Locomotor strategies in response to altered lower limb segmental mechanical properties

The present study sought to use stilt walking as a model to uncover modifications to gait dynamics caused by changes in lower limb anthropometrics. We examined 10 novice and 10 expert stilt walkers, each walking with and without stilts, to determine the specific adaptations brought about by experience. Three-dimensional kinematics and force platform data were used to calculate the intersegmental forces, net joint moments and moment powers at the ankle, knee and hip. Spatio-temporal data were computed to aid the interpretation of these data. Non-dimensional scaling was used to facilitate comparison between stilt- and normal-walking. In general, the stilts induced largely the same alterations in the locomotor patterns of both novices and experts, which did not allow for the conclusion that the experts employed locomotor dynamics that were better suited to the challenges imposed by alterations to limb length, mass and mass moment of inertia induced by the stilts. Nevertheless, the experts exhibited a lesser reduction in dimensionless stride length and velocity and generated larger concentric knee flexor and hip extensor powers, relative to the novices, which may be indicative of enhanced dynamic stability control.     

Concurrence costs in double stimulation tasks

Seven experiments are described on reaction time (RT₁) to a first auditory stimulus in a double stimulation paradigm, where the response to a second visual stimulus was explicitly non-speeded. In all studies it was found that, compared to a single stimulus control condition, RT₁ showed a constant delay of about 20–30 msec. The effect occurred irrespective of (a) the viewing conditions of the second stimulus in terms of either duration, processing demands or presence vs absence of a backward masking signal (experiments 1, 4, 5, 6, 7); (b) the duration of the interstimulus interval ranging from -200 msec up to at least a second (experiments 2, 3, 5); and (c) the processing demands of the first task (experiment 7). It is suggested that the delay reflects a basic concurrence cost which remains when two reactions can be time-shared.     

Out-of school youth in high-unemployment areas: An empirical investigation

A total of 551 interviews were conducted with 16-20 year olds living in high unemployment areas in Liverpool, London, Manchester and Wolverhampton. The diverse ways in which the young unemployed react to their predicaments are described, and explanations are offered for why black youth tend to be less acquiescent than whites. Overall, however, the analysis emphasises the ability of the young people at greatest risk of unemployment to devise their own coping strategies. Counsellors and other careers workers are advised to take these into account: otherwise their efforts are likely to be discounted by their clients.     

Reflections on a Vision

An incident in the normal routine of seminary life opens the writer to an experience of the timeless reality of creation itself.     

Managerial Support for Dual-Career Relocation Dilemmas

This study examined managerial decision making in the context of a dual-career relocation dilemma. Specifically, 143 managers and professionals responded to a memo contained in an in-basket simulation exercise that involved a dual-career employee relocation and corresponding request for spouse employment assistance. Competing theoretical predictions were tested with regard to managerial support for this dual-career work-family situation as a function of the gender of the employee. Findings indicated that managers offered more extensive assistance to the spouse of a female employee than to the spouse of a male employee. A content analysis of decision-makers' responses indicated a wide range of specific responses, with offering multiple forms of assistance being most common (27%), followed by delegating the issue to human resources (22%). The results are discussed in terms of implications for future research on managerial support for work-family and employee mobility. Practical suggestions are outlined.