Role In Ability Research Articles

Does parents' cognitive ability affect household educational investment? Evidence from Chinese families with left behind children.

The large group of left-behind children with the absence of parental accompanying are likely to have serious physical and psychological problems, which may lead to serious public safety and social economic troubles in adulthood. Such unique phenomenon calls us attention on the impact of parents on household educational investment. Based on the data of China Family Panel Studies in 2014, This paper examines the effects of parents' cognitive ability on household educational investment for their children. The research propositions were tested using multiple regression analysis methods. Results indicate that parents' cognitive ability can significantly improve the level of monetary and non-monetary investment in education. We also find that compared with their counterparts, the cognitive ability of left-behind children's parents fails to affect their household educational investment, due to the "parent-child separation effect". Further analysis shows that improving the regional informatization level of parents of left-behind children can alleviate the "parent-child separation effect", and finally facilitate cognitive ability's role in increasing household educational investment. These findings enlighten education policy makers and households a feasible way to alleviate the imbalance and insufficiency of household educational investment among left-behind children families.

Gender differences in science, technology, engineering and maths uptake and attainment in post‐16 education

AbstractThe underrepresentation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) occupations is a world‐wide phenomenon. The UK is simultaneously encountering a shortage of STEM skills. While gender imbalances in STEM study in higher education and A‐level study are widely documented, gender imbalances are apparent in vocational post‐16 education, though the existence and causes of these imbalances have received little attention. This paper uses administrative data to explore the extent of gender imbalances in STEM qualifications attempted and achieved in vocational post‐16 education routes. Gender differentials in the uptake of vocational STEM qualifications are much starker than they are in A‐levels and the roles of ability, socio‐economic status and school characteristics in explaining gender differentials differ with the education route taken, though their power in explaining these gaps is limited.

Gene-environment interactions and school tracking during secondary education: Evidence from the U.S.

There is much evidence to suggest that family background and the context of secondary education both contribute to the formation of educational inequalities. Meanwhile, our knowledge about the role of ability in generating class differences in educational outcomes is still limited. By deploying genetic data that allow us to measure at least part of “innate” ability inherited through biological mechanisms from parents, this study examines how such abilities are associated with educational tracking outcomes among U.S. high schoolers. This study also details our understanding of the role of nature and nurture in the educational attainment processes by testing for gene-environment interactions—that is, a joint, mutually moderating effect of one’s genetic potential and one’s environment (e.g., family background or school context) on phenotypic outcomes (educational tracking). Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health that collects a unique set of demographic, educational, and genetic characteristics of students, we report the following results: First, a positive association between the genetic potential for educational attainment and taking advanced courses holds even after controlling for previous course tracking measures. Second, results provide suggestive evidence that parental SES amplifies the association between one’s genetic potential for educational attainment and mathematics tracking. In contrast to the argument by some stratification scholars that places primary emphasis on the role of social background for the reproduction of educational stratification, the present findings imply that we need to fully consider the role of genetic inheritance for educational stratification in addition to social origin.

The Black–White wage gap among young men in 1990 versus 2011: With sample selection adjustments

AbstractThis paper uses unconditional quantile regressions to decompose changes in the black–white wage gap for young men between 1990 and 2011. Introducing a new application of reweighting methods, we control for selection into employment which tends to widen the gap. We find no changes in the gap itself between 1990 and 2011, but reversals in the roles of ability and education across the distribution. Ability loses importance at the bottom and middle but gains importance at the top, while the opposite occurs for education. This results from heterogeneous changes in returns to ability and education across the distribution alongside a widening educational achievement gap.

Peers in the Field: The Role of Ability and Gender in Peer Effects among Agricultural Workers

This article presents evidence on peer effects among U.S. agricultural workers. On average, we find that a 10% increase in peer productivity increases focal worker productivity by 2.8%. This effect is modified by the ability and gender of workers and peers. Exceptionally slow workers are least responsive to peers and have pronounced negative spillovers on the productivity of their coworkers—their presence decreases productivity by 2%. Male workers are more responsive to their peers than female workers—a 10% increase in peer productivity increases the productivity of men by 3% and women by 2.6%. Workers are also generally more responsive to peers of similar ability and gender. Workers increase their speed the most when in the presence of peers with abilities just above their own. Male workers are more responsive to male peers than female peers, and female workers are more responsive to female peers.

The role of abilities in the process of cultural development of personality

The role of abilities in the process of cultural development of personality

Parents' Growth Mindsets and Home-Learning Activities: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Danish and US Parents.

Mindset is a term commonly used to represent an individual’s beliefs about the role of ability and effort in learning. In this study, we assessed parental mindset—ability mindset and effort mindset—for 497 parents in two countries (United States and Denmark), all of whom had at least one child between 3 and 5 years of age. Of primary interest was assessing the relations between parental mindset and home-learning activities of four types: family learning activities, learning extensions, parental time investment, and parental school involvement. Findings showed that parents in the United States and Denmark held similar ability and effort mindsets, but differed significantly in home-learning activities, with US parents providing significantly more family learning activities, learning extensions, and parental time investment than Danish parents, although the latter had significantly higher levels of school investment. Furthermore, findings showed that parents’ effort mindset was a significant predictor of family learning activities and parental time investment and that country moderated the relations between effort mindset and parental time investment. For US parents, higher levels of effort mindset were associated with higher levels of parental time investment, but this was not the case for Danish parents. We call for experimental work to determine the causal relations between parental mindset and home-learning activities, and rigorous cross-cultural research to explore the universality of parental mindset in distinctive cultural settings.

Ready, Willing and Able? An Investigation of the Theory of Planned Behaviour in Help-Seeking for a Community Sample with Current Untreated Depressive Symptoms

Applying health behaviour change models, such as the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), to help-seeking for mental health problems can address the deficit in health care utilisation. However, previous studies largely focused on help-seeking intentions and not behaviour, which might be problematic due to the intention-behaviour gap. Hence, TPB and help-seeking were examined in a German community sample with current untreated depressive symptoms: 188 adults (Mage = 50.34; SD = 16.19; 70.7% female) participated in a baseline interview and survey measuring components of the TPB (attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control) and help-seeking intentions. They reported actual help-seeking from mental health professionals via telephone surveys 3 and 6 months later. To better understand the potential gap between help-seeking intentions and behaviour and to investigate the contributions of readiness, willingness and ability to seek help, two path models were constructed in accordance with the TPB controlling for covariates. Attitudes (β = .24), subjective norms (β = .25) and self-efficacy (β = .15) were significantly associated with intentions (R2 = 26%), which predicted help-seeking (Cox and Snell’s pseudo-R2 = 23%); controllability did not predict help-seeking. In sum, the TPB provides a reliable framework to explore help-seeking behaviour for mental health problems. Based on these findings, prevention efforts should focus on readiness and willingness to seek help (e.g. foster positive attitudes and social support of treatment). However, the role of ability, operationalised as perceived behavioural control and (perceived) barriers to help-seeking, warrants further research, as self-efficacy but not controllability was associated with help-seeking.

Validating the support gaps framework: Longitudinal effects and moderators of experiencing deficits and surpluses during supportive interactions

Support gaps, or discrepancies between the support a person desires and receives, have implications for how effectively people cope with stressors. Existing research commonly uses recall procedures to assess support gaps, considers only immediate outcomes, and does not often assess predictors of gaps. To validate the support gaps framework, participants (N = 200) assessed their desires for support regarding an identity-threatening stressor just prior to a laboratory-based interaction and received support immediately following the interaction. Longitudinal outcomes and the moderating role of ability and motivation were also considered. Participants experienced support gaps, which were associated with their rumination and affect improvement three weeks after the interaction. Ability and motivation influenced the size of support gaps, and ability moderated the effect of a gap in esteem support on participants’ affect improvement. Implications related to an emerging theory of support gaps and the dual-process theory of supportive communication outcomes are discussed.

A cross-level analysis of management commitment and work ability among senior casino dealers in Macau

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the corporate-level determinants (i.e. management commitment) of work ability. It also examined whether mid-level contextual variables intensify the relationship between management commitment and the work ability of senior casino dealers. Design/methodology/approach A three-level hierarchical analysis of data from 432 casino dealers from 16 casinos was performed to determine the proportion of variance in the dependent variable when the explanatory variables were at varying hierarchical levels. Findings The findings suggest that management commitment has a positive and significant impact on frontline dealers’ work ability. Furthermore, supervisor support and group trust have moderating effects on the relationship between management commitment and dealers’ work ability. Research limitations/implications The current study provides important information on how to increase the ability of aging dealer to remain active and learn new skills. Originality/value Work ability has received substantial attention from recent studies of human resources because of its close relationship to employee job skills and competencies. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no conceptual model explains the role of work ability role in promoting and updating human resources management practices and policies.

Young, gifted and lazy? The role of ability and labor market prospects in student effort decisions

This paper examines the decision-making process of students from an economic perspective to understand the determinants of an individual’s willingness to provide effort. Our theoretical model predicts that ability and job market prospects are positive determinants. Analyzing a novel dataset on thousands of German students, however, we instead find that ability has a significantly negative effect on effort. It seems that the marginal gain of increasing effort in terms of higher expected income after studying is lower for high-ability students compared to low-ability students. In regard to the second determinant, the evidence rejects a similar argument, according to which great job market prospects may impair student effort. Applying an instrumental variable approach based on official unemployment data on regional labor markets, we can confirm our prediction on the positive role of perceived employment prospects in actual student behavior.

Lean production and organisational performance: moderating roles of ability- and motivation-focused human resource management

Lean production (LP) is crucial for improving organisational performance. On the basis of ability-motivation-opportunity theory, this paper provides a new theoretical perspective to explain the interaction effect of human resource management (HRM) and LP on performance. Data from multiple informants from 212 manufacturing plants indicated that when organisations implement ability- and motivation-focused HRM to a high degree, LP is profitable. However, when organisations implement ability- and motivation-focused HRM to a low degree, LP is negatively associated with performance. Therefore, the synergy of LP and these two forms of HRM is critical for performance. Without HRM, LP could damage an organisation. Manufacturers in charge of LP must cooperate with HRM professionals because improving employees' abilities and motivation through HRM supports LP implementation.

Role of Ability to Delay Gratification and Regulate Emotions in Adolescents' Psychological Well-Being

The present paper aimed to investigate the role of'ability to delay gratification' and 'cognitive emotion regulation strategies' in psychological well-being o f adolescents. For this purpose a sample o f 120 adolescents (age rangel2- 18), with accidental and convenient sampling, has been drawn trom the general population of Meerut City. Data was collected by using inventories, which included Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) of Gamefski, Rraaijand, Spinhoven, Psychological Well-being Scale of Rai and, a self prepared test for Ability to Delay Gratification. To meet the objectives of the study, obtained data was analyzed with Pearson Product-moment Correlation and Linear Regression Analysis. Result of the study have shown that Refocus on Planning, Positive Refocusing, Positive Reappraisal, Putting into Perspective (positive strategies). Rumination and Catastrophizing (negative strategies) significantly predict psychological well-being, whereas ability to delay gratification failed to do so.

The Role of Ability in the Selection of Majors

The current study examined the extent to which ability provides incremental validity to the prediction of major choice beyond what is predicted by measures of personality, self-efficacy, and interests. College students at a large, Midwestern university completed the Ability Profiler after which they completed personality, self-efficacy, and interest measures. Through multinomial logistical regression analyses, ability was found to add some incremental validity (1.5% increase in variance explained), when combined with personality, interest, and self-efficacy measures, to the prediction of major choice. Interests and self-efficacy served as impactful predictors, with personality contributing some influence. This finding illustrates that career counselors should continue to assess clients’ interests and self-efficacy when helping them make career decisions. Additional research should be conducted to assess the utility of other ability measures in the career counseling process.

Should banks diversify or focus? Know thyself: The role of abilities

The paper investigates whether diversification/focus across assets, industries and borrowers affects bank performance when banks’ abilities (screening and monitoring) are considered. The initial results show that diversification (focus) at the asset, industry and borrower levels is expected to decrease (increase) returns. However, once banks’ screening and monitoring abilities are controlled for, the effect of diversification/focus either gets weaker or disappears. Further, in some cases, these abilities enhance banks’ long-run performance, but in others they prove to be costly, at least, in the short run. Thus, the level of monitoring and screening abilities should be taken into consideration in understanding, planning and implementing diversification/focus strategies.

Who Becomes an Entrepreneur? The Role of Ability, Education, and Sector Choice

The classical occupational choice model does not explain the simultaneous existence of low and high ability entrepreneurs. In this paper, we study the decision to become an entrepreneur when individuals choose their education level and the economic sector where to operate. We distinguish two sectors: the knowledge and the traditional sector. The knowledge sector requires individuals to invest in education. Under this framework, two results are possible: one where only high ability individuals become entrepreneurs, and one with the coexistence of low and high ability entrepreneurs. This framework provides a rational explanation of the relationship between ability, education, and self-employment. Using PIAAC data, we test the empirical implications of the model. We find that most countries have an equilibrium with low and high ability entrepreneurs.

CHANGING ROLES OF ABILITY AND EDUCATION IN U.S. INTERGENERATIONAL MOBILITY

Using data on young adults from the 1979 and 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we investigate the changing roles of ability and education in the transmission of economic status across generations. We find that ability plays a substantially diminished role for the most recent cohort whereas education plays a much larger role. The first finding results primarily from a smaller effect of children's ability on status, the second from an increased correlation between parental status and educational attainment. A replication of the analysis by gender reveals that the changes in the role of ability are largely driven by men whereas the changes in education's role are largely driven by women. (JEL J62, I24)

제조기업의 환경혁신에 대한 원인요인과 촉진요인

This research empirically investigated the influence factors on the activation of environmental innovations (EI) in Korean manufacturing firms. In this study, external factors (compulsory demand, government regulation, normative pressure and imitative pressure) and internal factors (environmental resources, top management support, integration of environmental tasks, capabilities of environmental personnel, and environmental strategy/environmental management systems) were totally considered. The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that influence factors such as top management support, environmental resources and integration of environmental tasks have a significant and positive impact on levels of EI. However, the effects of external factors were not statistically significant. We also examined whether capabilities of environmental personnel as well as environmental resources, which are directly related with degrees of EI, have a moderating impact on relationships between other internal factors and levels of EI. With a subgroup analysis, the moderating role of abilities of environmental personnel were empirically confirmed. Through a multiple regression analysis, the direct effects of external factors on the adoption or construction of internal factors were demonstrated. The effects of government regulation, normative pressure and imitative pressure on internal factors were significant and positive. It was also found that external factors have indirect effects on EI through internal factors. Finally, the results of multiple regression analyses indicated that EI positively influences the achievement of environmental competitive benefits, and environmental competitive advantages can improve the organizational performance of a firm.

EMU defended: reply to Newman (2014)

In his “EMU and Inference,” Mark Newman European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 4(1):55–74, 2014 provides several interesting challenges to my explanatory model of understanding (EMU, Khalifa Philosophy of science, 79(1):15–37, 2012). I offer three replies to Newman’s paper. First, Newman incorrectly attributes to EMU an overly restrictive view about the role of abilities in understanding. Second, his main argument against EMU rests on this incorrect attribution, and would still face difficulties even if this attribution were correct. Third, contrary to his stated ambitions, his own, inferential model of understanding (IMU) does not have any distinctive advantages over EMU. These three points defend EMU against Newman’s objections.

The role of ability, motivation, and opportunity to work in the transition from work to early retirement--testing and optimizing the Early Retirement Model.

Determinants in the domains health, job characteristics, skills, and social and financial factors may influence early retirement through three central explanatory variables, namely, the ability, motivation, and opportunity to work. Based on the literature, we created the Early Retirement Model. This study aims to investigate whether data support the model and how it could be improved. Employees aged 58-62 years (N=1862), who participated in the first three waves of the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) were included. Determinants were assessed at baseline, central explanatory variables after one year, and early retirement after two years. Structural equation modeling was applied. Testing the Early Retirement Model resulted in a model with good fit. Health, job characteristics, skills, and social and financial factors were related to the ability, motivation and/or opportunity to work (significant β range: 0.05-0.31). Lower work ability (β=-0.13) and less opportunity to work (attitude colleagues and supervisor about working until age 65: β=-0.24) predicted early retirement, whereas the motivation to work (work engagement) did not. The model could be improved by adding direct effects of three determinants on early retirement, ie, support of colleagues and supervisor (β=0.14), positive attitude of the partner with respect to early retirement (β=0.15), and not having a partner (β=-0.13). The Early Retirement Model was largely supported by the data but could be improved. The prolongation of working life might be promoted by work-related interventions focusing on health, work ability, the social work climate, social norms on prolonged careers, and the learning environment.