A central bank is usually assigned two functions: the control of inflation and the maintenance of a safetybanking sector. What are the precise conditions under which trigger strategies from the private sector can solve the time inconsistency problem and induce the central bank to choose zero inflation under a nonstationary natural rate? Can an optimal contract be used together with reputation forces to implement a desired socially optimal monetary policy rule? How to design a truthtelling contract to control the risk taking behaviors of the bank? My dissertation attempts to deal with these issues using three primary methodologies: monetary economics, game theory and optimal stochastic control theory.

Previous literature has shown that risk factors for delinquency include individual characteristics of impulsivity and risk-taking as well as contextual influences such as neighborhoods, parenting and engagement in physical activity (e.g., exercise, sports). Theory suggests that individual characteristics interact with contextual factors to influence child development, however evidence is limited. The current study examined the interaction between these individual and contextual risks to influence childhood delinquency in a community sample of 89 children ranging from 9 to 12 years of age (M = 10.4, SD = 1.1). Questionnaire measures showed that both caregiver report of impulsivity and self-reported risk-taking were positively associated with self-reported delinquency, yet no interactions with contextual factors were found. When using computer tasks, neither impulsivity nor risk-taking were significantly associated with delinquency. However, a risk-taking by physical activity interaction was found, such that at low levels of physical activity risk-taking was positively related to delinquency, yet at high levels of physical activity, risk-taking and delinquency were unrelated. Thus, programs that involve physical activity may be useful prevention and intervention strategies for risk-taking children.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-136).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-166). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-166). Also available on the Internet.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Background: Cognitive deficit is prominent in schizophrenia patients. We investigated the decision-making ability among schizophrenia patients and healthy controls based on their performance in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a laboratory task developed for measuring individuals’ decision-making ability. We hypothesized that deficits in IGT performance in schizophrenia patients could be specifically ameliorated by smoking tobacco. In order to test this hypothesis, we compared smoking and non-smoking schizophrenia patients with healthy subjects, on their IGT performance. Method: Ten smokers with schizophrenia, 9 non-smokers with schizophrenia, 16 non-psychiatric non-smokers and 7 non-psychiatric smokers were administered the computerized version of IGT. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess the degree of smoking dependence of subjects and to group the smokers and non-smokers. Results: Subjects with schizophrenia performed significantly worse than non-psychiatric controls on IGT. Moreover, smokers with schizophrenia performed significantly better than non-smokers in the task. Furthermore, when comparing IGT performance of all the 4 groups, non-psychiatric non-smokers performed significantly better than psychiatric smokers in the IGT. Conclusions: Similar to the results of previous research, schizophrenia patients performed worse than controls in the IGT, suggesting impairments in risk/ reward decision-making. Cigarette smoking may partially ameliorate schizophrenia patients’ performance deficits on neurological tasks, including the IGT. These findings on schizophrenia patients are clinically important since it is believed that the ability to make timely and correct decisions can result in good treatment compliance and coping strategies thus facilitates recovery. Last but not least, further research is needed to explain how smoking tobacco facilitates cognitive functioning in schizophrenia patients. / published_or_final_version / Psychological Medicine / Master / Master of Psychological Medicine