Your Thoughts Matter

Latinos and the 2010 Census: The foreign born are more positive

Source: JournalistsResource.org

The Hispanic population in the United States grew from 35.3 million in the 2000 Census to 46.9 million (or 15.4% of the total population) in 2008.  Of these, 62% are native born while 38% are foreign born. Historically, Hispanic participation in the census has been lower than other groups. In 2000, their return rate was 69%, compared to 79% for non-Hispanic households. This lead the Census Bureau to dedicate 20% of its ad budget on awareness campaigns aimed at Hispanics.

Direct and indirect costs of food safety regulation

Source: JournalistsResource.org

In the food industry, the federal Pathogen Reduction Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Program regulates meat and poultry processing plants. Estimates of the compliance costs of this program range from as low as 0.04 cents per pound to as much as 20 cents per pound.  While these estimates include actual costs, they do not distinguish between the different components of the rule itself and other indirect factors that could also affect costs.

China’s life satisfaction, 1990-2010

Source: JournalistsResource.org

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth over the past 20 years, with some reports estimating that China’s per capita GDP and consumption each increased by a factor of four between 1990 and 2010. Surveys of Chinese citizens suggest, however, that the quality of life in China has not increased by the same magnitude as the country’s economy.

Incidence of serious injuries due to physical abuse in the United States, 1997 to 2009

Source: JournalistsResource.org

Studies have shown that child abuse can have long-term effects on both victims and society. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, such experiences can be associated with negative psychological and behavioral consequences for the victim well into adult life. Societal consequences include the costs associated with the child welfare and criminal justice systems, as well as the indirect costs associated with a loss of productivity due to underemployment.

Scientific thinking in young children: Theoretical advances, empirical research and policy implications

Source: JournalistsResource.org

Jean Piaget, a pioneer of 20th-century cognitive development theory, claimed that preschoolers were “irrational, illogical … and limited to the here and now.” But nearly 100 years later, new technologies and approaches have provided cognitive scientists new ways to investigate how infants and young children learn; their findings challenge Piaget’s longstanding theories of early childhood cognitive development.