Atmosphere in an urban nightlife setting: A case study of the relationship between the socio‐physical context and aggressive behavior

Aggression is strongly influenced by the surrounding socio‐physical context, and the development of aggressive behavior is best understood through a continuous cycle of ongoing person‐environment interactions. Empirical studies, nevertheless, have been predominantly conducted in the laboratory, studying aggression as a short‐lived phenomenon, emerging from and within an individual, and – with situational factors studied in isolation – devoid of its context. The present field study, conducted in an urban nightlife area, complements this research. A qualitative, multi‐method approach was followed by thematic analysis to investigate ongoing behavioral patterns of the crowd vis‐à‐vis the changes in the context that co‐occurred with the development of unwanted behaviors, including aggression. In our study, we identified atmosphere as a dynamic and mood‐like, but extra‐individual state of the socio‐physical setting related to the development of aggression. Our results suggest that atmosphere affects the behavior of groups and individuals by emerging from and feeding into ongoing interactions between people and the environment. At the individual level, it appears to play its part as proximate determinant of behavior; at the crowd level it reflects the synergetic product of all those persons’ states, behaviors and interactions. Implications for aggression theory and for applications aimed at curbing aggression are discussed.     

Birth order,stimulating environment,and maternal factors in developmental outcomes: A longitudinal Mexican study

This study longitudinally examined the interplay between birth-order and well-known risk factors in impoverished environments such as inadequate environmental stimulation, low maternal education, and young maternal age in children from birth to 36 months. In the developmental motor domain, the effect of the stimulating environment over time, favored first-borns. In the adaptive domain, maternal education privileged first-born boys. In language development, first-borns reached higher scores over time than laterborn identifying a positive impact of stimulation. In the personal-social domain, firstborns obtained higher averages overall, but stratified models revealed that later-borns reached the first-borns scores as maternal age increased.     

Clearing the path to transcend barriers to walking: Analysis of associations between perceptions and walking behaviour

Walkability is much studied, but the relative importance of perceptions and motivations is still not consensual. This study took a holistic approach to examine the comparative importance of a range of possible perceptions, motivations and individual characteristics on walking levels.Data from Auckland Transport's Active Modes online survey (AT survey, N = 4,114) captured environmental perceptions and travel behaviour. Machine learning (gradient boosting) was used to predict walking levels from perceptual data and individual characteristics and determine the relative importance of each variable. Strong predictors of walking included the use of public transport, walking perceived as saving money and avoiding parking hassle, age group, and overall satisfaction with walking. Surprisingly, the importance of expected dimensions such as perceived availability of destinations or internal motivations was null in the general model.These findings suggest a more holistic view of walking behaviour is needed, one that moves beyond the pure availability of destinations.     

The orientation of young and older adults' mental representations of their home town with familiar and new landmarks

Familiarity with an environment produces refined mental representations in adults of all ages, but it is not clear whether these representations tend to have a north-up orientation and whether familiarity facilitates the learning of new spatial information, especially in ageing. Thirty-two young and 32 older adults studied a map of their home town that included familiar and new fictitious landmarks, then performed pointing tasks, some aligned with the cardinal points south–north (SN), and others counter-aligned, north–south (NS). A measure of visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) and a questionnaire on pleasure in exploring were also administered. The results showed that performance was better when pointing SN than NS (alignment effect), whereas pointing performance for familiar landmarks was similar for SN and NS alignments (no alignment effect). No interaction involving age was found. VSWM emerged as a significant predictor of pointing performance. Spatial mental representations of familiar environments are elaborate and flexible as regards familiar landmarks, in both young and older adults; and a familiar layout does not seem to enhance older adults' spatial memory as regards new landmarks.     

Neighborhood Violence and Coparent Conflict: Interactive Influence on Child Psychosocial Adjustment

The interactive influence of neighborhood violence and coparent conflict on child psychosocial adjustment was examined in a sample of 117 low-income, inner-city African American families. Data were collected and analyzed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Lower levels of coparent conflict buffered girls, but not boys, from the detrimental effects of living in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of violence. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, lower levels of coparent conflict, relative to higher levels, protected girls from depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors in the context of higher levels of neighborhood violence. Clinical implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.     

A case study of community-based participatory research ethics: The healthy public housing initiative

We conducted and analyzed qualitative interviews with 12 persons working on the Healthy Public Housing Initiative in Boston, Massachusetts in 2001. Our goal was to generate ideas and themes related to the ethics of the community-based participatory research in which they were engaged. Specifically, we wanted to see if we found themes that differed from conventional research that is based on an individualistic ethics. There were clearly distinct ethical issues raised with respect to projects and individuals who engage in community-based collaborations. The differences that arose from the interviews were seeking equality between the partners, the need for the community partner to defend the community, dealing with unflattering data, meeting community expectations and producing tangible benefits to the community. Alison Kole is an MD/MPH candidate, Tufts University School of Medicine.     

Early language outcomes in Argentinean toddlers: Associations with home literacy,screen exposure and joint media engagement

This study aimed to analyse the contribution of mothers' home literacy beliefs and practices and the quantity and quality of screen media exposure on Argentinean toddler's language. In addition, we considered parent–child joint engagement, as well as adult scaffolding behaviours during the use of electronic devices. A total of 465 mothers of 18–36 months old children completed an online survey including: the MacArthur Bates CDI, home literacy, screen exposure, joint engagement and scaffolding questionnaires. We observed positive effects of literacy beliefs, PC times and verbal scaffolding on language outcomes. TV exposure contributed negatively to vocabulary and, along with educational content, to sentence use. Shared reading and screen media experiences can be an opportunity for language stimulation, provided there is dialogue and joint engagement. Passive screen exposure and inadequate content may be detrimental for toddlers' language outcomes, probably by displacement of socially significant interactions.     

The K-9 Unit

Abstract

This paper describes the process of evaluating and designing interventions for sensory processing preferences using the Adult Sensory Profile. The measure is theoretically based on Dunn's Model of Sensory Processing (1997) which describes the intersection of neurological threshold and behavioral responses resulting in the following four quadrants: sensory sensitivity, sensation avoiding, low registration and sensation seeking. The compatibility of this model and recovery is discussed along with specific strategies for matching environments and sensory processing preferences.     

The Performance of Environmental Science in Research Teams

Scientists' practices rely not only on the discursive production of science but also on routine interactions whereby scientists manage their teams and their publics. The metaphor of the theatre helps explain how researchers perform impressions to different audiences. This metaphor can also help analyse how scientists and researchers cooperate in performance teams in order to manage credibility impressions. How are research teams constructed and maintained? How do team members respond to the challenges of coordinating the team and elaborating a common vision given their differences in aims and understandings? From 2005 to 2007 a scientific team worked together in the city of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to develop land remediation measures for coal waste disposal sites. The team was organised around a common front developed through ongoing negotiation and bargaining. Scientists employed different strategies to maintain the team through the development of the project, such as reciprocity, unanimity and bargaining. To accommodate individual views, the common front emphasised the presentation of results and the process of research over its specific content and impact.