the average level of cooperation among adults in camp; that is, children were more cooperative in camps where adults were more cooperative. Neither age, sex, relatedness or parental levels of cooperation were strongly associated with the amount children shared. Children preferentially shared with close kin (especially siblings), although older children increasingly shared with less-related individuals. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding cross-cultural patterns of children's cooperation, and broader links with human cooperative childcare and life history evolution.

Understanding consumers' sustainability knowledge and behaviour towards food packaging to develop tailored consumer-centric engagement campaigns: A Greece and the United Kingdom perspective

Consumer awareness regarding packaging waste is increasing; however, information relating to different food packaging disposal strategies is not always readily available to the consumer. There are also cross-country differences in handling food packaging which add complications and confusion. This study aims to (1) explore consumers' cross-country variations in Greece and the United Kingdom (UK) towards food packaging choice and disposal patterns and (2) develop tailored information campaigns, to encourage sustainable food packaging behaviour. Consumers (18–45 years) in Greece (n = 252) and the UK (n = 249) completed an online survey focused on purchase and disposal related issues for food packaging. Additionally, input from packaging experts (n = 10) was captured via targeted open-ended questions based on consumer insights. Key themes that emerged from the consumer survey were: (1) lack of understanding relating to packaging symbols; (2) confusion about cleaning of food packaging prior to recycling; and (3) excessive packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables, all of which incorporated experts' feedback. Accordingly, these three consumer-centric themes were utilised for campaign development in two information formats (infographics and videos) based on consumer preferences. Findings have been used to create actions, tools and strategies that will influence consumer behaviour and develop solutions to enable transition to a more sustainable European food packaging ecosystem. Next steps should include disseminating tailored information, combined with measuring long-term behaviour together with more support from the government, companies, and shops/retailers so that sustainable food packaging behaviour can be easily adopted in consumers' everyday lives.

Does negation influence the choice of sentence continuations? Evidence from a four-choice cloze task.

Event plausibility facilitates the processing of affirmative sentences, but little is known about how it affects negative sentences. In six behavioural experiments, we investigated negation's impact on the choice of sentence continuations that differ with respect to event plausibility. In a four-choice cloze task, participants saw affirmative and negative sentence fragments (The child will [not] eat the . . .) in combination with four potential continuations: yoghurt (a plausible word), shellfish (a weak world knowledge violating word), branch (a severe world knowledge violating word), and minivan (a word resulting in a semantic violation). Across all experiments the plausible word was highly preferred in both affirmative and negative sentences. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 while ruling out the possibility that the lack of effect of negation in Experiment 1 stemmed from participants not fully processing the negation. Experiment 3 showed that the observed plausibility effects can be generalised to other aspectual forms (The child has [not] eaten the yoghurt). Experiment 4 ruled out the possibility that the choices were mainly driven by lexical associations and additionally suggested a role for informativity. Experiment 5 replicated Experiment 4 and reinforced the general pattern according to which negative sentences express the denial of plausible positive events. Experiment 6 provided evidence that informativity might be driving patterns of choices in the negative sentences. All in all, these findings suggest that upcoming continuations are chosen to maximise the plausibility of the event in the affirmative sentences and to deny that event in the negative sentences. The observed plausibility effects do not seem to be modulated by the internal representation of events, but they can be modulated by changes to the expected informativity of the sentence.

MP36-17 EVALUATING PEYRONIE′S DISEASE TREATMENT PATHWAYS UTILIZING THE TRINETX GLOBAL DATABASE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP36-17 EVALUATING PEYRONIE′S DISEASE TREATMENT PATHWAYS UTILIZING THE TRINETX GLOBAL DATABASE Halle Foss, David Ebbott, Zachary Prebay, Michael Li, and Paul Chung Halle FossHalle Foss More articles by this author , David EbbottDavid Ebbott More articles by this author , Zachary PrebayZachary Prebay More articles by this author , Michael LiMichael Li More articles by this author , and Paul ChungPaul Chung More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003270.17AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a fibrosing condition which commonly leads to penile pain, curvature, plaque development, change in penile shape, sexual dysfunction, and psychological bother. Our objective was to identify the patterns in the treatment choice for PD, specifically focusing on observation, pentoxifylline, injection therapy, penile plication, plaque excision with/without grafting (PEG), and penile prosthesis. METHODS: We queried the TriNetX database for adult men with Peyronie’s disease (ICD-10, N48.6) and interventions pertaining to this from 2002-2022. Interventions were identified by CPT codes and included injection therapy (54200), penile plication (54360), plaque excision ± grafting (PEG) (54110, 54111, 54112), and penile implant (54400, 54401, 54405). Use of oral pentoxifylline (8013) was identifiable using RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier. We also evaluated the demographics of the different treatment groups using ICD-10 codes, including patient age, race, ethnicity, diabetes (DM), hyperlipidemia (HLD), coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), hypertension (HTN), smoking history, connective tissue disorder, and history of pelvic trauma. RESULTS: Overall, there were 48,171 cases of PD identified. The most common management was observation in 71% of cases (n=33,994). A single medical or surgical therapy was used in 74% of patients who received treatment (n=10,462). Of single medical therapy cases, pentoxifylline (68%, n=4,599) was the most used medical treatment followed by injection therapy (32%, n=2,159). Penile plication was the most frequently utilized surgical therapy (55%, n=2,051) followed by penile prosthesis (29%, n=1,080) and PEG (15%, n=573). Patients underwent multiple therapies 36% of the time (n=3,715). Of patients requiring multiple therapies, a progression of medical to surgical treatment only occurred in 26% (n=953). CONCLUSIONS: PD was predominantly managed without any intervention, followed by medical therapy, and then surgery. Surgical therapy occurred less frequently after medical treatment suggesting that few patients are interested in a stepwise approach from medical to surgical treatments for PD. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e486 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Halle Foss More articles by this author David Ebbott More articles by this author Zachary Prebay More articles by this author Michael Li More articles by this author Paul Chung More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Indicadores de mobilidade urbana na RMSP a partir da pesquisa OD-Metrô

Abstract The results of the 2017 Origin and Destination (OD) Metro survey for the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (acronym in Portuguese: RMSP) were published in 2019. Through a spatial analysis of open data from the OD survey, this article aims to identify characteristics of the daily commuting performed by RMSP residents, investigating spatial patterns of travel time, mode choice, motorization rate, mobility and immobility index, considering population distribution according to different income ranges and disaggregated by OD zone. The 2017 results are compared to those of 2007 to investigate what changed and what remained during the decade.

Tenses Choice and Rhetorical Pattern of Unpublished Scientific Articles written by Non-Native English Speaker Student Teachers

Tenses Choice and Rhetorical Pattern of Unpublished Scientific Articles written by Non-Native English Speaker Student Teachers

Attention biases preferential choice by enhancing an option's value.

Does attending to an option lead to liking it? Though attention-induced valuation is often hypothesized, evidence for this causal link has remained elusive. We test this hypothesis across 2 studies by manipulating attention during a preferential decision and its perceptual analog. In a free-viewing task, attention impacted choice and eye movement pattern in the preferential decision more than the perceptual analog. Similarly, in a controlled-viewing task, attention had a larger effect on choice in the preferential decision than its perceptual analog. Across these experimental manipulations of attention, choice and eye-tracking data provide converging evidence that attention enhances value, and computational modeling further supports this attention-induced valuation hypothesis. A possible explanation for our results is a normalization mechanism where attention induces a gain modulation on an option's representation at both the sensory and value processing levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Cyclists as Intelligent Carriers of Space-Time Environmental Information: Crowd-Sourced Sensor Data for Local Air Quality Measurement and Mobility Analysis in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT In recent years, slow travel modes (walking, cycling) have gained much interest in the context of urban air quality management. This article presents the findings from a novel air quality measurement experiment in the Netherlands, by regarding cyclists as carriers and transmitters of real-world information on fine-grained air quality conditions. Using individual sensors on bicycles—connected to a GPS positioning system—online local pollution information originating from cyclists’ detailed spatial mobility patterns is obtained. Such air quality surface maps and cyclists’ mobility maps are then used to identify whether there are significant differences between the actual route choice and the cyclists’ shortest route choice, so as to identify the implications of poor air quality conditions for their mobility choices. Thus, the article seeks to present both a detailed pollution surface map and the complex space-time mobility patterns of cyclists in a region, on the basis of online quantitative data—at any point in time and space—from bicycle users in a given locality. In addition, the article estimates their response—in terms of route choice—to detailed air-quality information through the use of a novel geoscience-inspired analysis of space-time “big data.” The empirical test of our quantitative modeling approach was carried out for the Greater Utrecht area in the Netherlands. Our findings confirm that spatial concentration of air pollutants have great consequences for bike users’ route choice patterns, especially in the case of non-commuting trips. We also find that cyclists make longer trips on weekends and in the evenings, especially towards parks and natural amenities.

Conversation Analysis of Jo Chale to Jaan Se Guzar Gaey: A Drama Serial from Pakistan Electronic Media

This investigation aimed to analyze the use of turn-takings, the organization of adjacency pairs that are practised in Pakistani drama. Drawing on the framework presented by Young (2011), this research has provided insight into the relationship between the conversational organization and situational features in which the conversations were performed, and to figure out the purpose of operating a conversation in a specific situation, especially in the entertainment genre. For this research, video samples were taken from Pakistani dramas, and the conversations between participants, specifically between main characters, were transcribed. The transcribed data was then organized and divided into chunks and manually coded in Adjacency pairs, turns, lexical devices, linguistic and paralinguistic features, semantic and pragmatic elements, and contextual features. Based on the frequencies and patterns of turn-takings, lexical and linguistic choices, semantic, and conversational devices, the attitudes and variations in the behaviours of the participants of conversation in different settings and contexts were analyzed.

Polish-German preschoolers develop and use heritage Polish differently depending on whether they heard German from birth or not.

This study assessed the language proficiency and use of a hitherto under-investigated group, viz., 3.5-year-olds growing up with Polish as a heritage language and German as societal language. All children (N = 28) heard Polish from birth in the home but half the children also heard German from birth (Bilingual First Language Acquisition, BFLA) while the other half added German through preschool (Early Second Language Acquisition, ESLA). All children attended German preschools. Data collection relied on an online survey filled out by 28 mothers and 20 fathers. There were large discrepancies between parental answers to general versus detailed questions regarding language use (choice) amongst parents and children. This has important repercussions for much of questionnaire based bilingualism research. Children were developing productive language as expected but BFLA preschoolers spoke German better or spoke both languages equally well whereas ESLA preschoolers spoke Polish better. Apart from BFLA children's much longer and daily exposure to German from birth, these BFLA-ESLA differences in relative Polish proficiency may relate to different current patterns of language choice, with (1) Polish less present in parent-child interactions involving BFLA than ESLA preschoolers, and with (2) BFLA but not ESLA preschoolers mostly hearing Polish from just a single parent. The BFLA-ESLA difference thus made a difference to children's heritage Polish development and use already at age 3.5.

Food outlet choice patterns of alternative food system consumers

Abstract This study aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of food outlet choice patterns of Alternative Food System consumers (local and organic consumers) and evaluate if these patterns differ from that of conventional consumers. We conducted a nationwide online survey collecting data from U.S. food shoppers monthly. The data utilized in this study were collected and compiled from July 2016 to November 2019, resulting in 21,135 observations. We measured choices of eight food outlet formats within four categories (high-end, traditional, broad-assortment, and limited-assortment). Further, we examined the varying effects of demographic and household characteristics on food outlet format choices. We found that relative to conventional consumers, alternative food system consumers, who are local- and/or organic-minded, tend to be diversity-seekers who patronize various formats of food outlets. Among the four food outlet categories, we identified several complementary and substitute relationships. The occurrences and strengths of these relationships vary across consumer segments identified based on their preferences for local and organic food.

On the normative advantages of dopamine and striatal opponency for learning and choice.

The basal ganglia (BG) contribute to reinforcement learning (RL) and decision-making, but unlike artificial RL agents, it relies on complex circuitry and dynamic dopamine modulation of opponent striatal pathways to do so. We develop the OpAL* model to assess the normative advantages of this circuitry. In OpAL*, learning induces opponent pathways to differentially emphasize the history of positive or negative outcomes for each action. Dynamic DA modulation then amplifies the pathway most tuned for the task environment. This efficient coding mechanism avoids a vexing explore-exploit tradeoff that plagues traditional RL models in sparse reward environments. OpAL* exhibits robust advantages over alternative models, particularly in environments with sparse reward and large action spaces. These advantages depend on opponent and nonlinear Hebbian plasticity mechanisms previously thought to be pathological. Finally, OpAL* captures risky choice patterns arising from DA and environmental manipulations across species, suggesting that they result from a normative biological mechanism.

Climate Change and Travel: Harmonizing to Abate Impact.

With climate change being the single biggest health threat facing humanity, this review aims to identify the climate-sensitive health risks to the traveler and to recognize the role that travel plays in contributing to the detrimental effects of climate change. With this understanding, adaptations for transformational action can be made. Travel and tourism, including transportation, food consumption, and accommodation, is responsible for a large percentage of the world's carbon emissions which is contributing to the climate change crisis at an alarming rate. Climate change is a health emergency that is resulting in a rise of significant health impacts to the traveler including increased heat illnesses; food-, water-, and vector-borne diseases; and increasing risk of exposure to emerging infectious diseases. Patterns of future travel and destination choices are likely to change due to climactic factors such as temperature and extreme weather events, forced migration, degradation, and disappearance of popular and natural tourist destinations. Global warming is and will continue to alter the landscape of travel medicine with expansion of transmission seasons and geographic ranges of disease, increased risk of infections and harmful marine toxins, and introduction of emerging infections to naïve populations. This will have implications for pre-travel counseling in assessing risk and discussing the environmental influences on travel. Travelers and stakeholders should be engaged in a dialogue to understand their "climate footprint," to innovate sustainable solutions, and be empowered to make immediate, conscientious, and responsible choices to abate the impact of breaching critical temperature thresholds.

Public Goods, Private Goods, and School Preferences

In this research article, Leslie K. Finger and David M. Houston explore how different ideas about the objectives of education can influence families’ schooling preferences and choices. For their study they employed a conjoint experiment embedded in an online survey to examine participants’ preferences for various school characteristics, including distance from home, academic performance as measured by test scores, and the racial/ethnic and economic makeup of the student body. Their evidence suggests a pattern of school choices that could contribute to racial/ethnic segregation.