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Democratic Demographics: Does Democracy Alter Politicians’ Origins?

Roderic Ai Camp

in The Metamorphosis of Leadership in a Democratic Mexico

Demographic variables determine many characteristics in a politician's background and determine critical career choices. Social origin is one of the most influential of such variables, but the major ... More

Demographic variables determine many characteristics in a politician's background and determine critical career choices. Social origin is one of the most influential of such variables, but the major shift in social origins actually took place at the apex of the pre-democratic era during the Echeverría administration (1970–6), rather than as a result of Mexico's democratic transformation. Social origins exercises a tremendous impact on the type of political career a politician may pursue, for example, prominent public figures from humble origins are much more likely to find success in elective office. In opening up the political system to representatives from the PAN and the PRD, electoral democracy has contributed to an larger diversity in religious and social values. Given their particular family origins and place of birth, which affect their location and level of educational achievement, politicians are recruited differently, come in contact with different groups of citizens, and follow different career tracks more easily than others.Less

The Measure of Weil-Being and Growth: Why and How Do We Use Heights to Understand Living Standards?

in Measuring Up: A History of Living Standards in Mexico, 1850-1950

This chapter discusses the concept of well-being and living standards and presents the methods and sources employed in the analysis of the history of living standards in Mexico. It compares different ... More

This chapter discusses the concept of well-being and living standards and presents the methods and sources employed in the analysis of the history of living standards in Mexico. It compares different methods for evaluating material living standards including gross domestic product, demographic variables, price, and wages and explains the advantages and disadvantages of each method. This chapter argues that adult heights are the best proxy for assessing the evolution of biological standards of living of Mexico's population in the period 1850–1950 and offers suggestions on how to obtain and organize information to analyze trends in height.Less

A Life-Cycle Consistent Empirical Model of Family Labor Supply Using Cross-Section Data

Richard Blundell and Ian Walker

in Labor Supply and Taxation

This chapter presents and estimates models of family labour supply which allows for quite general effects of relative wages and demographic variables on within period behaviour. The estimated models ... More

This chapter presents and estimates models of family labour supply which allows for quite general effects of relative wages and demographic variables on within period behaviour. The estimated models confirm the need for a flexible representation of preferences over time and goods. The hours of work of women in the sample appear to be much more responsive to changes in marginal wage and income variables compared with for men. Simple models such as the Linear Expenditure System, which implies linear earnings equations, are easily rejected by the data in that they restrict the interaction of demographic and economic variables. The resulting estimates for the presented models were found to track the large variety of observed behaviour across different subsamples relatively well, and the estimated elasticities were generally found to be consistent with economic theory, specifically with life cycle optimising behaviour under intertemporal separability and uncertainty.Less

Factors Affecting Aging Services Technology Use in the Aging Population

Joyce W. Tam and Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe

in The Role of Technology in Clinical Neuropsychology

Age-related changes in physical health and cognitive functions can negatively affect quality of life as well as increase caregiver burden and societal healthcare costs. While aging services ... More

Age-related changes in physical health and cognitive functions can negatively affect quality of life as well as increase caregiver burden and societal healthcare costs. While aging services technologies (ASTs) have the potential to facilitate functional independence, they have been underutilized in the aging population due to various factors, including awareness and access. ASTs were defined in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as “health technology that meets the health-care needs of seniors, individuals with disabilities, and the caregivers of such seniors and individuals” (Public Law 111-5). For the purpose of this chapter, tools or devices not discussed in the context of older adult use are referred to as assistive technologies (ATs). Both ATs and ASTs span a spectrum from low-tech to high-tech devices. Low-tech devices are often simple, easy to operate, and economical. Magnifying glasses, pill boxes, daily planners, and canes are all considered low-tech devices. In contrast, high-tech devices are computerized, often require additional training to learn and to operate, and are more costly. Computers, tablets, smartphone software or assistive apps, wearable sensors, and smart homes are some examples of high-tech tools. An assortment of ASTs are available to address both physical changes (e.g., changes in vision or mobility) and cognitive limitations (e.g., memory decline). The devices can be used to address issues that arise from normal aging as well as symptoms associated with neurological disorders, including memory, motor, and autoimmune disorders (Cattaneo, de Nuzzo, Fascia, Macalli, Pisoni, Cardini, 2002; Constantinescu, Leonard, Deeley, & Kurlan, 2007; Padilla, 2011). In a randomized controlled study, Mann and colleagues (1999) recruited older adults who were in need of ASTs (e.g., receiving in-home services, participating in a hospital rehabilitation program) and assigned them to usual standard of care or treatment. Participants in the treatment group received an 18-month intervention that included ongoing functional assessment as well as recommendations for ASTs and home modifications. Less

Reading the Questions, Understanding the Answers

Arthur Lupia

in Uninformed Why People Seem to Know So Little about Politics and What We Can Do about It

Many people comment on the public’s political ignorance. Some blame it for the defeat of a favored candidate. Some cite it as the reason for changing civics curricula. Some use evidence of ... More

Many people comment on the public’s political ignorance. Some blame it for the defeat of a favored candidate. Some cite it as the reason for changing civics curricula. Some use evidence of ignorance to exhort others to change their ways. What is the quality of the evidence underlying these criticisms and exhortations? Surveys provide the evidence cited in many political ignorance claims. Of particular interest are surveys that ask respondents to recall specific facts about certain people, institutions, and events. These recall questions produce responses that are graded as correct or incorrect. An example of such a question is “What is the job or political office held by Barack Obama?” Scholars use the term “political knowledge” to describe these questions and the data they generate. The best-known academic book on political knowledge by political scientists Michael Delli Carpini and Scott Keeter defines it as “the range of factual information about politics that is stored in long-term memory” (Delli Carpini and Keeter, 1989: 10). Henceforth, I label this concept PK. Delli Carpini and Keeter (1989: 306) recommend using five questions to measure PK: . . . Do you happen to know what job or office is now held by [insert current vice president]? Whose responsibility is it to determine if a law is constitutional or not is it the president, the Congress, or the Supreme Court? How much of a majority is required for the US Senate and House to override a presidential veto? Do you happen to know which party had the most members in the House of Representatives in Washington before the election this/ last month? Would you say that one of the parties is more conservative than the other at the national level? Which party is more conservative? While others use different lists of questions, many scholars and writers use responses to short lists of recall questions to make general claims about political knowledge. A common claim is that the public is generally ignorant and incompetent. Writers who make such claims assume that survey respondents’ inabilities to answer a small number of recall questions accurately represent greater cognitive inadequacies. Less