Open data visualizations and analytics as tools for policy-making

Government agencies collect large amounts of structured and unstructured data. Although these data can be used to improve services as well as policy processes, it is not always clear how to analyze the data and how to glean insights for policy making, especially when the data includes large volumes of unstructured text data. This article reports opinions found in “We the People” petition data using topic modeling and visual analytics. It provides an assessment of the usability of the visual analytics results for policy making based on interviews with data professionals and policy makers. We found that visual analytics have potentially positive impacts on policy making practices. Experts also articulated potential barriers regarding the adoption of visual analytics tools, and made suggestions. Potential barriers included insufficient resources in government agencies and difficulty integrating analytics with current work practices. The main suggestions involved providing training and interpretation guidelines along with the visual analytics tools. Major contributions of this study include: (1) suggesting viable visualization tools for analyzing textual data for policy making, and (2) suggesting how to lower barriers to adoption by increasing usability.     

Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education

It has been suggested that a positive human–nature relationship is essential for countering today’s environmental problems. Prior environmental education research has focused largely on knowledge or attitudinal outcomes, and few studies have examined the ability of environmental education programmes to promote connectedness with nature. Therefore, our goal was to (1) examine differences in connectedness with nature among a sample of children with differing ages and academic tracks, and (2) investigate whether environmental education can help promote and sustain connectedness with nature. With a pre-, post- and retention test design, we assessed a comprehensive four-day environmental education programme on water at a school field centre, using the inclusion of nature in self (INS) scale to identify the change in connectedness of 9–10-year-old pupils and 11–13-year-old pupils. We found that younger children and university-track pupils had higher INS scores than older children and general-education-track pupils, respectively. Participating in environmental education resulted in a robust short-term increase in connectedness with nature in both age groups. However, only the younger pupils’ connectedness remained sustained four weeks following the treatment. Environmental educators should keep in mind that strengthening connectedness to nature is more sustainable before the age of 11.     

Argumentativeness: Its effect in group decision‐making and its role in leadership perception

Using perceived group leaders trained to argue for an extreme position, this study examined the function and influence of argumentativeness on leadership perception, leadership maintenance, and decision‐making in the small group. The data suggest that degree of argumentativeness influences perceptions of leadership, with the highly or extremely argumentative individual chosen over the moderate or mildly argumentative individual. Highly argumentative individuals were also rated as more influential on the group's decision. Extremely argumentative individuals, though downgraded in group ratings on “Influence,” were found to have had a disproportionate influence on the group's decision. Implications for small group communication research are discussed.     

Adolescent Sleep Duration,Variability, and Peak Levels of Achievement and Mental Health

To inform public health recommendations for adolescent sleep, the amounts of sleep associated with the highest levels of academic achievement and mental health were examined. The degree to which daily variability in sleep duration represents an underappreciated but functionally significant sleep behavior also was tested. A total of 421 adolescents (M_age = 15.03 years) with Mexican‐American backgrounds reported nightly sleep times for 2 weeks; approximately 80% repeated the same protocol 1 year later. Multilevel modeling indicated that the amount of sleep associated with the lowest levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms was more than 1 hr greater than the amount associated with the highest levels of academic performance. Greater daily variability in sleep duration predicted greater symptomatology and mixed academic outcomes.     

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Developmental Milestones and Movement: Results From the Gemini Cohort Study

Purpose: Variability in the timing of infant developmental milestones is poorly understood. We used a twin analysis to estimate genetic and environmental influences on motor development and activity levels in infancy. Method: Data were from the Gemini Study, a twin birth cohort of 2,402 families with twins born in the United Kingdom in 2007. Parents reported motor activity level for each of the twins at age 3 months using the Revised Infant Behavior Rating Scale and reported the ages at which they first sat unsupported, crawled, and walked unaided. Results: Activity level at 3 months and ages when first sitting and crawling were about equally influenced by the shared family environment (45%–54%) and genes (45%–48%). Genetic influences dominated for age when children took their first independent steps (84%). Conclusion: Aspects of the shared family environment appear to be important influences on motor activity levels and early milestones, although the timing of walking may have a stronger genetic influence. Further research to identify the specific environmental and genetic factors that promote early activity may be important for longer-term health outcomes.