Preferences For Different Types Research Articles

A village treatment center for malaria: community response in Sri Lanka

Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases is one of the basic elements of the current global malaria control strategy. In order to provide this service to people in rural areas there is a need for new cost-effective approaches. To ensure that such new approaches are acceptable to the target communities, it is important to know the rationale for people's malaria treatment-seeking behavior. The present study provides insights into the reasons for people's preferences for different types of healthcare facilities and describes variation of these preferences within a rural community in Sri Lanka. The study reports on the experiences with the establishment of a village health facility and its effect on the treatment-seeking behavior of the population. After the introduction of the village treatment center it quickly took over the role of main provider for diagnosis and treatment of malaria from the government facilities. The treatment center did not improve the response time in seeking treatment for young children, but the delay for adults was reduced by 1–2 days. Mothers with small children often preferred the government facilities since they wanted a more qualified opinion than available from the locally recruited staff of the village treatment center. The treatment center significantly reduced the stress and discomfort experienced by the elderly and handicapped segment of the community. The study indicated that the effective catchment area of a village treatment center will be influenced by the degree of initial support from key individuals in the communities, the selection procedure and training of assistants, and the history of the relationships between different villages to be served by the center. The government health services and communities across the dry zone of Sri Lanka could benefit substantially from the establishment of more village treatment centers. To ensure the long-term sustainability of these type of facilities it is necessary to assess the feasibility of charging a user fee and establishing multi-purpose clinics. Government policies and administrative procedures will need to be adjusted to make the successful operation of village treatment centers possible.

Role of Team Performance, Team Identification, and Self-Esteem in Sport Spectators' Game Preferences

The current study tested the hypothesis that sport fans would prefer contests in which both teams had been successful over contests in which one or both of the teams had been unsuccessful. Further, it was predicted that highly identified fans would report greater game preferences than lowly identified fans Finally, an interaction was predicted in which highly identified fans with high self-esteem would prefer games involving two successful teams while highly identified fans with low self-esteem would prefer games in which their team had a high likelihood of success. Participants ( N = 54) were asked to complete measures of their team identification and self-esteem as well as report their preferences for different types of games. Analysis indicated that, although contests involving two successful teams were the most preferred and highly identified fans did report greater game preferences than lowly identified fans, the hypothesized interaction was not significant.

Preferences for different sources of information about cancer

A wide range of cancer information resources is available to patients and their relatives, who are increasingly acting as independent learners. In order to examine preferences for different types of information and to establish the appropriateness of providing a Web-based cancer information resource (CancerHelp UK) a questionnaire survey was undertaken. Of 258 questionnaires distributed to patients attending for oncology outpatient or general practice appointments, 205 (80%) were suitable for analysis. 74% (95% confidence interval 68% to 80%) of participants wanted as much information as possible. All participants cited people most frequently as a future source of cancer information. All participants frequently cited television as a source of both general and cancer-specific information. Despite a lack of computer experience patients were significantly more likely than other groups to say that they would like to use the Web-based resource. It is suggested that such resources are likely to be increasingly well used, particularly by cancer patients, given the growth in health information on the Web and developments in delivery of digital information into the home via television.

Avoiding Stigma by Association: Subtle Prejudice Against Lesbians in the Form of Social Distancing

We explored subtle prejudice against lesbians by examining heterosexual women's tendency to distance themselves socially from lesbians. People can distance themselves socially by expressing beliefs that are dissimilar to another person's beliefs, regardless of whether they agree with the other person. We used a conformity paradigm, in which the majority was perceived to be heterosexual, and a dissenter was represented as either lesbian or heterosexual, to investigate social distancing. The majority expressed unpopular personal preferences (e.g., preference for different types of musical instruments), gave sexist responses, and did not identify as feminist; the dissenter did the opposite. The sexual orientation of the dissenter affected high-prejudiced participants' expression of personal preferences and both high- and low-prejudiced participants' expression of modern sexist beliefs and self-identification as feminist. The consequence was that participants said more sexist remarks and were less likely to identify as feminist when the dissenter was a lesbian. We discuss results in terms of prejudice and fear of association with the lesbian.

Avoiding Stigma by Association: Subtle Prejudice Against Lesbians in the Form of Social Distancing

We explored subtle prejudice against lesbians by examining heterosexual women's tendency to distance themselves socially from lesbians. People can distance themselves socially by expressing beliefs that are dissimilar to another person's beliefs, regardless of whether they agree with the other person. We used a conformity paradigm, in which the majority was perceived to be heterosexual, and a dissenter was represented as either lesbian or heterosexual, to investigate social distancing. The majority expressed unpopular personal preferences (e.g., preference for different types of musical instruments), gave sexist responses, and did not identify as feminist; the dissenter did the opposite. The sexual orientation of the dissenter affected high-prejudiced participants' expression of personal preferences and both high- and low-prejudiced participants' expression of modern sexist beliefs and self-identification as feminist. The consequence was that participants said more sexist remarks and were less likely to identify as feminist when the dissenter was a lesbian. We discuss results in terms of prejudice and fear of association with the lesbian.

Coprophagy in Lepidoptera: observational and experimental evidence in the pyralid moth Aglossa pinguinalis

AbstractLarvae of Lepidoptera are mainly herbivores, and only the larval stages of Bradypodicola and Cryptoses pyralid moths are known to be specialized coprophages. Here, we report coprophagy as a main feeding habit for the larvae of another pyralid moth, Aglossa pinguinalis, on the basis of observational and experimental evidence. The larvae of this moth require two years to complete development, and construct silk tubes connecting the food source with a shelter chamber. Larvae of A. pinguinalis were mostly found inside caves, where they were about 700 times more abundant than in the open field. Inside the caves, observational results indicate that 98% of the larvae fed mostly on excrement and only 2% were recorded as eating other kinds of detritus (decayed mushrooms). No larvae were recorded eating plant detritus in the censuses nor in experimental detritus patches. The larvae did not show preferences for different types of excrement in the caves. Experimental dog and sheep excrement corroborated this result, showing that the abundance of larvae did not differ between these two excrement types over the entire study. We suggest that habitat selection of A. pinguinalis is ecologically similar to the trophic specialization of Bradypodicola and Cryptoses, in spite of the differences in natural history traits among these moths. Feeding on dry excrement inside caves, or in buried sloth dung, may reflect the constraints for Lepidoptera successfully to colonize excrement: in more exposed excrement, they cannot compete with other coprophagous specialists owing to the lack of parental care (e.g. resource relocation) and slow growth rates. We hypothesize that coprophagous Lepidoptera will be restricted to competition‐ and predation‐free habitats and resources, feeding on excrement inside caves and animal burrows.

Fuel cell adventures. Dynamics of a technological community in a quasi-market of technological options

In this paper some insights from a social science perspective in the dynamics of the fuel cell community will be provided. An important concept used in the analysis is that of a `quasi'-market of technological options. The strategic choices of actors for certain technological options can be regarded as analogous to choices of consumers made on a market. A scientometric research approach has been used to investigate the aggregate effects of this and other variations of strategic behaviour. These concepts and analyses are shown to be helpful in answering questions such as why fuel cells are so popular today whereas they have not always been, and why preferences for different types of fuel cells shift over time. At the end of the paper the relevance of these kind of analyses for technology forecasting and management practices is briefly discussed.

"Talking About Chance": The Presentation of Risk Information During Genetic Counseling for Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

Using observations, questionnaires, and interviews, this study describes the formats used to present risk information during genetic counseling for breast and ovarian cancer. Counselees' preferences for different types of qualitative and quantitative presentation formats are also discussed. The data indicate that there is considerable variation in the presentation of risk information both within and between consultations. The counselees were positive about the way the counselors had described their risk. Seventy-three percent of the sample expressed a preference for risk to be described using quantitative formats, and there was little difference in the number who stated a preference for percentages, proportions, or population comparisons. Comparing preferred formats with those used in the consultations indicated that in over 40% of cases, risk information was not presented in the counselees' preferred quantitative format. This descriptive study raises questions about the presentation of risk information which warrant further research.

Residential Landscapes

Although it is well acknowledged that plants and gardens are often a source of great enjoyment to older people, little is known about how older people want to use the outdoors or about their preferences for different types of landscape. Current work at the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly, UK, is looking at how well the grounds of purpose-built retirement housing are meeting the needs and preferences of residents. Questionnaire data, collected from approximately 100 sheltered housing residents, provide insights into the following issues: Importance of the grounds in retirement housing; use of the grounds and how this differs from what people did in their previous homes; values attached by residents to the landscape; interest in wildlife; and reasons why older people no longer garden.

Drivers’ response to parking guidance and information systems

This paper reviews published evidence of the effects of dynamic information and guidance on drivers’ choices of car parks. A major conclusion is that overall response levels to dynamic information are much lower than might be expected. Behavioural generalizations are difficult due to the varying nature of the systems being developed as well as the studies that have been undertaken. The lack of conclusions able to be generalized highlights the complexity of the parking choice process. Wide variations in awareness and usage rate were found between different groups of drivers, including age, gender, trip purpose and frequency. Explanations of the responses of drivers to PGI systems can be made by considering the drivers’ level of knowledge, their ability to interpret information as well as their preference for different types of information.

IsoStar: a library of information about nonbonded interactions.

Crystallographic and theoretical (ab initio) data on intermolecular nonbonded interactions have been gathered together in a computerised library ('IsoStar'). The library contains information about the nonbonded contacts formed by some 250 chemical groupings. The data can be displayed visually and used to aid protein-ligand docking or the identification of bioisosteric replacements. Data from the library show that there is great variability in the geometrical preferences of different types of hydrogen bonds, although in general there is a tendency for H-bonds to form along lone-pair directions. The H-bond acceptor abilities of oxygen and sulphur atoms are highly dependent on intramolecular environments. The nonbonded contacts formed by many hydrophobic groups show surprisingly strong directional preferences. Many unusual nonbonded interactions are to be found in the library and are of potential value for designing novel biologically active molecules.

Evaluation of a Computer Simulation to Assess Subject Preference for Different Types of Incentive Pay

Abstract The study investigated the use of a computer simulation, incorporating a behavioral choice procedure, to assess preference for different types of incentive pay. Subjects were ten undergraduates. Subjects chose to work under pay systems in which they earned 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of their total simulated pay in incentives. Subjects were faced with choices involving higher, riskier pay versus lower, more stable pay. Work performance was simulated. The independent variable was the percentage of monthly living expenses relative to expected total pay. Two values were examined, 85% and 95%, using an ABAB design. Each phase lasted 2 simulated years. After four weeks, subjects paid expenses. Every three months, subjects chose the pay system they preferred. The adequacy of the simulation was assessed by examining the stability of choices under the two expense conditions and determining whether subjects chose lower, more stable pay when their expenses were higher. Three of the ten subjects demonstrated ...

In Defense of Experimental Consumer Psychology

Critics of the experimental method claim that experiments rely too heavily on artificial settings, rely too heavily on college student participants, and do not provide practical solutions to applied problems. Contrary to these claims, I review evidence suggesting that natural research settings are often overrated, artificial research settings are often underrated, college student research participants provide remarkably useful data, and concrete thinking (i.e., focusing on superficial surface details rather than on underlying fundamental abstract principles) impedes learning and problem solving. Moreover, I suggest that much of the confusion concerning the experimental method stems from a preference for different types of information among different groups of individuals. A clearer understanding of this preference difference is needed to facilitate effective intercommunication between scientists and practitioners.

Preference for different types of flooring in two rat strains

Bedding material is a permanent part of the environment of laboratory rodents. In the present study, rats of two strains (Wistar HsdCpb:WU and Brown Norway BN/SsNCpbHsd) were placed in a preference test system to evaluate their preference for three types of bedding material (sawdust, softwood shavings and paper particles) compared to wire mesh. The rats showed a significant preference for the cages with wood shavings and paper bedding, both consisting of large particles. The paper bedding may serve as an alternative to wire mesh floor in some (e.g. toxicological) studies, because of its defined composition. The cages with sawdust and wire mesh floor were relatively avoided. Rats slept in the cages with large-particle bedding, but used the other cages for active behaviour such as eating and defecating; furthermore, many rats preferred different cages during day and night. It is suggested that different behavioural activities may require different cage floor covering.

Environmental and travel preferences of cyclists: Antonakos, Cathy L., Ph.D. The University of Michigan, 1993. 154 pp. Chair: John Nystuen

Current recommendations for designing bicycle facilities are most often based on experience rather than on findings from scientific inquiry. This study pools cyclists' opinions on environmental design issues, substantiating experts' knowledge about designs for cycling environments. The study examines the influence of personal characteristics, travel resources, and travel constraints on cyclists' environmental preferences, evaluations of cycling conditions, and decisions to bicycle for transportation. Questionnaires were distributed to 552 cyclists at four recreational bicycle tours in Michigan during the summer of 1992. Analysis of variance and correlations were used to investigate relationships of interest. Cyclists indicated their preferences for different types of cycling facilities and the importance that they placed on environmental factors such as traffic volume and surface quality when choosing cycling routes. Age was positively correlated with preference for on-road facilities (striped bike lanes, wide curb lanes), with importance placed on surface quality, scenery, and bike safety education. Age was negatively correlated with preference for bike paths separated from the roadway. Safety, scenery, terrain, and bike safety education were more important to women on average than to men. As expected, cycling experience was negatively correlated with preference for off-road facilities and concerns about safety, traffic, and terrain. Bike safety education was rated almost as high as the need for bike lanes, to improve community cycling conditions. Thirty-two percent of the cyclists surveyed commute by bicycle; 68 percent run errands by bicycle. Commute distance was strongly associated with the likelihood and frequency of commuting by bicycle.

MHC evolution and development of a recognition system.

The unrestricted viability of allophenic mice shows that MHC-different cell lines have no problem engaging in organogenesis together. Thus, outside of the immune system, mammals appear to have no self-non-self discrimination mechanism based on polymorphic and ubiquitously expressed class I MHC antigens. Here, it should be pointed out that even within the immune system, certain responses require no self-non-self discrimination, for example, antiphosphocholine response and certain antipolysaccharide responses that exploit differences between bacterial and host sugar transferases. Thus, the self-non-self discrimination via peptide fragments presented by ubiquitously expressed class I MHC antigens can be viewed as the late addition that enabled the adaptive immune system to cope with intracellular parasites that are primarily viruses. The preference for different types of peptide fragments suffices to explain extensive polymorphism as well as multiple gene loci for class I and possibly also class II MHC antigens. Yet, a too specialized class I MHC allele that presents a very unusual peptide fragment is of no use, for such a peptide fragment is not likely to be found among viral proteins. Effective MHC antigens are those that prefer common enough peptide fragments, so that at least one T epitope can be found in one out of every three viral proteins. Yet, such common peptide fragments are also likely to be present among multitudes of intracellular proteins that are the self. The immune system appears to have solved the above dilemma by mounting a vigorous cytotoxic T-cell response only when viruses are actively propagating by synthesizing a few of their own proteins in large amounts, thereby suppressing the host protein synthesis. To attack infected cells in which viruses are in the quiescent state of symbiosis with the host is the ultimate folly.

Comparative evaluation of fixation methods after mandibulotomy for oropharyngeal tumors

Mandibulotomy for gaining access to the posterior aspect of the oral cavity and oropharynx for excision of tumors has been widely employed for several decades. However, the technical aspects of the procedure continue to evolve. This study compares the complications and bony union rates in a consecutive series of 135 patients undergoing mandibulotomy at 1 institution between 1987 and 1991, using wires and miniplates. The primary tumor sites were oral cavity in 35 patients, oropharynx in 98, and deep lobe of the parotid gland in 2. Twenty-eight patients were previously irradiated, and 62 received postoperative radiotherapy. Thirty-eight patients had a straight-line osteotomy, 31 had step osteotomy, and 66 had notched osteotomy. The fixation of the osteotomy site was done with wires in 59 patients and miniplates and screws in 76 patients. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 5 years. No difference in complications or bony union was observed in patients who underwent repair with wires or miniplates. Due to the number of surgeons and their preferences for different types of osteotomies, as well as the differences in surgical techniques, we further studied the 2 methods of fixation employed by 1 surgeon who performed notched osteotomies on all of his patients (56 patients). Twenty-two underwent repair with wires, and 34 with miniplates. Four patients with wires and seven with miniplates developed wound complications requiring removal of wires in two and miniplates in one. Delayed union or nonunion was not observed in any patient. Fixation with wires or miniplates is equally satisfactory as long as adequate immobilization of the mandibular segments is achieved.

The Role of Epistemic Style in Counseling Preference and Orientation

Recent work has suggested that philosophical commitments play a part in directing preferences for different types of counseling, and in this article the authors extend that work with a series of four studies. Study 1 provides partial support for the relationship between epistemic commitments (rational, empirical, or metaphorical) and preferences for particular types of counseling (behavioral, rational emotive, constructivist). Studies 2 and 3 extend these findings by noting differences in how individuals gather, process, and respond to self‐relevant feedback as a result of epistemic style. Finally, Study 4 provides tentative support for the possibility that counselor trainees gravitate toward preferring counseling theories that are consistent with their own epistemic orientations. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Prototype Distancing: A Strategy for Choosing among Threatening Situations

Previous analyses have provided consistent evidence that people prefer to enter social situations associated with person-in-situation prototypes that are most similar to their self-concepts (a process called prototype matching). The present work extends this analysis by considering a strategy for choosing among situations that pose a threat to positive self-evaluation. Indivi-duals' preferences for different types of psychotherapists were examined. Results suggest that subjects used a prototype-distancing strategy that involved maximizing dissimilarity between self-concept and patient prototypes when similarity was defined in terms of typical emotional experiences (but not when similarity was defined in terms of characteristic personality traits). In addition, consistent with the notion that threats to self-evaluation arouse self-enhancement motives, results also indicate a greater role of the ideal self than the actual self in the choice strategy.

The relationships among need for privacy, loneliness, conversational sensitivity, and interpersonal communication motives

The present study explored the relationships among privacy, loneliness, and interpersonal communication. Specifically, it examined the relationships among individuals' preferences for six types of privacy, loneliness, conversational sensitivity, and interpersonal communication motives. The results revealed that preferences for different types of privacy were most strongly related to interpersonal communication motives or the uses to which people put interpersonal communication. Loneliness was also related to interpersonal communication motive. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the study of privacy and interpersonal communication.