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Showing papers by "Bowling Green State University published in 2012"


Journal ArticleDOI
21 Jun 2012-Nature
TL;DR: Spectroscopic metallicities of the host stars of 226 small exoplanet candidates discovered by NASA's Kepler mission are reported, finding that planets with radii less than four Earth radii form around host stars with a wide range of metallicities (but on average a metallicity close to that of the Sun), whereas large planets preferentially form around stars with higher metallicities.
Abstract: The abundance of heavy elements (metallicity) in the photospheres of stars similar to the Sun provides a 'fossil' record of the chemical composition of the initial protoplanetary disk. Metal-rich stars are much more likely to harbour gas giant planets(1-4), supporting the model that planets form by accumulation of dust and ice particles(5). Recent ground-based surveys suggest that this correlation is weakened for Neptunian-sized planets(4,6-9). However, how the relationship between size and metallicity extends into the regime of terrestrial-sized exoplanets is unknown. Here we report spectroscopic metallicities of the host stars of 226 small exoplanet candidates discovered by NASA's Kepler mission(10), including objects that are comparable in size to the terrestrial planets in the Solar System. We find that planets with radii less than four Earth radii form around host stars with a wide range of metallicities (but on average a metallicity close to that of the Sun), whereas large planets preferentially form around stars with higher metallicities. This observation suggests that terrestrial planets may be widespread in the disk of the Galaxy, with no special requirement of enhanced metallicity for their formation.

743 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach for evaluating the suitability for landfill site selection in the Polog Region, Macedonia and to facilitate a better understanding of patterns that emerge from decision alternatives involved in the decision making process is presented.

380 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the unique and combined effects of two sources of incivility (customer and coworker) on objective sales performance and withdrawal behaviors (absenteeism and tardiness).
Abstract: Summary The link between the interpersonal stressor of workplace mistreatment and objective measures of performance is often overlooked in organizational research. In order to fill this research gap, we examined the unique and combined effects of two sources of incivility (customer and coworker) on objective sales performance and withdrawal behaviors (absenteeism and tardiness). We hypothesized that coworker and customer incivility would interact to predict reduced performance and increased withdrawal, using the conservation of resources model to support our hypotheses. We surveyed 120 bank tellers regarding experienced incivility and obtained performance and withdrawal data spanning a period of several months following the survey. The data indicated that coworker and customer incivility did interact to predict decreased sales performance and increased absenteeism, supporting the majority of our proposed hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

363 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Additive transformations are often offered as a remedy for the common problem of collinearity in moderated regression and polynomial regression analysis as discussed by the authors, and they have been shown to be useful in many applications.
Abstract: Additive transformations are often offered as a remedy for the common problem of collinearity in moderated regression and polynomial regression analysis. As the authors demonstrate in this article,...

353 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study documents how the divorce rate among persons aged 50 and older has changed between 1990 and 2010 and identifies the sociodemographic correlates of divorce among today's middle-aged and older adults.
Abstract: Purpose Our study documents how the divorce rate among persons aged 50 and older has changed between 1990 and 2010 and identifies the sociodemographic correlates of divorce among today’s middle-aged and older adults Design and Method We used data from the 1990 US Vital Statistics Report and the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) to examine the change in the divorce rate over time ACS data were analyzed to determine the sociodemographic correlates of divorce Results The divorce rate among adults aged 50 and older doubled between 1990 and 2010 Roughly 1 in 4 divorces in 2010 occurred to persons aged 50 and older Demographic characteristics, economic resources, and the marital biography were associated with the risk of divorce in 2010 The rate of divorce was 25 times higher for those in remarriages versus first marriages, whereas the divorce rate declined as marital duration rose Implications The traditional focus of gerontological research on widowhood must be expanded to include divorce as another form of marital dissolution Over 600,000 people aged 50 and older got divorced in 2010 but little is known about the predictors and consequences of divorces that occur during middle and later life

342 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The analysis suggests that microblogging has a potential to encourage participation, engagement, reflective thinking as well as collaborative learning under different learning settings, suggesting a need for rigorous research on MIE.
Abstract: This study critically analyzed the current body of published research on microblogging in education ( MIE) to build a deep and comprehensive understanding of this increasingly popular phenomenon. Twenty-one studies on MIE in 2008-2011 were selected based on the selection criteria and analyzed to answer the following questions: What types of research have been published on MIE? How was microblogging used for teaching and learning in these studies? What educational benefits did microblogging have on teaching and learning? What suggestions and implications did the current research have for future MIE research and practices? The analysis suggests that microblogging has a potential to encourage participation, engagement, reflective thinking as well as collaborative learning under different learning settings. The quality of research, however, varies greatly, suggesting a need for rigorous research on MIE. The analysis has implications for MIE practices as well as research and development efforts. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Microblogging has a potential to facilitate learning., Research on microblogging has been conducted under different educational settings., What this paper adds What are the characteristics of the current research on microblogging in education., How educators and researchers integrated microblogging to achieve different educational goals as identified in these studies., What are the identified educational effects of using microblogging for teaching and learning., What are the challenges and suggestions of using microblogging in teaching and learning., Implications for practice and/or policy Future research on microblogging in education should go beyond formal higher education settings by considering learning occurring in other settings., Future research needs to observe and analyze how learners participate and learn in microblogging-based environments over time., Innovative data collection and analysis methods are needed to understand the interaction and learning that occur in such environments., Future research is needed to identify effective approaches of microblogging integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

283 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a photochemical upconversion based on sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation can exhibit anti-Stokes emissions whose intensities with respect to the excitation power can vary between quadratic and linear using a non-coherent polychromatic light source.
Abstract: We present experimental data illustrating that photochemical upconversion based on sensitized triplet–triplet annihilation can exhibit anti-Stokes emissions whose intensities with respect to the excitation power can vary between quadratic and linear using a noncoherent polychromatic light source. The benchmark upconverting composition consisting of Pd(II) octaethylporphyrin (PdOEP) sensitizers and 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) acceptors/annihilators in toluene was selected to generate quadratic, intermediate, and linear behavior under both coherent and noncoherent excitation conditions. Each of these power laws was traversed in a single sample in one contiguous experiment through selective pumping of the sensitizer using an Ar+ laser. Wavelength-dependent responses ranging from quadratic to pseudolinear were also recorded from the identical sample composition when excited by Xe lamp/monochromator output in a conventional fluorimeter, where the optical density at λex dictates the observed incident power de...

276 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A meta-analysis of the interest literature showed that interests are indeed related to performance and persistence in work and academic contexts and the correlations between congruence indices and performance were stronger than for interest scores alone.
Abstract: Despite early claims that vocational interests could be used to distinguish successful workers and superior students from their peers, interest measures are generally ignored in the employee selection literature. Nevertheless, theoretical descriptions of vocational interests from vocational and educational psychology have proposed that interest constructs should be related to performance and persistence in work and academic settings. Moreover, on the basis of Holland's (1959, 1997) theoretical predictions, congruence indices, which quantify the degree of similarity or person-environment fit between individuals and their occupations, should be more strongly related to performance than interest scores alone. Using a comprehensive review of the interest literature that spans more than 60 years of research, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine the veracity of these claims. A literature search identified 60 studies and approximately 568 correlations that addressed the relationship between interests and performance. Results showed that interests are indeed related to performance and persistence in work and academic contexts. In addition, the correlations between congruence indices and performance were stronger than for interest scores alone. Thus, consistent with interest theory, the fit between individuals and their environment was more predictive of performance than interest alone.

269 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Upconversion photochemistry occurring between palladium(II) octaethylporphyrin and 9,10-diphenylanthracene in toluene successfully sensitizes nanostructured WO(3) photoanodes to sub-bandgap non-coherent green photons at low power density.

262 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Apr 2012-RNA
TL;DR: A first, collective, blind experiment in RNA three-dimensional (3D) structure prediction, encompassing three prediction puzzles, to assess the leading edge of RNA structure prediction techniques; compare existing methods and tools; and evaluate their relative strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.
Abstract: We report the results of a first, collective, blind experiment in RNA three-dimensional (3D) structure prediction, encompassing three prediction puzzles. The goals are to assess the leading edge of RNA structure prediction techniques; compare existing methods and tools; and evaluate their relative strengths, weaknesses, and limitations in terms of sequence length and structural complexity. The results should give potential users insight into the suitability of available methods for different applications and facilitate efforts in the RNA structure prediction community in ongoing efforts to improve prediction tools. We also report the creation of an automated evaluation pipeline to facilitate the analysis of future RNA structure prediction exercises.

251 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper found that elementary teachers who participated in a long-term, intense (over 100 contact hours annually) science professional development program displayed significant gains in their science teaching self-efficacy.
Abstract: Because of increasing calls for school accountability, an increased emphasis placed on the role of the teacher, and theoretical connections between teacher beliefs and classroom action, a critical need exists to examine teacher professional development programs to determine their impact on teacher belief systems, teaching practices, and student learning. The primary goal of this study was to assess elementary teachers’ science teaching efficacy as they participated in a large-scale professional development program and to determine the relationship of these beliefs with student learning. It was found that elementary teachers who participated in a long-term, intense (over 100 contact hours annually) science professional development program displayed significant gains in their science teaching self-efficacy. Several background variables were found to be predictive of teacher beliefs including how often teachers spend teaching science. Males tended to display more positive beliefs than their female counterpar...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was found that supervisor social support moderated the relationships between negative emotions and work effort but not the relationship betweennegative emotions and CWBs.
Abstract: This study addresses the relationships between coworker incivility and both work effort and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). It was expected that employees who experienced high levels of incivility from their coworkers would report reductions in work effort and higher levels of CWBs. Also, based on the emotion-centered model of work behaviors (Spector & Fox, 2002), it was expected that negative emotions would mediate the relationships between coworker incivility and both work effort and CWBs. Finally, we examined supervisor social support as a moderator of relationships between negative emotions and both work effort and CWBs. Two hundred nine full-time university employees completed a two-wave survey over a two-month time period. Results supported the hypothesized mediated relationships. It was also found that supervisor social support moderated the relationship between negative emotions and work effort but not the relationship between negative emotions and CWBs. Study implications and limitations are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Stability of sexual orientation identity was more common than change, and the proportion of heterosexuals decreased between the two waves, reflecting changes in identity.
Abstract: Based on date from Wave 3 and Wave 4 from National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (N = 12,287), known as Add Health, the majority of young adults identified their sexual orientation as 100% heterosexual. The second largest identity group, “mostly heterosexual,” was larger than all other nonheterosexual identities combined. Comparing distributions across waves, which were approximately 6 years apart, stability of sexual orientation identity was more common than change. Stability was greatest among men and those identifying as heterosexual. Individuals who identified as 100% homosexual reported nearly the same level of stability as 100% heterosexuals. The bisexual category was the most unstable, with one quarter maintaining that status at Wave 4. Bisexual men who changed their identity distributed themselves among all other categories; among bisexual women, the most common shift was toward mostly heterosexual. Reflecting changes in identity, the proportion of heterosexuals decreased between the two waves.

Journal ArticleDOI
15 May 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Direct comparisons of incident recording and the motion tracking application using wild type and locomotor-deficient flies show that the increased temporal resolution in the data from the Tracker program can greatly affect the interpretation of the state of the fly.
Abstract: Drosophila melanogaster has been used for decades in the study of circadian behavior, and more recently has become a popular model for the study of sleep. The classic method for monitoring fly activity involves counting the number of infrared beam crosses in individual small glass tubes. Incident recording methods such as this can measure gross locomotor activity, but they are unable to provide details about where the fly is located in space and do not detect small movements (i.e. anything less than half the enclosure size), which could lead to an overestimation of sleep and an inaccurate report of the behavior of the fly. This is especially problematic if the fly is awake, but is not moving distances that span the enclosure. Similarly, locomotor deficiencies could be incorrectly classified as sleep phenotypes. To address these issues, we have developed a locomotor tracking technique (the “Tracker” program) that records the exact location of a fly in real time. This allows for the detection of very small movements at any location within the tube. In addition to circadian locomotor activity, we are able to collect other information, such as distance, speed, food proximity, place preference, and multiple additional parameters that relate to sleep structure. Direct comparisons of incident recording and our motion tracking application using wild type and locomotor-deficient (CASK-β null) flies show that the increased temporal resolution in the data from the Tracker program can greatly affect the interpretation of the state of the fly. This is especially evident when a particular condition or genotype has strong effects on the behavior, and can provide a wealth of information previously unavailable to the investigator. The interaction of sleep with other behaviors can also be assessed directly in many cases with this method.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results show that the test AOB have a competitive advantage over the tested AOA under most conditions investigated, and the niches of AOA and AOB are elucidated in more detail.
Abstract: Aerobic biological ammonia oxidation is carried out by two groups of microorganisms, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and the recently discovered ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Here we present a study using cultivation-based methods to investigate the differences in growth of three AOA cultures and one AOB culture enriched from freshwater environments. The strain in the enriched AOA culture belong to thaumarchaeal group I.1a, with the strain in one enrichment culture having the highest identity with “Candidatus Nitrosoarchaeum koreensis” and the strains in the other two representing a new genus of AOA. The AOB strain in the enrichment culture was also obtained from freshwater and had the highest identity to AOB from the Nitrosomonas oligotropha group (Nitrosomonas cluster 6a). We investigated the influence of ammonium, oxygen, pH, and light on the growth of AOA and AOB. The growth rates of the AOB increased with increasing ammonium concentrations, while the growth rates of the AOA decreased slightly. Increasing oxygen concentrations led to an increase in the growth rate of the AOB, while the growth rates of AOA were almost oxygen insensitive. Light exposure (white and blue wavelengths) inhibited the growth of AOA completely, and the AOA did not recover when transferred to the dark. AOB were also inhibited by blue light; however, growth recovered immediately after transfer to the dark. Our results show that the tested AOB have a competitive advantage over the tested AOA under most conditions investigated. Further experiments will elucidate the niches of AOA and AOB in more detail.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that introducing the missing dynamic electron correlation variationally and perturbatively leads to a stabilization of the regions with charge transfer character and to a significant reshaping of the reference CASSCF potential energy surface and suggesting a change in the dominating isomerization mechanism.
Abstract: The ground state potential energy surface of the retinal chromophore of visual pigments (e.g., bovine rhodopsin) features a low-lying conical intersection surrounded by regions with variable charge-transfer and diradical electronic structures. This implies that dynamic electron correlation may have a large effect on the shape of the force fields driving its reactivity. To investigate this effect, we focus on mapping the potential energy for three paths located along the ground state CASSCF potential energy surface of the penta-2,4-dieniminium cation taken as a minimal model of the retinal chromophore. The first path spans the bond length alternation coordinate and intercepts a conical intersection point. The other two are minimum energy paths along two distinct but kinetically competitive thermal isomerization coordinates. We show that the effect of introducing the missing dynamic electron correlation variationally (with MRCISD) and perturbatively (with the CASPT2, NEVPT2, and XMCQDPT2 methods) leads, invariably, to a stabilization of the regions with charge transfer character and to a significant reshaping of the reference CASSCF potential energy surface and suggesting a change in the dominating isomerization mechanism. The possible impact of such a correction on the photoisomerization of the retinal chromophore is discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The 9-anthryltriphenylstibonium cation, [1](+), has been synthesized and used as a sensor for the toxic fluoride anion in water and can be used in plain tap water or bottled water to test fluoridation levels.
Abstract: The 9-anthryltriphenylstibonium cation, [1](+), has been synthesized and used as a sensor for the toxic fluoride anion in water. This stibonium cation complexes fluoride ions to afford the corresponding fluorostiborane 1-F. This reaction, which occurs at fluoride concentrations in the parts per million range, is accompanied by a drastic fluorescence turn-on response. It is also highly selective and can be used in plain tap water or bottled water to test fluoridation levels.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that during the course of incremental comprehension, comprehenders activate general knowledge about the described event, even at points at which this knowledge would constitute an anomalous continuation of the linguistic stream.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the N(5)-ethylflavinium ion, Et-Fl(+), was found to give oxygen during bulk electrolysis of aqueous Et-fl(+) solutions at several potentials above +1.9 V versus normal hydrogen electrode.
Abstract: The success of solar fuel technology relies on the development of efficient catalysts that can oxidize or reduce water. All molecular water-oxidation catalysts reported thus far are transition-metal complexes, however, here we report catalytic water oxidation to give oxygen by a fully organic compound, the N(5)-ethylflavinium ion, Et-Fl(+). Evolution of oxygen was detected during bulk electrolysis of aqueous Et-Fl(+) solutions at several potentials above +1.9 V versus normal hydrogen electrode. The catalysis was found to occur on glassy carbon and platinum working electrodes, but no catalysis was observed on fluoride-doped tin-oxide electrodes. Based on spectroelectrochemical results and preliminary calculations with density functional theory, one possible mechanistic route is proposed in which the oxygen evolution occurs from a peroxide intermediate formed between the oxidized flavin pseudobase and the oxidized carbon electrode. These findings offer an organic alternative to the traditional water-oxidation catalysts based on transition metals.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how negative and positive caregiving experiences differ by caregivers' gender and relationship to care recipients and found that female and adult-child caregivers reported having more negative experiences than male and spouse caregivers, respectively.
Abstract: Using data from the 2004 wave of the National Long-Term Care Survey, we examined how negative and positive caregiving experiences differ by caregivers' gender and relationship to care recipients. We further considered how their caregiving experiences are affected by caregivers' demographic characteristics, care recipients' problem behavior and dependency, caregivers' involvement, reciprocal help from care recipients, and social support available for caregivers. We found that female and adult-child caregivers, in general, reported having had more negative experiences than male and spouse caregivers, respectively. Wife caregivers were least likely to report positive experiences. We also found different risk factors for negative and positive caregiving experiences, and these factors varied depending on caregivers' gender and relationship to the care recipient. The findings underscore the heterogeneity of caregiving experiences. To sustain informal care, state and local agencies need to tailor services to wife, husband, daughter, and son caregivers' unique needs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper found that Hofstede's cultural dimensions (uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and long-term orientation) remain significant in the determination of firms' dividend policies, even after controlling for corporate governance.
Abstract: We find that Hofstede's cultural dimensions—uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and long-term orientation—remain significant in the determination of firms’ dividend policies, even after controlling for corporate governance. We also show that this association varies with the strength of corporate governance, measured by the degree of investor protection. Hence, national culture and investor protection independently affect firms’ dividend payouts but also interact with each other, such that strong investor protection induces higher dividend payouts in high uncertainty avoiding and/or highly masculine cultures. Our results provide strong evidence that cultural differences matter and offer additional power in explaining variations in dividend policies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In ESRD, religious struggle was independently associated with greater psychological distress and impaired HRQoL, while positive religious coping was associated with improved HRQaL, a rationale for the design of prospective and/or intervention studies targeting religious coping in hemodialysis populations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In patients with iliofemoral DVT treated with catheter-based techniques of thrombus removal, postthrombotic morbidity is related to residualThrombus.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Among cohabitors, marital commitment prior to cohabitation (engagement or definite plans for marriage) was tied to lower hazards of marital instability among women, but not men, and this research contributes to the understanding of cohabitations, marital instability, and broader family change.
Abstract: An ongoing question remains for family researchers: Why does a positive association between cohabitation and marital dissolution exist when one of the primary reasons to cohabit is to test relationship compatibility? Drawing on recently collected data from the 2006 – 2008 National Survey of Family Growth, the authors examined whether premarital cohabitation experiences were associated with marital instability among a recent contemporary (married since 1996) marriage cohort of men (N = 1,483) and women (N = 2,003). They found that a dichotomous indicator of premarital cohabitation was in fact not associated with marital instability among women and men. Furthermore, among cohabitors, marital commitment prior to cohabitation (engagement or definite plans for marriage) was tied to lower hazards of marital instability among women, but not men. This research contributes to our understanding of cohabitation, marital instability, and broader family change.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This approach reveals that a single viscous central channel in the NPC acts as the sole pathway for passive diffusion of various small molecules; transport receptors and their cargo complexes take distinct transport routes in the periphery, which is occluded by phenylalanine-glycine filaments.
Abstract: The nuclear pore complex (NPC), the sole gateway for nucleocytoplasmic exchange in eukaryotic cells, allows for the passive diffusion of small molecules and transport-receptor-facilitated translocation of signal-dependent cargo molecules. Whether small molecules passively diffuse through a single central channel or through multiple holes of a hydrogel network is a subject of debate. Additionally, whether the passive and facilitated transport systems occupy distinct or overlapping physical regions of the NPC remains unclear. Here, we directly test these models using three-dimensional super-resolution fluorescence microscopy of human cells. This approach reveals that a single viscous central channel in the NPC acts as the sole pathway for passive diffusion of various small molecules; transport receptors and their cargo complexes take distinct transport routes in the periphery, which is occluded by phenylalanine-glycine filaments. Furthermore, the passive and facilitated passageways in the NPC are closely correlated, and their conformations can be simultaneously regulated by Importin β1 (a major transport receptor) and RanGTP (a critical regulator of transport directionality). These results strongly favor a self-regulated viscous channel configuration in native NPCs over the porous hydrogel meshwork model.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Examination of the association between age of children and parental psychological well-being, using a sample of parents with children aged 0-22 in the National Survey of Families and Households, indicates that parents whose oldest child is under age five report higher satisfaction with the relationship with their children, higher self-esteem, high self-efficacy, and less depression.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A supramolecular assay based on two fluorescent cucurbit[n]uril probes enables the recognition and quantification of nitrosamine compounds, including cancer-associated nitrosamines, compounds that are difficult to recognize.
Abstract: A supramolecular assay based on two fluorescent cucurbit[n]uril probes enables the recognition and quantification of nitrosamines, including cancer-associated nitrosamines, compounds that are difficult to recognize. The cross-reactive sensor leverages weak interactions and competition among the probe, metal, and guest, yielding high information density in the signal output (variance) and enabling the recognition of structurally similar guests.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2012-Ecology
TL;DR: In environments close to a species' physiological limits, physiological trait-based measurements can successfully forecast the responses of species to future conditions, and such models may not be accurate for predicting site-level responses.
Abstract: Physiological tolerance of environmental conditions can influence species-level responses to climate change. Here, we used species-specific thermal tolerances to predict the community responses of ant species to experimental forest-floor warming at the northern and southern boundaries of temperate hardwood forests in eastern North America. We then compared the predictive ability of thermal tolerance vs. correlative species distribution models (SDMs) which are popular forecasting tools for modeling the effects of climate change. Thermal tolerances predicted the responses of 19 ant species to experimental climate warming at the southern site, where environmental conditions are relatively close to the ants' upper thermal limits. In contrast, thermal tolerances did not predict the responses of the six species in the northern site, where environmental conditions are relatively far from the ants' upper thermal limits. Correlative SDMs were not predictive at either site. Our results suggest that, in environments close to a species' physiological limits, physiological trait-based measurements can successfully forecast the responses of species to future conditions. Although correlative SDMs may predict large-scale responses, such models may not be accurate for predicting site-level responses.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A national portrait of the Baby Boom generation is provided, paying particular attention to the heterogeneity among unmarried Boomers and whether it operates similarly among women versus men, as well as the trends in the share and marital status composition of the unmarried population during midlife.
Abstract: Purpose of the Study: Our study provides a national portrait of the Baby Boom generation, paying particular attention to the heterogeneity among unmarried Boomers and whether it operates similarly among women versus men. Design and Methods: We used the 1980, 1990, and 2000 Census 5% samples and the 2009 American Community Survey (ACS) to document the trends in the share and marital status composition of the unmarried population during midlife. Using the 2009 ACS, we developed a sociodemographic portrait of Baby Boomers according to marital status. Results: One in three Baby Boomers was unmarried. The vast majority of these unmarried Boomers were either divorced or nevermarried; just 10% were widowed. Unmarried Boomers faced greater economic, health, and social vulnerabilities compared to married Boomers. Divorced Boomers had more economic resources and better health than widowed and never-married Boomers. Widows appeared to be the most disadvantaged among Boomer women, whereas nevermarrieds were the least advantaged among Boomer men. Implications: The rise in unmarrieds at midlife leaves Baby Boomers vulnerable to the vagaries of aging. Health care and social service providers as well as policy makers must recognize the various risk profiles of different unmarried Boomers to ensure