bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tax Competition, Capital Mobility, and Public Good Provision Within a Trading Block
Authors: Hatzipanayotou Panos , Hadjiyiannis Costas , Michael Michael S.
Published: March 2003

The authors examine a two–country general–equilibrium model of a two–country trading block where governments through tax policies attract mobile capital and provide an imported public consumption good. Within this framework the authors examine, among other things, how preferences over the public good and the size (population) of a country affect the Nash or cooperative equilibrium values of income tax rates in the two countries. The analysis identifies sufficient conditions under which (i) the Nash/cooperative equilibrium income tax rates are strategic substitutes or complements, and (ii) the Nash equilibrium income tax rates may be greater than the cooperative rates.
On the Applicability of the Tiebout Model to Japanese Cities
Authors: Sakashita Noboru , Hirao Motohiko
Published: March 2003

The purpose of this paper is to apply the so‐called Tiebout hypothesis empirically to Japanese cities. 117 cities in the Tokyo metropolitan area and 72 cities in the Osaka metropolitan area are respectively classified into eight clusters using public expenditure densities as attribute variables. The land price of each city is then regressed on per capita income, population density and dummy variables corresponding to the clusters. High statistical significance of the estimated coefficients of the dummy variables can be taken meaningfulness of the initial classification of cities in which individuals of varying preference to the different patterns of public expenditures reside, Through this procedure, the authors reached the conclusion that the Tiebout hypothesis is applicable to cities in Japanese metropolitan areas.
Modes of Commuting in Mumbai: A Discrete Choice Analysis
Authors: Tiwari Piyush , Kawakami Tetsu
Published: March 2003

Using a nested multinomial logit model (NMNL), this paper estimates the choice probabilities and demand elasticities of various modal alternatives for Mumbai using 1990 trip origination and destination data. The results indicate that with an increase in the cost of private transit system, market share is reduced. The result of this experiment is highly elastic private commuting mode demand. In addition, reduction in the market share of own vehicles is larger than that of hired vehicles. The increase in the cost of mass transit system reduces its share but is inelastic. Decrease in the market share of one mode is accompanied by increase in the market share of others. Income has a positive effect on the market share of private transit modes, particularly on the own vehicles' share. Other explanatory variables such as distance have a negative effect on mass transit system and duration has a negative elasticity for all modes of transportation.
On the Competitive Land Market: Evidence from Hong Kong
Authors: Tse Raymond Y.C. , Hui E.C.M. , Chan C.H.K.
Published: March 2003

This paper examines both theory and empirical evidence on the relationship between market concentration and profitability in Hong Kong's land market. Such a relationship has been the subject of substantial debate among academics and practitioners. The study highlights several distinctive characteristics of property development in Hong Kong, and particularly various competitive strategies. In Hong Kong, land can be acquired through public auction, redevelopment and lease modifications. Thus, those developers without a sufficient land bank tend to be very aggressive in land auction. However, in the land auction market, competition is keen and the land acquired expensive. This study found that the leading property developers do not take the largest share in the land auction market. We argue that the developers tend to locate themselves in a suitable market position or strategic domain, within which they sustain competitiveness by increasing their market share. We also found that the property developers undertaking a relatively high proportion of large‐scale projects tend to have a higher proportion of profits from such projects.
Interregional Interdependence and Regional Economic Growth: An Interregional Input‐Output Analysis of the Kyushu Region
Authors: Akita Takahiro , Kataoka Mitsuhiko
Published: March 2003

The main objective of this paper is to examine the effects of the changes in economic conditions and government policies on the output growth of the Kyushu region between 1965 and 1990. This study uses the extended growth‐factor decomposition method based on a three‐region Japanese interregional input‐output system consisting of Kyushu, Kanto, and the rest of Japan. The growth pattern of Kyushu changed noticeably over the period. The primary drivers of growth changed from the expansion of final demand within Kyushu to direct and indirect effects from outside Kyushu. This unambiguously indicates that Kyushu has facilitated interregional and international interdependence. The emergence of the processing and assembling sector, together with the construction of new networks of trunk railway lines, expressways, and communications, promoted closer interregional industrial linkages between Kyushu, Kanto, and the rest of Japan. In addition, the offshore transfer of production from Kyushu to Southeast Asia after the Plaza Accord Agreement strengthened Kyushu’s international industrial linkages.
The Ethical Eschatology of the Kingdom of God Movement
Authors: Campbell Jonathan
Published: March 2003

Books reviewed in this article:

John Dominic Crossan, The Birth of Christianity: Discovering what Happened in the Years Immediately after the Execution of Jesus
After Counting: The Church in English Social Life
Authors: Higton Mike
Published: March 2003

Book reviewed in this article

Timothy Jenkins, Religion in English Everyday Life: An Ethnographic Approach
Consuming Religion: Faith in the Future and the Future of Faith
Authors: Roberts Vaughan S.
Published: March 2003

Books reviewed in this article:

John Drane, The McDonaldization of the Church: Spirituality, Creativity, and the Future of the Church

George Ritzer, Enchanting A Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption
Evil Revisited
Authors: Wollaston Isabel
Published: March 2003

Books reviewed in this article:

Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Encountering Evil: Live Options in Theodicy

William L. Rowe (ed.), God and the Problem of Evil

Amélie Oksenberg Rorty (ed.), The Many Faces of Evil: Historical Perspectives
Another ‘Second Coming’? The Jewish Community at Odds Over a New Form of Lubavitch Messianism
Authors: Wilkes George
Published: March 2003

Book reviewed in this article

David Berger, The Rebbe, The Messiah and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference
The Promise and Peril of Natural Law
Authors: Webb Stephen H.
Published: March 2003

Robert P. George, The Clash of Orthodoxies: Law, Religion, and Morality in Crisis
Monetary Policy Cooperation May Not Be Counterproductive
Authors: Jensen Henrik
Published: March 2003

This paper qualifies Rogoff's famous (1985) result that international monetary policy cooperation is counterproductive. In a model similar to his, it is shown that if wage‐setters are non‐atomistic and inflation averse — as policymakers are — cooperation leads to higher employment and possibly lower inflation.
Efficiency Wages and X‐Inefficiencies
Authors: Ellingsen Tore
Published: March 2003

Within most organizations, agents may spend time on a variety of tasks — productive and redistributive. In this paper, I derive an optimal multi‐task incentive scheme under the assumption that agents have limited liability. The wage level is shown to increase with an agent's discretion and the organization's profits. With multiple agents, it is generally not optimal for the principal to fully eliminate distributional conflict within the organization. The resulting influence costs constitute a measure of X‐inefficiency. The analysis illuminates the relationship between competition and influence costs, emphasizing the role of the organization's production technology.
The Demand for Broad Money in the United Kingdom, 1878–1993
Authors: Ericsson Neil R. , Hendry David F. , Prestwich Kevin M.
Published: March 2003

Using annual data from Friedman and Schwartz (1982), Hendry and Ericsson (1991a) developed an empirical model of the demand for broad money in the United Kingdom over 1878–1975. We update that model over 1976–1993, accounting for changed data definitions and clarifying the concept of constancy. With appropriate measures of opportunity cost and credit deregulation, the model's parameters are empirically constant over the extended sample, which was economically turbulent. Policy implications follow for parameter nonconstancy and predictive failure, causation between money and prices, monetary targeting, deregulation and financial innovation, and the effect of policy on economic agents' behavior.
Does Increased International Influence Cause Higher Stock Market Volatility?
Authors: Hassler John
Published: March 2003

Increased international financial integration is likely to cause greater market interdependence. This may either reduce volatility or increase it, by adding a new source of noise. Based on Swedish data, the findings in this paper are that foreign influence on the stock market shows a clear, positive trend, while purely domestic factors have not become more volatile. The trendwise increase in volatility on the Swedish stock market can thus be attributed to increased foreign influence.

JEL Classification: E44; F3; G1
Labour Hoarding, Price Rigidity and the Theory of Imperfect Competition under Uncertain Demand
Authors: Toulemonde Eric
Published: March 2003

It is shown that a monopolistic firm under uncertainty may be inclined to keep some of its output unsold when demand is low. This gives rise to changes in conventional results. Under uncertainty, a risk‐neutral monopolistic firm produces more than in a deterministic environment and it refuses to sell its total output when demand is low, because the marginal revenue could become negative or lower than the cost of selling the product. Moreover, in this framework, prices are shown to be more rigid downwards than upwards. The model also provides a new explanation for labour hoarding.

JEL classification: D24; D42
Price Adjustments by a Gasoline Retail Chain
Authors: Asplund Marcus , Eriksson Rickard , Friberg Richard
Published: March 2003

We use daily data to examine price responses in the Swedish gasoline market to changes in the Rotterdam spot price, exchange rates and taxes. The distribution of price adjustments by a leading retail chain, for the period January 1980 to December 1996, is symmetric with no small adjustments. An error correction model shows that, in the short run, prices gradually move towards the long‐run equilibrium in response to cost shocks. There is some evidence that, also in the short run, prices are stickier downwards than upwards. Prices respond more rapidly to exchange rate movements than to the spot market price. Our analysis emphasizes that to fully understand price adjustments it is necessary to examine data sets where the sample frequency at least matches that of price adjustments.

JEL classification: C22; E31; F14; L71
Health Insurance, Liquidity and Growth
Authors: Carmichael Benoit , Dissou Yazid
Published: March 2003

Within the context of an endogenous growth model, it is shown that in the presence of health risks which influence household income, the introduction of a private insurance company increases the long‐term economic growth rate. The introduction of such an institution has two effects on savings: a level effect and a composition effect. Although the presence of this risk‐reducing institution induces a decrease in the level of total savings, as suggested in earlier papers, the rate of illiquid savings, which contribute to growth, increases.

JEL Classification E1; G2; O1; O4
Trade and Location with Horizontal and Vertical Multi‐region Firms
Authors: Ekholm Karolina , Forslid Rikard
Published: March 2003

We analyse the effect on agglomeration tendencies of allowing multi‐region firms in a standard trade and location model, the core–periphery (CP) model developed by Kurgman (1991). The introduction of horizontal multi‐region firms mitigates the agglomeration effects found in the CP model by reducing the range of trade costs for which the core–periphery equilibrium occurs. The introduction of vertical multi‐region firms that separate the location of headquarters and plants has two counteracting effects. While headquarters exhibit a strong tendency to concentrate, plants tend to spread out. The equilibrium is always asymmetric in spite of the underlying symmetry of the model.
When Does an Inflation Target Yield the Second Best?
Authors: Beetsma Roel , Bovenberg Lans
Published: March 2003

It is shown that an inflation target does not establish the second best if the central bank is independent and the government collects seigniorage revenues. To eliminate excessive inflation and ensure that stabilization is efficient, society should combine an optimal inflation target with a central bank that attaches less weight to inflation stabilization than the public does.
Heterogeneous Dynasties and the Political Economy of Public Debt
Authors: De Walque Gregory , Gevers Louis
Published: March 2003

We consider a small open overlapping generations economy with descending altruism. Heterogeneity is introduced by assuming that each parent procreates a fixed proportion of selfish children. Altruistic parents can recognize the type of each child. There is no Ricardian equivalence and an active public intergenerational transfer policy is attractive to altruistic dynasty members, although there may be no unanimity among them. We display reasonable conditions for indirect preferences to be single‐peaked and we apply the median voter theorem. We then describe political equilibrium paths and discuss their compatibility with the steady path of an underlying closed economy with autonomous labor productivity growth.

JEL classification: D31; D64; D72; D91; H63
Wealth Distribution and Optimal Inheritance Taxation in Life‐cycle Economies with Intergenerational Transfers
Authors: Heer Burkhard
Published: March 2003

Intergenerational transfers are introduced into a general equilibrium life‐cycle model in order to explain observed levels of wealth heterogeneity. In our overlapping generations model, heterogenous agents face uncertain lifetime and leave both accidental and voluntary bequests to their children. Furthermore, agents face stochastic employment opportunities. The model is calibrated with regard to the characteristics of the US economy. Our results indicate that bequests only account for a small proportion of observed wealth heterogeneity. The introduction of an inheritance tax increases both welfare, as measured by the average lifetime utility of a newborn, and equality of the wealth distribution.

JEL classification: D31; D91; H21; C68; E21
Optimal Discretion
Authors: Lengwiler Yvan , Orphanides Athanasios
Published: March 2003

We investigate the desirability of adopting a rule in favor of discretionary monetary policy in a model exhibiting Kydland and Prescott's dynamic inconsistency problem but no fundamental incompatibility between the policymaker's price stability and full employment objectives. We show that if discretion provides a policy flexibility benefit, then a rule is optimal only when inflation exceeds an endogenously determined threshold. This gives rise to a discretionary policy zone for inflation with the central bank taking more drastic action towards stabilizing inflation when inflation veers outside the zone. Imperfect credibility narrows the scope for discretion and enhances the benefits of adopting a rule.

JEL classification: E58; D82; C72
Time Inconsistency and the Exchange Rate Channel of Monetary Policy
Authors: Leitemo Kai , Roisland Øistein , Torvik Ragnar
Published: March 2003

This paper analyses time–inconsistency problems related to the exchange rate channel of monetary policy. Within a simple open–economy macroeconomic model, where the exchange rate is the only forward–looking variable, we show that a difference emerges between optimal policy under discretion and under commitment. Moreover, the nature of the time–inconsistency problem resembles that resulting from standard New Keynesian models: when cost–push shocks occur, the exchange rate channel gives rise to excessive output stabilisation and insufficient inertia in monetary policy under a discretionary policy.

JEL classification: E42; E52; E61
No vigilance deficit found in either young schizophrenic or ADHD subjects
Authors: Rund BjØRn Rishovd , Zeiner PåL , Sundet Kjetil , &0slash;Ie Merete , Bryhn Grete
Published: March 2003

Vigilance deficits have been found in both schizophrenic and ADHD subjects. The two patient groups have never been directly compared on any vigilance measure, however. In the present study 20 early‐onset schizophrenics were compared to 20 ADHD adolescents on a Degraded Stimulus Continuous Performance Test (DS‐CPT). A comparison group of 30 normal adolescents was also included. Results showed no significant differences between the three groups on any of the DS‐CPT measures. Different hypotheses are put forth to explain the findings, among them that the task may be insensitive to identifying sustained attention deficits in adolescent populations.
The Effect of Choice on Intention‐behavior Consistency
Authors: Gillholm Robert , Erdeus Johan , Gärling Tommy
Published: March 2003

Three studies were conducted with the aim of investigating whether choice of behavioral alternative increases intention‐behavior consistency. In Study 1 undergraduates were asked to write and mail back an essay on a topic they either chose or were assigned. Demonstrating an effect of choice, significantly more subjects who chose an essay topic mailed back the essays. These subjects also rated their intention to write the essay as stronger, thus suggesting that the difference between choice and no choice is that the intention is self‐generated. Supporting this interpretation, no differences in mail‐back rates were observed in Studies 2 and 3 between a difficult and easy choice condition. Furthermore, an alternative hypothesis that choice induces implementation intentions did not receive support since independent effects were in Study 2 found of deciding when and where to write the essay and in Study 3 of making an outline of the essay.
Sex differences in judgement of facial affect: A multivariate analysis of recognition errors
Authors: Thayer Julian , Johnsen Bjørn Helge
Published: March 2003

The present paper investigated recognition errors in affective judgement of facial emotional expressions. Twenty‐eight females and sixteen males participated in the study. The results showed that in both males and females emotional displays could be correctly classified, but females had a higher rate of correct classification; males were more likely to have difficulty distinguishing one emotion from another. Females rated emotions identically regardless of whether the emotion was displayed by a male or female face. Furthermore, the two‐factor structure of emotion, based on a valence and an arousal dimension, was only present for female subjects. These results further extend our knowledge about gender differences in affective information processing.
Persistence during extinction: Are judgments of persistence affected by contingency information?
Authors: Svartdal Frode
Published: March 2003

The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE), defined as increased behavioral persistence following intermittent reward, is considered an important outcome of instrumental learning contingencies, both inside and outside the laboratory. Since adults have a rich experience with situations in which desired outcomes depend on instrumental responding, we asked whether that experience affects judgments of persistence when relevant contingency information is manipulated. Subjects read simple scenarios with information about behaviors generated by high vs. low reward rate, and then judged the resultant persistence of these behaviors under no‐reward conditions. Studies 1 and 2 found no evidence that persistence judgments were affected by contingency information in naive subjects. Studies 3 and 4 compared groups with and without explicit knowledge about behavioral psychology and thus tested possible effects of that knowledge for persistence more directly. Judgments in naive subjects were not reliably influenced by reward rate information, but subjects possessing expert knowledge demonstrated judgments that were reliably affected by contingency information. The results indicate that people do not generate generalized knowledge from normal experience with occasional vs. regular reward. Possible explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.
The role of spatial configuration in tests of working memory explored with functional neuroimaging
Authors: Bor Daniel , Duncan John , Owen Adrian
Published: March 2003

While the importance of the prefrontal cortex for “higher‐order” cognitive functions is largely undisputed, no consensus has been reached regarding the fractionation of functions within this region. Several recent functional neuroimaging studies have suggested that the mid‐ventrolateral frontal cortex may play an important role in various aspects of human memory. Thus, similar patterns of activation have been observed in this region during analogous spatial, verbal and visual span tasks. In the present study, however, activation was observed in a more dorsolateral region of the lateral frontal cortex during a modified version of the spatial span task, which differed only in the spatial configuration of the array employed. The results of a supplementary behavioral study, designed to investigate this effect further, suggest that in spatial memory tasks certain stimulus configurations may encourage subjects to adopt mnemonic strategies, which may depend upon dorsolateral, rather than ventrolateral, regions of the frontal cortex.

These findings shed further light on the functional relationship between dorsal and ventral regions of the lateral frontal cortex and, more specifically, how the “executive” processes assumed to be dependent upon these regions might contribute to aspects of human memory.
Cognitive impairment and the 10‐year survival probability of a normal 62‐year‐old population
Authors: Portin Raija , Muuriaisniemi Marja‐Liisa , Joukamaa Matti , Saarijärvi Simo , Helenius Hans , Salokangas Raimo K. R.
Published: March 2003

The predictive value of cognitive impairment together with demographic and health factors on long‐term survival was evaluated. The population sample comprised 389 subjects, all 62 years old. Cognitive performances were measured using verbal, visuomotor and memory tests. Cognitive impairment was determined by comparing performances with norms derived from healthy controls. Ten years after testing, the probability of survival was 89% for the cognitively preserved subjects, 80% for those with mild impairment, and 71% for those with moderate impairment ( p = 0.009). Relative risk (RR) for shortened survival was 1.7 (95% CI 0.9–3.2) for the mildly, and 2.6 (95% CI 1.4–4.8) for the moderately impaired. Perceived health problems were, as expected, related to reduced survival ( p < 0.001, RR 3.6, 95% CI 2.1–6.0), and there was an association between cognitive impairment and impaired perceived health ( p = 0.040). Multivariate analyses with Cox’s regression models showed that cognitive impairment, in particular, impaired episodic memory had an association with survival, in addition to the expected effects. Thus, memory impairment may reflect very early signs of underlying disease, and so the findings provide predictive validity for the cognitive methods used.
Do the Wechsler scales underestimate the difference between verbal and performance abilities in children with language–related disorders?
Authors: Ottem Ernst
Published: March 2003

The present paper examines the validity of the Wechsler scales with children with language–related disorders, with whom the scales were not originally normed. The general question is whether we can take measures of IQ, normed with a normal sample, and then validly use them asindicators of the same constructs with samples significantly different from the normed sample. In previous papers it was pointed out that the pattern structurally simple > moderately complex > complex tests can be observed in their IQ profiles within both the Verbal scale and the Performance scale. In this paper, it is hypothesized that this scatter of scores leads to an underestimation of the global V–P IQ differences for children with language–related disorders because there are more structurally complex tests on the Performance scale than on the Verbal scale. To test this hypothesis, “purer” V–P IQ differences were calculated by comparing the scores on Verbal and Performance tests of equal structural complexity. WPPSI and WISC–R data from four groups of children were analyzed: language–impaired children (n= 128), reading–impaired children (n= 112), children from dyslexic families (n= 51), and normal children (n= 49). When the effect of the difference in structural complexity was controlled for, it was found that the distribution of the revised V–P IQ difference was significantly more toward the negative end of the spectrum than the traditional V–P IQ differences for language–impaired and reading–impaired children, and approaching a significant level for children from dyslexic families. As hypothesized, there were no significant differences between the two distributions of V–P IQ differences for normal children. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
The link between knowledge and remembering in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Bäckman Lar
Published: March 2003

Current research on the influence of cognitive support (e.g., activation of task‐relevant prior knowledge, item organizability, retrieval cues) on episodic remembering in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is reviewed. Examining the effects of cognitive support on memory may shed light on the relationship between knowledge and remembering, and also provides relevant information pertaining to the development of cognitive intervention procedures. A series of studies from our own and other laboratories reveal a number of interesting empirical regularities. First, AD results in problems in utilizing cognitive support for improving memory. Conceivably, this reduction in cognitive reserve capacity is due to both the overall severity of the episodic memory impairment in AD, as well as to dementia‐related deficits in the semantic network that guides encoding and retrieval of information. Nevertheless, AD patients are able to utilize cognitive support in episodic memory tasks, although they typically need more support than their healthy aged counterparts to show memory facilitation. Specifically, it is critical to provide support at both encoding and retrieval in order to demonstrate performance gains in AD. Moreover, successful utilization of retrieval support in this disease is most likely to occur when the encoding requirements force the individual to engage in elaborative cognitive activity (e.g., generation of task‐relevant knowledge, categorical organization). Finally, a reduction in cognitive reserve capacity occurs later in the pathogenesis of AD than a generalized episodic memory impairment. This observation reflects the insidious nature of AD, and suggests that the transition from normal aging to AD may be continuous rather than discrete.
Why is learning to read a hard task for some children?
Authors: Lundber Ingva
Published: March 2003

In this brief review of some of my research on reading disability, I argue that a child’s development into literacy has two major ontogenetic roots, one involving early informal literacy socialization and one related to phonological awareness. Although failure in reading acquisition might be a question of cultural deprivation, the dynamic interaction between genetic dispositions and environment must be acknowledged, especially in a society providing rich sources of print exposure. The crucial transition in literacy development involves a step from implicit to explicit control of the phonemic units of language. When the cipher of the alphabetic system is understood the child is equipped with a powerful instrument for self teaching. A primary source of reading disability is then related to problems of segmenting the speech stream into phonemic units. The poor functioning of the phonological module seems to be a circumscribed deficit not related to general cognitive ability. The causal and reciprocal relationship between phonological awareness and learning to read has been demonstrated in my research over 20 years. Some of these studies are briefly reviewed in this article. The preventive and remedial implications of the findings are rather obvious.
Phonological representation and speech understanding with cochlear implants in deafened adults
Authors: Lyxell BjöRn , Andersson Jan , Andersson Ulf , Arlinger Stig , Bredberg GöRan , Harder Henrik
Published: March 2003

In the present study cognitive performance in 15 deafened adult cochlear implant candidates was examined and related to level of speech understanding after 12 months of experience with the implant. The implant group performed on par with normal hearing controls in all cognitive tasks used in the study with one exception: Performance was significantly lower in cognitive tasks where use of a phonological representation of sound is a key task‐demand. Observations of the implanted individuals’ level of speech understanding indicate that only those individuals who, pre‐operatively, were in possession of phonological representations comparable to that of normal hearing could follow and understand a speaker that was out of sight. The results are discussed with respect to (a) deterioration in the phonological representation of sounds as a function of absence of external auditory stimulation, and (b) the role of cognitive factors in predicting success in speech understanding with the implant.
Storage and processing in visuo‐spatial working memory
Authors: Duff Simon C. , Logie Robert H.
Published: March 2003

Visuo‐spatial working memory has been used to account for performance in a wide range of visuo‐spatial tasks, including perceptuo‐motor tracking and immediate recall of visually presented patterns. However a developing body of evidence points to a fractionation of the concept into visuo‐spatial processing that calls on general purpose executive resources, and a visual ‘cache’ memory for temporary storage in on‐line cognition. Two related experiments are described which address whether processing and temporary memory draw on overlapping or on distinct resources in working memory. Experiment 1 demonstrates that participants can accurately respond to a series of targets appearing in random locations whether or not they have the additional load of retaining and subsequently recalling the appearance of each target. Memory for target appearance likewise is largely unaffected by the additional load of requiring a response to each target. Experiment 2 demonstrates similar findings when verbal labeling of the patterns is inhibited through the use of articulatory suppression. Results are interpreted as consistent with a multiple component working memory system.
Trait and process in personality theory: Defined within two contemporary research traditions
Authors: Smith Gudmund J. W.
Published: March 2003

The concepts of trait and process are examined within the contexts of two types of personality theory: mechanistic (for trait) and holistic (for process). Although the typical instruments employed to map out traits (self‐report questionnaires) are easy to handle and produce fairly robust results, trait models often lack an explicit theoretical background and can not, therefore, serve but a limited descriptive purpose. Process research utilizes qualitative methods, often projective tests, but lately also laboratory instruments the results of which can be easily quantified. The advantage of a process approach is its obvious reference to a broad front‐line of theorizing, including fields of developmental and dynamic psychology, making process more than a merely descriptive concept. In order to take care of the relative stability over time of certain personality characteristics the concept of structure is introduced as an intrinsic aspect of process, i.e., process with a slow rate of change.
Interpreting the WPPSI subtests scores of language impaired children—a structural approach
Authors: Ottem Ernst
Published: March 2003

The problem of characterising more specifically the cognitive requirements involved in subtests from standardised measures of intelligence represents a main problem in the research on exceptional populations. Seventy‐five specifically language impaired (SLI) preschool children and 49 normally developing children were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). The scaled scores on the WPPSI were categorised according to Bannatyne's suggested regrouping to determine whether the pattern Spatial>Conceptual>Sequential could be observed in the data. The predicted pattern was only partially confirmed for language impaired children. The scaled scores on the WPPSI were then recategorized according to their structural complexity. Since structurally complex tasks contain more categories than the structurally simpler tasks, the pattern structurally Simple>Moderate>Complex was predicted and confirmed for language impaired children. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that the structurally Complex categories would discriminate better between language‐impaired children and normally developing children than any other recoded categories. This hypothesis was confirmed. The low scores obtained by language impaired children on structurally Complex categories were interpreted as the result of capacity limitations in information processing rather than a deficit of any particular mental ability.
A Loss Function Model for the Restoration of Grey Level Images
Authors: Rue Håvard
Published: March 2003

Common loss functions used for the restoration of grey scale images include the zero–one loss and the sum of squared errors. The corresponding estimators, the posterior mode and the posterior marginal mean, are optimal Bayes estimators with respect to their way of measuring the loss for different error configurations. However, both these loss functions have a fundamental weakness: the loss does not depend on the spatial structure of the errors. This is important because a systematic structure in the errors can lead to misinterpretation of the estimated image. We propose a new loss function that also penalizes strong local sample covariance in the error and we discuss how the optimal Bayes estimator can be estimated using a two‐step Markov chain Monte Carlo and simulated annealing algorithm. We present simulation results for some artificial data which show improvement with respect to small structures in the image.
Reduced Rank Discrimination
Authors: Srivastava M. S
Published: March 2003

In this paper the problem of classifying an individual with p characteristics into one of k multivariate normal distributions with common unknown covariance matrix is considered when the matrix of (k+1) means has a linear structural relationship, that is, it lies in an r‐dimensional plane, where r<min(p,k).
Testing Covariate Effects in Aalen’s Linear Hazard Model
Authors: Grønnesby Jon Ketil
Published: March 2003

The performance of tests in Aalen’s linear regression model is studied using asymptotic power calculations and stochastic simulation. Aalen’s original least squares test is compared to two modifications: a weighted least squares test with correct weights and a test where the variance is re‐estimated under the null hypothesis. The test with re‐estimated variance provides the highest power of the tests for the setting of this paper, and the gain is substantial for covariates following a skewed distribution like the exponential. It is further shown that Aalen’s choice for weight function with re‐estimated variance is optimal in the one‐parameter case against proportional alternatives.
Bayesian System Reliability Prediction
Authors: Bergman Bo , Ringi Mikael
Published: March 2003

In system reliability studies a common problem is the coherent assessment of system reliability, based on generic database information from components and on failure data from a system and its components in a common, but unknown, environment. A solution to this problem is given.
Lp–Estimators as Estimates of a Parameter of Location for a Sharp–pointed Symmetric Density
Authors: Arcones Miguel A.
Published: March 2003

We study the asymptotics of Lp estimators, p > 0, over a sample having a symmetric density with a sharp–point at the centre of symmetry of the distribution. The rates of convergence of the Lp estimators in this situation depend on p and on the shape of the density. To obtain some of the limit distributions, we present new results in the asymptotics of M–estimators. We extend the delta method to the case when the Euclidean norm of the conveniently normalized M–estimators converge to a power of the Euclidean norm of a (possibly Gaussian) stable distribution.
Estimated Generalized Least Squares for Random Coefficient Regression Models
Authors: Anh V. V. , Chelliah T.
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT. This paper considers a general class of random coefficient regression (RCR) models to represent pooled cross‐sectional and time series data. A new method is given to estimate the covariance matrix of the error component in these RCR models. Also, the asymptotic and small sample properties of the estimated generalized least squares estimator of the regression coefficient vector are established. Procedures for testing a linear restriction on the mean vector of the random coefficients are derived. Finally, a test for non‐randomness in the RCR model is devised, and the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is obtained.
The Whittle Estimator for Strongly Dependent Stationary Gaussian Fields
Authors: Ludena Carenne , Lavielle Marc
Published: March 2003

In this article we generalize results on the asymptotic behaviour of the Whittle estimator for certain stationary Gaussian long range dependent fields. These results have been established in the one‐dimensional case under very general conditions. They require controlling the estimation bias and also giving convergence theorems for certain quadratic forms of the observations. In the multidimensional setting, our main interest will be controlling the bias. This can be done for d≤ 3 using taper functions, and, depending on the shape of the singularity, also introducing certain regularizing functions. In this last case, however, the estimator will no longer be efficient. We also present certain partial results concerning the convergence to a limiting Gaussian distribution of the associated quadratic forms.
On a Bivariate Distribution with Exponential Marginals
Authors: Kotz Samuel , Singpurwalla Nozer D.
Published: March 2003

A new bivariate distribution with exponential marginals has been introduced by Singpurwalla & Youngren (1993). This distribution is absolutely continuous and has a single parameter. It was originally motivated as the failure model for a two‐component system experiencing damage described by a shot–noise process. The purpose of this paper is two‐fold. The first is to articulate on several aspects of this distribution, in particular, its genesis, the nature of its dependence, its correlation structure, and its generalized version as a two‐parameter bivariate distribution with exponential marginals. The second purpose of this paper is more general. Prompted by the need to explain certain features of the bivariate distribution, it is found useful to introduce a new notion in reliability and survival analysis. This notion is called the “hazard potential”, of an item susceptible to failure. The hazard potential is viewed as a kind of hidden parameter of failure models that delineates a cause and effect relationship in reliability.
Exact and Approximate Distributions of the Maximum Likelihood Estimate in a Simple Factor Analysis Model
Authors: Anderson T. W. , Laake Petter
Published: March 2003

We study a factor analysis model with two normally distributed observations and one factor. In the case when the errors have equal variance, the maximum likelihood estimate of the factor loading is given in closed form. Exact and approximate distributions of the maximum likelihood estimate are considered. The exact distribution function is given in a complex form that involves the incomplete Beta function. Approximations to the distribution function are given for the cases of large sample sizes and small error variances. The accuracy of the approximations is discussed
Delay Estimation for Some Stationary Diffusion‐type Processes
Authors: Kuchler Uwe , Kutoyants Y. A.
Published: March 2003

In this paper the asymptotic behaviour of the maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimators of a delay parameter is studied. The observed process is supposed to be the solution of a linear stochastic differential equation with one time delay term. It is shown that these estimators are consistent and their limit distributions are described. The behaviour of the estimators is similar to the behaviour of corresponding estimators in change‐point problems. The question of asymptotical efficiency is also discussed.
Conditional Studentized Survival Tests for Randomly Censored Models
Authors: Janssen Arnold , Mayer Claus‐Dieter
Published: March 2003

It is shown that in the case of heterogenous censoring distributions Studentized survival tests can be carried out as conditional permutation tests given the order statistics and their censoring status. The result is based on a conditional central limit theorem for permutation statistics. It holds for linear test statistics as well as for sup‐statistics. The procedure works under one of the following general circumstances for the two‐sample problem: the unbalanced sample size case, highly censored data, certain non‐convergent weight functions or under alternatives. For instance, the two‐sample log rank test can be carried out asymptotically as a conditional test if the relative amount of uncensored observations vanishes asymptotically as long as the number of uncensored observations becomes infinite. Similar results hold whenever the sample sizes and are unbalanced in the sense that and hold.
Goodness‐of‐fit Tests for Semi‐Markov and Markov Survival Models with One Intermediate State
Authors: Chang I‐Shou , Chuang Yuan‐Chuan , Hsiung Chao A.
Published: March 2003

Survival data with one intermediate state are described by semi‐Markov and Markov models for counting processes whose intensities are defined in terms of two stopping times T1<T2. Problems of goodness‐of‐fit for these models are studied. The test statistics are proposed by comparing Nelson–Aalen estimators for data stratified according to T1. Asymptotic distributions of these statistics are established in terms of the weak convergence of some random fields. Asymptotic consistency of these test statistics is also established. Simulation studies are included to indicate their numerical performance.
Unmasking the Trend Sought by Jonckheere‐Type Tests for Right‐Censored Data
Authors: Jones Michael P.
Published: March 2003

Medical and epidemiological studies often involve groups of subjects associated with increasing levels of exposure to a risk factor. Survival of the groups is expected to follow the same order as the level of exposure. Formal tests for this trend fall into the regression framework if one knows what function of exposure to use as a covariate. When unknown, a linear function of exposure level is often used. Jonckheere‐type tests for trend have generated continued interest largely because they do not require specification of a covariate. This paper shows that the Jonckheere‐type test statistics are special cases of a generalized linear rank statistic with time‐dependent covariates which unfortunately depend on the initial group sizes and censoring distributions. Using asymptotic relative efficiency calculations, the Jonckheere tests are compared to standard linear rank tests based on a linear covariate over a spectrum of shapes for the true trend.
The Cusum of Squares Test for Scale Changes in Infinite Order Moving Average Processes
Authors: Lee Sangyeol , Park Siyun
Published: March 2003

In this paper we consider the problem of testing for a scale change in the infinite order moving average process Xj=Σ∞i=0aiεj−i, where εj are i.i.d. r.v.s with Eε1α < ∞ for some α > 0. In performing the test, a cusum of squares test statistic analogous to Inclan & Tiao’s (1994) statistic is considered. It is well‐known from the literature that outliers affect test procedures leading to false conclusions. In order to remedy this, a cusum of squares test based on trimmed observations is considered. It is demonstrated that this test is robust against outliers, is valid for infinite variance processes as well. Simulation results are given for illustration.
Truncated Poisson Regression for Time Series of Counts
Authors: Fokianos Konstantinos
Published: March 2003

We consider partial likelihood analysis of a truncated Poisson regression model for time series of counts. We focus our attention on the study of asymptotic theory for the maximum partial likelihood estimator of a vector of regression parameters. Simulations and data analysis integrate the presentation.
Testing the Goodness of Fit of Parametric Regression Models with Random Toeplitz Forms
Authors: MUNK AXEL
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT: We introduce a class of Toeplitz‐band matrices for simple goodness of fit tests for parametric regression models. For a given length r of the band matrix the asymptotic optimal solution is derived. Asymptotic normality of the corresponding test statistic is established under a fixed and random design assumption as well as for linear and non‐linear models, respectively. This allows testing at any parametric assumption as well as the computation of confidence intervals for a quadratic measure of discrepancy between the parametric model and the true signal g;. Furthermore, the connection between testing the parametric goodness of fit and estimating the error variance is highlighted. As a by‐product we obtain a much simpler proof of a result of Hall et  al. (1990) concerning the optimality of an estimator for the variance. Our results unify and generalize recent results by Brodeau (1993) and Dette & Munk (1998a,b) in several directions. Extensions to multivariate predictors and unbounded signals are discussed. A simulation study shows that a simple jacknife correction of the proposed test statistics leads to reasonable finite sample approximations.
Try Federalism
Authors: Anckar Carsten
Published: March 2003

The present article follows up a previous study (Anckar 1998) which showed a strong association between size and party system fragmentation. The aim of the article is to see whether the explanatory power of size can, in fact, be attributed to a federal form of government. 77 countries with free party systems constitute the research population. The dependent variable has three components: number of parties, electoral support for the leading party, and the ‘effective number of parties’ calculated according to the Laakso‐Taagepera formula. Preliminary tests reveal that federal states have a more fragmented party system than unitary states. However, when controlling for size, electoral system, the ‘effective threshold,’ and presidentialism, the results clearly show that federalism is overshadowed by size and also, to a lesser extent, by the effective threshold.