Knowledge and markets

An economy is a coordinated system of distributed knowledge. Economic evolution occurs as knowledge grows and the structure of the system changes. This paper is about the role of markets in this process. Traditionally, the theory of markets has not been a central feature of evolutionary economics. This seems to be due to the orthodox view of markets as information-processing mechanisms for finding equilibria. But in economic evolution markets are actually knowledge-structuring mechanisms. What then is the relation between knowledge, information, markets and mechanisms? I argue that an evolutionary theory of markets, in the manner of Loasby (1999), requires a clear formulation of these relations. I suggest that a conception of knowledge and markets in terms of a graphical theory of complex systems furnishes precisely this.

The investigation of factors underlying deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation

Primary objective: To examine a theoretical model which suggests that a contribution of both psychological and neuropsychological factors underlie deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation. Research design: Multivariate design including correlations and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Methods: Sixty-one subjects with acquired brain injury (ABI) were administered standardized measures of self-awareness and self-regulation. Psychological factors included measures of coping-related denial, personality-related denial and personality change. Neuropsychological factors included an estimate of IQ and two measures of executive functioning that assess capacity for volition and purposive behaviour. Main outcomes and results: The findings indicated that the relative contribution of neuropsychological factors to an outcome of deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation had a more direct effect than psychological factors. In general, measures of executive functioning had a direct relationship, while measures of coping-related and personality-related denial had an indirect relationship with measures of self-awareness and self-regulation. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the importance of measuring both neuropsychological and psychological factors and demonstrated that the relative contribution of these variables varies according to different levels of self-awareness and self-regulation.

Brief opportunistic intervention: The role of psychologists in initiating self-change amongst problem drinkers

Excessive consumption of alcohol is a serious public health problem. While intensive treatments are suitable for those who are physically dependent on alcohol, they are not cost-effective options for the vast majority of problem drinkers who are not dependent. There is good evidence that brief interventions are effective in reducing overall alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and health-care utilisation among nondependent problem drinkers. Psychologists are in an ideal position to opportunistically detect people who drink excessively and to offer them brief advice to reduce their drinking. In this paper we outline the process involved in providing brief opportunistic screening and intervention for problem drinkers. We also discuss methods that psychologists can employ if a client is not ready to reduce drinking, or is ambivalent about change. Depending on the client's level of motivation to change, psychologists can engage in either an education-clarification approach, a commitment-enhancement approach, or a skills-training approach. Routine engagement in opportunistic intervention is an important public-health approach to reducing alcohol-related harm in the community.

Riddling and invariance for discontinuous maps preserving Lebesgue measure

In this paper we use the mixture of topological and measure-theoretic dynamical approaches to consider riddling of invariant sets for some discontinuous maps of compact regions of the plane that preserve two-dimensional Lebesgue measure. We consider maps that are piecewise continuous and with invertible except on a closed zero measure set. We show that riddling is an invariant property that can be used to characterize invariant sets, and prove results that give a non-trivial decomposion of what we call partially riddled invariant sets into smaller invariant sets. For a particular example, a piecewise isometry that arises in signal processing (the overflow oscillation map), we present evidence that the closure of the set of trajectories that accumulate on the discontinuity is fully riddled. This supports a conjecture that there are typically an infinite number of periodic orbits for this system.

Resolving the puzzle of productive and destructive conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups: A communication accommodation theory approach

This study presents an investigation of the communicative behaviors and strategies employed in the stimulation and management of productive and destructive conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups. Using communication accommodation theory (CAT), we argue that the type and course of conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups is impacted by the communicative behaviors and strategies employed by group members during interactions. Analysis of data from participant observations, non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and self-report questionnaires support CA T-based predictions and provide fresh insights into the triggers and management strategies associated with conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups. In particular, results indicated that the more groups used discourse management Strategies, the more they experienced productive conflict. In addition, the use of explanation and checking of own and others' understanding was a major feature of productive conflict, while speech interruptions emerged as a strategy leading to potential destructive conflict. Groups where leaders emerged and assisted in reversing communication breakdowns were better able to manage their discourse, and achieved consensus On task processes. Contributions to the understanding of the triggers and the management of productive conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups are discussed.

The validity and heritability of self-report osteoarthritis in an Australian older twin sample

In order to investigate the genetic and environmental antecedents of osteoarthritis (CA), self-report measures of joint pain, stiffness and swelling were obtained from a population-based sample of 1242 twin pairs over 50 years of age. In order to provide validation for these self-report measures, a subsample of 118 twin pairs were examined according to the American College of Rheumatology clinical and radiographic criteria for the classification of osteoarthritis. A variety of statistical methods were employed to identify the model derived from self-report variables which would provide optimal prediction of these standardised assessments, and structural equation modelling was used to determine the relative influences of genetic and environmental influences on the development of osteoarthritis. Significant genetic effects were found to contribute to osteoarthritis of the hands, hips and knees in women, with heritability estimates ranging from 30-46% depending on the site. In addition, the additive genetic effects contributing to osteoarthritis in various parts of the body were confirmed to be the same. Statistically significant familial aggregation of osteoarthritis in men was also observed, but it was not possible to determine whether this was due to genetic or shared environmental effects.

Self-awareness of Prospective Memory Failure in Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury

The frequency of prospective memory failure in individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) was investigated by comparison with a non-brain-injured control group. Self-awareness of prospective memory function was also assessed by comparing self-ratings with ratings by significant others. Study participants included 33 individuals with severe TBI and 29 non-brain-injured persons. Each participant nominated a close friend or relative who completed the informant's version of the questionnaire. Participants and their significant others both rated the participants' frequency of prospective memory lapses using the Comprehensive Assessment of Prospective Memory (CAPM). An independent groups design was adopted to compare the TBI and control groups. No significant difference was found between the TBI and control participants' self-ratings of frequency of prospective memory failure, but ratings by significant others were significantly different. The TBI group demonstrated less self-awareness (i.e. underestimated the frequency of prospective memory failure compared to significant others) than the control group.

PFG-NMR measurements of the self-diffusion coefficients of water in equilibrium poly(HEMA-co-THFMA) hydrogels

The self-diffusion coefficients for water in a series of copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, HEMA, and tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, THFMA, swollen with water to their equilibrium states have been studied at 310 K using PFG-NMR. The self-diffusion coefficients calculated from the Stejskal-Tanner equation, D-obs, for all of the hydrated polymers were found to be dependent on the NMR storage time, as a result of spin exchange between the proton reservoirs of the water and the polymers, reaching an equilibrium plateau value at long storage times. The true values of the diffusion coefficients were calculated from the values of D-obs, in the plateau regions by applying a correction for the fraction of water protons present, obtained from the equilibrium water contents of the gels. The true self-diffusion coefficient for water in polyHEMA obtained at 310 K by this method was 5.5 x 10(-10) m(2) s(-1). For the copolymers containing 20% HEMA or more a single value of the self-diffusion coefficient was found, which was somewhat larger than the corresponding values obtained for the macroscopic diffusion coefficient from sorption measurements. For polyTHFMA and copolymers containing less than 20% HEMA, the PFG-NMR stimulated echo attenuation decay curves and the log-attenuation plots were characteristic of the presence of two diffusing water species. The self-diffusion coefficients of water in the equilibrium-hydrated copolymers were found to be dependent on the copolymer composition, decreasing with increasing THFMA content.

The effectiveness of parent management training to increase self-efficacy in parents of children with Asperger syndrome

This study was a trial of an intervention programme aimed to improve parental self-efficacy in the management of problem behaviours associated with Asperger syndrome. The intervention was compared across two formats, a I day workshop and six individual sessions, and also with a non-intervention control group. The results indicated that, compared with the control group, parents in both intervention groups reported fewer problem behaviours and increased self-efficacy following the interventions, at both 4 weeks and 3 months follow-up. The results also showed a difference in self-efficacy between mothers and fathers, with mothers reporting a significantly greater increase in self-efficacy following intervention than fathers. There was no significant difference between the workshop format and the individual sessions.