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Positive Balance (positive + balance)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Humanities and Social Sciences50%

Selected Abstracts

Divergent trends of euroscepticism in countries and regions of the European Union

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2010
MARCEL LUBBERS
Changes in different aspects of euroscepticism developed at different paces and in varying directions in the regions and countries of the European Union (EU) from 1994 to 2004. Using Eurobarometer data, along with data on country and region characteristics, information on the positions of the political parties and media attention paid to the EU, it is tested in detail whether opposite developments in euroscepticism were associated with opposite developments in influencing contextual characteristics. The authors found that the Netherlands became systematically more sceptical towards the EU, whereas the opposite trend was found in Spain. The introduction of the Euro partially explains these divergent trends, but the direction of this effect varies with countries' GDP. Changes in media attention on the EU further explain the changes in the public's attitude. However, this effect is contingent upon specific circumstances. Growing media attention increases political euroscepticism in countries with a negative EU budget balance, whereas it decreases such scepticism in countries with a positive balance. The effect of left-right ideological placement is contingent upon the EU budget balance as well. Finally, the effect of education on euroscepticism is found to be smaller in countries with a higher GDP. [source]

BBVA-ARIES: a forecasting and simulation model for EMU

JOURNAL OF FORECASTING, Issue 5 2003
Fernando C. Ballabriga
Abstract This paper describes the BBVA-ARIES, a Bayesian vector autoregression (BVAR) for the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). In addition to providing EMU-wide growth and inflation forecasts, the model provides an assessment of the interactions between key EMU macroeconomic variables and external ones, such as world GDP or commodity prices. A comparison of the forecasts generated by the model and those of private analysts and public institutions reveals a very positive balance in favour of the model. For their part, the simulations allow us to assess the potential macroeconomic effects of macroeconomic developments in the EMU.,Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Evolution, Theodicy and Value

THE HEYTHROP JOURNAL, Issue 3 2000
Robin Attfield
In the first section I present a disagreement between a number of scholars (including T.H. Huxley, G.J. Romanes, George C. Williams and Holmes Rolston) concerning the goodness, indifference, evil or even wickedness both of nature and of nonhuman creatures. Section 2 examines and rejects the response to these diverse judgements that values are generated by human valuers employing different perspectives. In Section 3, the thesis that nonhuman animals are commonly either wicked or immoral is considered. The next two sections address the value or disvalue of predation and parasitism, and then of waste, selfishness and suffering. In the Section 6 I conclude that the evolutionary system of nature has vast overall value, and that although there are widespread evils within it, the only significant alternatives are a lifeless world, a world without sentient life, and a world of constant supernatural intervention, all probably worlds without such a positive balance of value as the actual world. [source]

Intervention Effects on Cognitive Antecedents of Physical Exercise: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2009
Wiebke Göhner
We developed and evaluated a theory-based intervention programme (MoVo-LISA) that encompasses motivational and volitional strategies aiming to prepare orthopaedic rehabilitation patients to perform physical exercise on a regular basis after discharge. The intervention consists of six units: two group sessions, one one-to-one interview, and three after-care contacts. Two hundred and twenty inactive patients were subsequently assigned to an intervention group (standard care plus MoVo-LISA) and a control group (standard care). Participants filled out questionnaires assessing cognitive antecedents of physical exercise. Measurement took place before and after rehabilitation, 6 weeks and 6 months after discharge, and 1 year after discharge. A 2 × 5 repeated measurement design was applied. Results revealed significant main and interaction effects with regard to cognitive variables; the intervention group reported enhanced self-efficacy and more positive balance of outcome expectations at 6 months as well as stronger goal intentions, more elaborated implementation intentions, and optimised strategies of intention shielding at 12 months after discharge compared to patients of the control group. Our findings demonstrate that a short and inexpensive cognitive-behavioural training programme is an effective tool to enable rehabilitation patients to follow treatment recommendations after discharge. The standardised intervention can be conducted by personnel other than psychologists. [source]