A longitudinal study of adolescents' future orientation (time perspective)

This longitudinal study was designed to test hypotheses concerning the influence of environmental changes in different groups (educational status; sex) of adolescents on their future orientation (FO). FO was measured through a free-response questionnaire on which the subjects indicated their hopes and fears (which were later categorized into various domains of life by independent judges). On a second questionnaire the subjects adjudged their present and future life in various given domains of life. The sample consisted of 24 male and 24 female adolescents, aged between 14–16 years at the time of the first measurement; the second measurement took place two years later. Half of the subjects of each sex were students at a Gymnasium (preparing for university study) at both times of measurement (high social status). The other half of the subjects of each sex were in their last year at the Hauptschule (continuation of elementary education) at the first time of measurement, and had taken up employment (e.g., an apprenticeship) by the time of the second measurement (low social status). At the time of the second measurement relatively more hopes and fears were voiced in the domains of personal development and occupation than at the first measurement. Independent of time of measurement, low-status subjects voiced relatively more hopes and fears related to the occupational domain, and boys had a more extended FO than girls. Low-status subjects — as compared to high-status subjects as well as to their own judgments at the first measurement — believed to a greater extent that the materialization of their hopes and fears depended on themselves rather than on external forces. These results support the assumption that FO cannot be dealt with as a global concept and that FO can be modified by change in the external environments, such as entry into an occupation.This study was conducted at the Sonderforschungsbereich 24, Sozial- und wirtschaftspsychologische Entscheidungsforschung, Universität Mannheim (West Germany), and financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, with support from the Government of Baden-Württemberg. The three authors have contributed equally to this article.Received her Ph.D. from Universität Mannheim. Major interests are judgment and planning of small groups, adolescents, delinquents, and married couples.Received his Ph.D. from Princeton University. Major interests are small group processes, negotiation, and justice.He graduated from Universität Mannheim. Major interest is sociology of organizations.     

A cup of coffee in Bishkek: insights into the emerging coffee culture in Kyrgyzstan's capital

ABSTRACT

This study deals with the contemporary dynamics of urban life in Bishkek. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Central Asian societies have experienced widespread political, economic and socio-cultural transformations. In this context, Western or globalized cultural modes and trends influence Kyrgyzstan's social and cultural life. One of these trends is the increasingly popular coffee culture, with its attendant high-grade coffee brands and fancy cafés changing established consumption patterns. This article focuses primarily on cafés as new places of consumption and communication, but it also examines the intentions and strategies of the café pioneers. We reflect on the emergence of coffee and cafés in Bishkek and show how they have integrated in urban life as ‘third places’. Coffee is breaking away from its commonly soluble form and moving toward an expensive lifestyle product, while the new cafés offer a place for communication that has not existed before.     

Reconstrudive significance of stretch mark tears of the skin

Stretchmark-like tears of the inguinal region are commonly referred to as typical lesions in pedestrian accidents when the victim is run over by a motorcar. These lesions can also be observed when a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle while being in an upright position. Stretchmark-like tears are due to hyperextension or excessive abduction of the hip joint. Characteristic morphological features are variable numbers of equally superficial and parallel tears of the skin following the skin's cleavage lines. Drivers of two-wheeled vehicles may exhibit inguinal stretchmark-like tears when they hit an obstacle with their bent knee, suffering excessive abduction of the hip joint. Finally, stretchmark-like tears are described in victims of collisions with railed vehicles, of aircraft crashes and--very rarely--in severely injured car passengers.     

Withdrawal of artificial nutrition in the persistent vegetative state: a continuous controversy

The withdrawal of life support from patients in persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a controversial issue, as highlighted by a continuous public debate and recent judicial decisions. In Germany, a topic of particular interest is the abatement of artificial nutrition. First, doubts have come up whether every kind of technically delivered nutrition should be rated identically or whether a distinction between feeding tubes/gastrotomies and intravenous administration should be made. Second, the question is left open whether artificial nutrition is part of basic care and as a consequence may never be discontinued, or if it has to be regarded as life-sustaining treatment which can be refused by surrogates on behalf of the nonautonomous patient. Most recently, controversial judicial decisions have dealt with the question if substituted judgement concerning abatement of artificial nutrition by surrogates or legal guardians is permitted or if the approval of a court is necessary. Forensic evidence is provided which indicates that the withdrawal of artificial nutrition in patients in the persistent vegetative state may become a contributing causative factor or even the immediate cause of death. The legal implications with regard to the above-mentioned issues of controversy are discussed.     

Can Outsiders Bring Democracy to Post-Conflict States?

Most interventions by outside forces to promote democracy in post-conflict states since WWII have failed. The most successful were in societies, such as Germany and Japan, featuring relatively high per capita GNP and diversified middle class economies. Among societies in general, prospects for democracy tend to diminish as per capita GNP decreases. The effects of conflict make democracy promotion considerably more difficult, particularly when poorer societies are plagued by weak institutions, corruption, religious extremism and ethnic, religious or factional animosities. Even if outsiders are able to control violence and actively promote democracy, success will depend on the underlying political culture and willingness of key political actors to play by democratic rules once the outsiders have gone. Hence, outsiders need to develop the best possible understanding of their prospects for success before committing to intervention, particularly when the resource demands are likely to be high.     

Die Einflussmöglichkeiten der Europäischen Kommission auf die europäische Politik

The means of the European Commission to influence European policies are being discussed predominantly with view to its agenda-setting powers. Institutionalist analyses have shown how the Commission can use agenda setting to bring to bear its own political preferences on the Council. With view to other Commission rights, in contrast, there have not been similar systematic analyses to show the Commission’s impact on European policies. In this article it is shown how the Commission can use its rights following from its role as a guardian of the Treaty and from competition law strategically. By simultaneously imposing threats on the Member States, the Commission can present its proposals to the Council as a “lesser evil”, pressurizing the Council into acceptance. The paper shows the scope and limits of this strategy and takes into consideration how other studies discussing the Commission’s powers fit into this framework of analysis.     

Incentive Effects of Expanding Federal Mass Transit Formula Grants

Public subsidies to industries firms incentives to alter their behavior. When calculating the effects of such programs, previous assessments of transit subsidies have not included the effects of these incentives on the firms' output. This article reports the responses of mass transit firms to the federal transit subsidy program and changes the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21) made to that program, as predicted by a structural model of output choice. TEA 21 increases bus service in medium‐sized cities by 6‐8 percent, butincreases service in large cities by only 1‐2 percent. The formula's incentive tier is weak, and the size of the subsidy depends little on whether that output results in increased ridership. The formula could be redesigned to provide stronger incentives to lower cost and increase ridership, thus encouraging a more efficient response from transit firms. © 2001 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Commotio cordis as a result of a fight: report of a case considered to be imprudent homicide

The report describes a fatal outcome in a 5-year-old male who died after drinking a fatal dose of ethanol at the party held by his parents. Urine and blood alcohol level of the deceased was 0.4 and 0.5 g/dL, what might explain the sudden death of the child. In addition, the analysis of the boy's hair demonstrated the presence of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a marker of alcohol consumption; hair EtG concentration levels indicated that the boy might have occasionally imbibed alcohol prior to death. Pathological lesions of the liver observed in histopathology did not contradict such a hypothesis.