title: Comparing demand functions when different price manipulations are used: Does unit price help?

authors: Sumpter, Catherine E.

subjects: psychology

abstract: Six hens pecked a key (Experiment 1) or pushed a door (Experiment 2) to obtain food reinforcement. In both experiments and as an analogue of price changes, the response requirements were varied in two ways: by increasing the number of responses required and by increasing the required force of each response. The two price manipulations (response number and response force) had different effects on behavior and produced different-shaped demand functions when the rates of consumption were plotted logarithmically against the price analogues. Irrespective of response topography, when the number of required responses was varied, the data paths appeared linear, with slopes close to -1.0. When the required force of each keypeck and doorpush was varied, the data paths were clearly curved, with increasingly steep downward slopes as the force increased. Using the concept of unit price did not fully remove the different effects of the two price manipulations. Those differences are best attributed to the differing times needed in order to complete each response unit under those price manipulations.

text: Comparing demand functions when different price manipulations are used: Does unit price help? Six hens pecked a key (Experiment 1) or pushed a door (Experiment 2) to obtain food reinforcement. In both experiments and as an analogue of price changes, the response requirements were varied in two ways: by increasing the number of responses required and by increasing the required force of each response. The two price manipulations (response number and response force) had different effects on behavior and produced different-shaped demand functions when the rates of consumption were plotted logarithmically against the price analogues. Irrespective of response topography, when the number of required responses was varied, the data paths appeared linear, with slopes close to -1.0. When the required force of each keypeck and doorpush was varied, the data paths were clearly curved, with increasingly steep downward slopes as the force increased. Using the concept of unit price did not fully remove the different effects of the two price manipulations. Those differences are best attributed to the differing times needed in order to complete each response unit under those price manipulations.

year: 2004

title: The Characteristics of Adult Readers in Entry Level Tertiary Settings in New Zealand

authors: McHardy, Janet Mary

subjects: adult reading

abstract: International literacy and life skills surveys in 1996 and 2006 assessed the broad group of skills encompassing reading, numeracy, and problem solving skills across OECD countries. Findings show that around half of the adult population in New Zealand have literacy levels below the minimum level of competence required to meet everyday life (Ministry of Education, 1998; 2001; 2005; 2007b). This study examines the specific literacy skill of reading and looks at the reading related characteristics of 52 New Zealand adults in entry level tertiary settings. The 40 males and 12 females attended three Private Training Establishments and engaged in employment skills courses, security work training or trade skills courses. Participants ranged in age from 16 years to over 50, and 22 identified as European, 20 as Māori, 2 as Pasifika with the remaining 8 identifying with more than one of these ethnicities. 

The simple view of reading (Gough  Tunmer, 1986) which suggests that decoding and linguistic comprehension make separate contributions to reading comprehension is used to examine the relationships between the sub-components of reading in this population. One-to-one interviews are used to test participants on decoding skill, word reading skills, sentence comprehension skills and receptive vocabulary knowledge. In addition, information on self-belief in reading ability, value placed on reading and reading habits is collected from each participant.

The 3 sub-groups of less-skilled readers described by the simple view are found to be present in this population and correlations between the key measures indicate strong positive correlations between decoding and listening comprehension in the over-all general population of readers. In the general population of less-skilled readers there are significant positive correlations between decoding and sentence comprehension and between receptive vocabulary skill and sentence comprehension. Further analyses indicate negative correlations exist between decoding and listening comprehension among the participants in each of the 3 less-skilled readers groups. The results support the pattern expected under the simple view of reading and the previously reported pattern of spiky skill profiles of adult learners.

Over-all there is no apparent relationship between actual skill of the readers in this study and their perception of that skill or between the value placed on reading and actual skill. Generally the skilled readers in this study read a broader range of materials and read more regularly than less-skilled readers in this study.

These results, by providing evidence of reading related characteristics of adults in tertiary training in New Zealand, will help inform adult literacy programme content and delivery methods and increase our understanding of the specific reading instruction needed for less-skilled adult readers.

text: The Characteristics of Adult Readers in Entry Level Tertiary Settings in New Zealand International literacy and life skills surveys in 1996 and 2006 assessed the broad group of skills encompassing reading, numeracy, and problem solving skills across OECD countries. Findings show that around half of the adult population in New Zealand have literacy levels below the minimum level of competence required to meet everyday life (Ministry of Education, 1998; 2001; 2005; 2007b). This study examines the specific literacy skill of reading and looks at the reading related characteristics of 52 New Zealand adults in entry level tertiary settings. The 40 males and 12 females attended three Private Training Establishments and engaged in employment skills courses, security work training or trade skills courses. Participants ranged in age from 16 years to over 50, and 22 identified as European, 20 as Māori, 2 as Pasifika with the remaining 8 identifying with more than one of these ethnicities. 

The simple view of reading (Gough  Tunmer, 1986) which suggests that decoding and linguistic comprehension make separate contributions to reading comprehension is used to examine the relationships between the sub-components of reading in this population. One-to-one interviews are used to test participants on decoding skill, word reading skills, sentence comprehension skills and receptive vocabulary knowledge. In addition, information on self-belief in reading ability, value placed on reading and reading habits is collected from each participant.

The 3 sub-groups of less-skilled readers described by the simple view are found to be present in this population and correlations between the key measures indicate strong positive correlations between decoding and listening comprehension in the over-all general population of readers. In the general population of less-skilled readers there are significant positive correlations between decoding and sentence comprehension and between receptive vocabulary skill and sentence comprehension. Further analyses indicate negative correlations exist between decoding and listening comprehension among the participants in each of the 3 less-skilled readers groups. The results support the pattern expected under the simple view of reading and the previously reported pattern of spiky skill profiles of adult learners.

Over-all there is no apparent relationship between actual skill of the readers in this study and their perception of that skill or between the value placed on reading and actual skill. Generally the skilled readers in this study read a broader range of materials and read more regularly than less-skilled readers in this study.

These results, by providing evidence of reading related characteristics of adults in tertiary training in New Zealand, will help inform adult literacy programme content and delivery methods and increase our understanding of the specific reading instruction needed for less-skilled adult readers.

year: 2009

title: The Māori health data governance model: A planning and protocol checklist

authors: Kremer, Lisa

abstract: Māori health data (MHD) governance is a critical enabler of achieving health equity for Māori. The Māori Data Governance Model (the Model) provides a framework for all stages of Māori data handling but has yet to be meaningfully implemented within health settings. This study aimed to meet the need for health-specific guidance by adapting the Model to create an MHD governance checklist. This checklist can be used by health researchers and agencies to develop and embed their own MHD governance protocol (e.g. embed within study protocol).

text: The Māori health data governance model: A planning and protocol checklist Māori health data (MHD) governance is a critical enabler of achieving health equity for Māori. The Māori Data Governance Model (the Model) provides a framework for all stages of Māori data handling but has yet to be meaningfully implemented within health settings. This study aimed to meet the need for health-specific guidance by adapting the Model to create an MHD governance checklist. This checklist can be used by health researchers and agencies to develop and embed their own MHD governance protocol (e.g. embed within study protocol).

year: 2025