bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Future of Field Experiments in International Relations
Authors: Hyde Susan D.
Published: June 2011

Can international relations (IR) be studied productively with field experimental methods? The two most common existing empirical approaches in IR rely on cross-national data, detailed case studies, or a combination of the two. One as yet uncommon approach is the use of randomized field experiments to evaluate causal hypotheses. Applying such methods within IR complements other theoretical, case study, and observational research, and permits a productive research agenda to be built by testing the micro-foundations of theories within IR. This argument is illustrated by exploring how field experimental methods could be applied to two existing areas: how international institutions facilitate cooperation, and whether international actors can promote democracy in sovereign states.
Points of Intersection between Randomized Experiments and Quasi-Experiments
Authors: Green Jane
Published: June 2011

There are several contexts in which randomization in research design is not possible. Researchers may be interested in the effects of large-scale events or policy initiatives, or of complex causal processes that cannot be replicated. Threats to external validity in randomized experiments will lead to greater dividends for some research questions in a quasi-experimental design. Quasi-experiments can offer opportunities for testing causal theories, if they are carefully constructed to counter threats to internal validity. Furthermore, randomization is not a simple guarantee against threats to internal validity where few units of observation are used. An appreciation of the intersection of these approaches—between stronger quasi-experiments and weaker randomized experiments—can help guide our choice of experimental method. One can make the same argument about the benefits of pursuing good opportunities with quasi-experiments over scant opportunities with randomized experiments as is made more often in reverse.
Reporting Methodological Items in Randomized Experiments in Political Science
Authors: Boutron Isabelle , John Peter , Torgerson David J.
Published: June 2011

This article discusses the arguments for using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) procedures in political science field experiments, with the aim of improving the clarity and transparency of research work and reducing the possibility of bias. The article reviews the background to CONSORT, which is increasingly required for carrying out and reporting trials in healthcare and other disciplines. It sets out the main elements of the scheme and then applies its criteria to evaluate a published Get Out the Vote (GOTV) study by John and Brannan (2008). The CONSORT checklist shows the methods in this article to be clear and transparent but that CONSORT could improve the reporting of turnout experiments, such as details of the numbers going through the trial at each stage. The article argues that applying CONSORT to reports of trials in political science journals is a feasible and desirable objective.
Expanding the Use of Experiments on Civic Behavior: Experiments with Local Government as a Research Partner
Authors: Cotterill Sarah , Richardson Liz
Published: June 2011

Despite the acknowledged benefits of experimental methods and growing policy and academic interest in evidence-based policy, few researchers have attempted to undertake experiments at a local level in cooperation with policymakers and public service providers. This paper discusses the challenges of implementing and delivering experiments in these contexts, drawing on four successfully completed experiments and two current experiments and referring to four proposed experiments that did not take place. The completed and ongoing experiments investigated canvassing to increase household recycling, Internet deliberation to change civic attitudes, education to change children’s environmental attitudes, community support to improve quality of life for drug users, citizen pledging to donate to charity, and letter writing to influence the response of councilors to citizen interest groups. The paper concludes by assessing the benefits of co-produced field experiments against the challenges and argues that, overall, co-production has the potential to expand the scope, range, and depth of possible experiments; improve access to citizens and to data; and lead to research that is more credible to policymakers.
Conceptual, Design, and Statistical Complications Associated with Participant Preference
Authors: Ainsworth Hannah R. , Torgerson David J. , Kang 'Ombe Arthur R.
Published: June 2011

Participants in randomized trials sometimes prefer to be assigned to one arm rather than another. While randomization aims to ensure that participants with different preferences are spread equally among the arms of the trials, it cannot always address the possible effects of participant preferences on outcomes, compliance, and attrition. This paper discusses the conceptual, design, and statistical complications associated with preference effects and evaluates a number of experimental designs that have been proposed to gauge and minimize the effect of participant preferences.
Strategies for Dealing with the Problem of Non-overlapping Units of Assignment and Outcome Measurement in Field Experiments
Authors: De La O Ana L. , Rubenson Daniel
Published: June 2011

Researchers conducting field experiments are sometimes faced with the challenge of analyzing field experiment results when the unit of assignment does not coincide with the unit of outcome measurement. For example, in electoral research, election results may be reported at a level of geography defined by electoral law, while the assignment of treatment can be made only at a level of geography different from this. Using examples from field experiments conducted in Canada and Mexico, we describe this problem and its consequences for analysis and interpretation of field experiment data and results. We also offer a number of practical solutions analysts can employ when faced with non-overlapping units of assignment and outcome measure in field experiments.
New Life for an Old Concept: Frame Analysis and the Reinvigoration of Studies in Culture and Poverty
Authors: Young Alford A.
Published: June 2011

Erving Goffman’s attention to the concept of framing provided modern sociology with a critical means for expanding explorations of the cultural terrain of meaning-making. Frame analysis concerns the manner in which individuals perceive and respond to particular events and circumstances. Since Goffman’s introduction of the term, the concept of framing has been expanded considerably in sociological inquiry. What Goffman and many of his adherents may not have imagined, however, is that frame analysis serves as a useful tool for improved comprehension of how low-income individuals interpret and present images of their social reality. By drawing from literature that makes use of frame analysis in sociological subfields somewhat removed from research on race and poverty and incorporating data from low-income African American men who reside in Detroit, this article explores how these concepts can enrich and advance sociologically grounded cultural inquiry into poverty and argues that scholarly approaches to considering the agency of the poor can be revised and enriched.
What People Want: Rethinking Poverty, Culture, and Educational Attainment
Authors: Vaisey Stephen
Published: June 2011

New cultural approaches to the study of poverty treat “culture” as providing the means for action and neglect the classical concern with motives for action. The author argues that though this paradigm shift has led to many important and interesting discoveries, it has also created blind spots that prevent a more complete understanding of how culture shapes action. After arguing that values, attitudes, and other motive concepts have been unfairly excluded from the new cultural pantheon, the author uses the empirical example of educational continuation to show that poor and nonpoor youth differ in their educational aspirations and that these differences can predict school continuation six years later. The findings are interpreted with an eye toward synthesizing “old” and “new” approaches to the study of culture and socioeconomic disadvantage.
Search of Peace: Structural Adjustment, Violence, and International Migration
Authors: Alvarado Steven Elías , Massey Douglas S.
Published: June 2011

The authors analyze the effects of structural adjustment and violence on international migration from selected countries in Latin America by estimating a series of event history models that predicted the likelihood of initial migration to the United States as a function of the murder rate, economic openness, and selected controls in the country of origin. Although several theories posit a connection between structural economic change and violence, such a pattern held only in Nicaragua, where the homicide rate increased as the economy was opened to trade and average incomes deteriorated. Moreover, only in Nicaragua was lethal violence positively related to out-migration. In Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, rising violence reduced the likelihood of emigration. Violence does not appear to have uniform effects on patterns of international migration but depends on broader social and political conditions within particular countries.
Determinants of Emigration: Comparing Migrants’ Selectivity from Peru and Mexico
Authors: Takenaka Ayumi , Pren Karen A.
Published: June 2011

Although Latin American migrants to the United States, particularly Mexicans, are typically portrayed as poor and uneducated, some, such as Peruvians, are disproportionately well educated compared to those who never left their countries. This article examines who emigrates and why by comparing migrants’ selectivity from Mexico and Peru. Using the Peruvian data of the Latin American Migration Project (LAMP), collected in five communities in Lima between 2001 and 2005, and comparable data for twelve urban communities from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP), the authors compare the determinants of out-migration from these two countries. The results show that the difference in migrant selectivity is not so much attributable to migrants’ legal status, urban versus rural origins, demographic background, or geographic distance. Rather, a crucial difference lies in the nature of migrant networks, or how networks develop over time and how migrants utilize networks in migrating.
Science Starts Not after Measurement, but with Measurement
Authors: Prewitt Kenneth
Published: June 2011

Federal statistics should be viewed and treated as part of the nation’s scientific infrastructure. The empirical social sciences dependent on those statistics produce social knowledge directly relevant to social problem analysis and policy formation. Statistics primarily come from the census and federal sample surveys, but increasing use is made of administrative and digital data. These two data sources have not benefited from the scientific attention given to survey data. Federal statistical agencies, if given the resources and the authority, are the appropriate part of the federal government to insist on data quality, privacy protection, and data access for the scientific community.
Immigration Statistics for the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Massey Douglas S.
Published: June 2011

Of the three main contributors to population growth— fertility, mortality, and net migration—the latter is by far the most difficult to capture statistically. This article discusses the main sources of federal statistical data on immigration, each with its own characteristic set of strengths, weaknesses, possibilities, and limitations in the context of the interested social scientist. Among the key limitations, the article argues, are the elimination of parental birthplace from the census and the lack of complete data concerning the legal statuses of the U.S. population. This article concludes with suggestions on remedying such deficiencies, at relatively low marginal cost, such as the inclusion of questions on parental birthplace, instituting a regular survey of randomly selected legal immigrants, and the use of the “two-card method” in statistical data.
What Is Political Interference in Federal Statistics?
Authors: Prewitt Kenneth
Published: June 2011

Federal statistical agencies are funded and supervised by elected and appointed politicians. What counts as politial interference is not self-evident. This article offers a working definition of interference, emphasizing the importance of an agency offering its best judgment regarding accurate measurement of a given phenomenon, its ability to apply state-of-the-art science in that measurement, and its protection from preclearance of the resulting statistical product. Interference is indicated by efforts to shape statistical products to achieve political advantage. Statistical adjustment to correct the differential undercount in the decennial census is used to illustrate political interference.
Why American Families Need the Census
Authors: Coontz Stephanie
Published: June 2011

This article examines how family researchers use federal statistics, particularly from the U.S. Census, to understand the realities of trends concerning the family unit. The article shows that these data have helped researchers to understand the major, largely irreversible revolution that has taken place in America in the ways that people engage in family formation, make interpersonal commitments, and take on caregiving obligations. In addition, the article makes clear the importance of understanding these changes to make and evaluate policy, such as governmental efforts to promote marriage. The article also shows the usefulness of federal data in allowing researchers to track the development of a new stage of life, termed by some the “age of independence” or “emerging adulthood,” and points to the need to keep fine-tuning, rethinking, and updating the categories that are being measured.
The Federal Statistical System and the Four “I”s
Authors: Fienberg Stephen E.
Published: June 2011

This article addresses the process through which the federal statistical system may be restored to its appropriate place for providing high-quality data and information, in response to the damage caused by the budgetary woes that agencies have suffered in recent years. The article describes how this work will facilitate moving the country forward, both on its path to economic recovery and to a position of leadership internationally. Four crucial topics are examined: independence, integrity, integration, and innovation. In combination these characteristics will ensure the availability of statistical data of high quality and integrity for informed policy decisions and legislative action.
The Role of the Federal Statistical System in Evidence-based Policymaking, or How to Make the Statistical System Essential
Authors: O'Grady Michael J.
Published: June 2011

This article discusses the strained nature of the relationship between the research/analytic world and the policy/political world. The research/analytic world in general and the statistical community in particular are portrayed as not wanting to be pulled into partisan politics. At the same time, the policy makers are portrayed as not seeing that statistical analysis is essential to confronting difficult real-world decisions. The article points out that there is a fundamental pressure pushing the two together: the federal budget. It shows that over the past decade or two, funding for statistical agencies has been under increasing pressure to show the “return on investment” of the taxpayers’ dollars. The article suggests that the way out of this problem is by becoming an essential partner with the policy makers in dealing with the challenging issues that they face by supporting and advancing evidence-based policymaking.
Indicators and the Federal Statistical System: An Essential but Fraught Partnership
Authors: Bradburn Norman M. , Fuqua Carolyn J.E.
Published: June 2011

An indicator can be defined as a statistic used as part of an assessment exercise. There have been three relatively distinct waves of interest in indicators at the national level. Indicator work creates both opportunities and hazards for federal statistical agencies. Indicators not only increase the accessibility of federal statistics but also expose statistical agencies to charges of partisanship that can jeopardize both the credibility of their products and the agencies’ abilities to accomplish their core mission of collecting data from an increasingly wary public. Managing the tension between the scientific and political dimensions of indicator work involves acknowledging the value-laden nature of indicator development and establishing a clear division of labor, with political entities assuming responsibility for grappling with the most obviously normative issues and statistical agencies limiting their involvement in such work to the provision of statistical scientific expertise.
The Media as Consumers of Statistics
Authors: Overberg Paul
Published: June 2011

This article outlines the recent use of federal statistical data at USA Today, in print and online, showing broad, strong, and diverse results.
Decolonization or National Liberation: Debating the End of British Colonial Rule in Africa
Authors: Cheikh Anta Babou
Published: June 2011

When discussing the end of British colonial rule in Africa, many historians have highlighted the role of postwar international relations and the impact of domestic imperial politics on decolonization and have failed to recognize the role of African nationalists. This article argues that such a viewpoint is flawed because it conceives of colonial policy makers as isolated and autonomous entities impervious to changes taking place in the colonies. The national liberation movements in Ghana, Central Africa, Kenya, and other regions of East Africa are explored in this article to illustrate the central role that colonial subjects played in the British decolonization of Africa. While dominant scholarship on the failures of the post-colonial state has made studies of decolonization and African nationalism less fashionable, it is becoming increasingly clear that our understanding of the nature and mechanics of the crises that beset the continent requires taking fresh stock of the record of European colonial rule in Africa. In this regard, the study of colonialism and decolonization in Africa continues to be of critical relevance.
Radical Islam in East Africa
Authors: Stith Charles R.
Published: June 2011

Islam has a 1,000-year history in West Africa; in East Africa it is even longer. What started out as liberating efforts by Muslims in Africa degenerated into oppressive regimes over time. Over the centuries, conquest increasingly came to define Islam’s approach in Africa. How Africa manages its necessity to accommodate Islamic elements in its midst is one of the continent’s most daunting challenges. On the one hand, the region is home to a substantial number of Muslims. On the other hand, there is a connection between religious radicalism and poverty. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, a Muslim, suggested that if belief is the potential seed of radicalism, then poverty is the fertilizer. Overcoming the factional divide within Islam is important because the fissures are latent in countries with large Islamic populations. How Africa manages this challenge has profound long-term implications for peace, stability, and development on the continent.
Africa’s Development beyond Aid: Getting Out of the Box
Authors: Gatune Julius
Published: June 2011

This article argues that Africa’s development rests not on aid, but on three key pillars: knowledge, entrepreneurship, and governance. Africa needs to think outside of the box when establishing these pillars. However, to make these three levers work, a change in mindset is a prerequisite. Africa has to start dreaming big dreams that empower it to see long-term. Africa must restructure societies so that networks beyond closed ethnic networks are more prominent. The larger social capital that will result will build a foundation for development. Africa also needs to incorporate new actors in its development agenda, including faith-based organizations, the diaspora, and the business class; and it must encourage immigrant entrepreneurs, especially Asians, to come in as chase rabbits. Better governance will come from the transformation of people from subjects to citizens. For success in international trade, Africa needs to learn the lessons of the Savannah, where the effective pack is the king.
Ratification by the United States of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Pros and Cons from a Child’s Rights Perspective
Authors: Bartholet Elizabeth
Published: June 2011

This article discusses the significance of the United States’ ratification of the CRC, concluding that even if the treaty is not self-executing, ratification would make a major difference. It would enable the United States to better promote children’s rights abroad, and it would push the United States to develop its domestic law in dramatically new directions that empower children. The CRC provides children with powerful affirmative rights and imposes reciprocal duties on nation-states. It provides rights to participate, including rights to be heard and to make decisions on personal and political matters; rights to receive important benefits, including health, support, and education; rights to protection against maltreatment; and rights to nurturing parental care. All this contrasts with U.S. law’s negative rights tradition, its emphasis on parental rights, limited recognition of children’s rights, and related restriction of state power to protect children. U.S. ratification could have a positive impact, particularly in connection with parental relationship rights and related maltreatment issues. However, there is also a risk of negative impact, given the problematic CRC provisions on international and transracial adoption. The solution is ratification with a reservation regarding Articles 20 and 21.
Participatory Niches for Emergent Citizenship in Early Adolescence: An International Perspective
Authors: Torney-Purta Judith , Amadeo Jo-Ann
Published: June 2011

This article is based on the assumption that the right to vote in national elections is not an essential dimension of citizenship for early adolescents as long as adolescents’ other competencies and attitudes are nurtured in their everyday settings. The article addresses the issue of children or early adolescents and their political and civic participation from three perspectives. First, it examines how human rights and action in community settings have been viewed across the several decades in which political socialization research has been conducted. The idea of emergent participatory citizenship for young adolescents is introduced. Second, the authors examine findings from survey research to determine whether the socialization and developmental experiences of the majority of early adolescents entering the twenty-first century have resulted in attitudes and skills appropriate to being full citizens. The third section examines studies using qualitative methodologies—observations and interviews—to show how the spaces for adolescents to exercise participatory and deliberative capabilities can be enhanced.
Racial Attitudes in City, Neighborhood, and Situational Contexts
Authors: McDermott Monica
Published: June 2011

Multiple social contexts have been shown to affect racial attitudes both positively and negatively when considered at different levels. In this article, context is simultaneously considered at three different levels: the metropolitan area, the census block group, and the interview situation (as measured by race of interviewer/race of respondent matching). Significant effects can be classified into three categories: the effects of the racial composition of the city, the effects of the racial composition of the neighborhood, and the effects of a “differentrace” interviewer. Neighborhood income and race of interviewer effects are direct; by contrast, racial composition effects are typically cross-level interaction effects. This indicates that the modeling of cross-level interactions is essential for future studies of the effects of racial composition on attitudes.
Reexamining Racial Resentment: Conceptualization and Content
Authors: Wilson David C. , Davis Darren W.
Published: June 2011

There is an ongoing debate in the racial attitudes literature about the degree to which new racism measures actually tap negative racial beliefs. Racial resentment is one construct that has been criticized on such grounds. To date, Kinder and Sanders (1996) have proposed the most commonly utilized measure of racial resentment, which is largely based on a similar construct—symbolic racism. The authors enter this discussion by proposing and testing an alternative racial resentment measure, one that is more explicit. They analyze data from two convenience samples of college students and from two national adult samples. They find the Explicit Racial Resentment (EXR) measure to have strong measurement properties and associations with known correlates of racial attitudes, suggesting promise as a survey-based indicator of underlying racial resentment.
The Sweet Enchantment of Color-Blind Racism in Obamerica
Authors: Bonilla-Silva Eduardo , Dietrich David
Published: June 2011

It has become accepted dogma among whites in the United States that race is no longer a central factor determining the life chances of Americans. In this article, the authors counter this myth by describing how the ideology of color-blind racism works to defend and justify the contemporary racial order. The authors illustrate three basic frames of this ideology, namely, abstract liberalism, cultural racism, and minimization of racism. The authors then examine research that has empirically shown the effects of color-blind racism on whites’ reactions to Hurricane Katrina, among whites who have adopted children of color, and in America’s elite law schools. Finally, the authors examine how the election of Barack Obama is not an example of America becoming a “post-racial” country but reflects color-blind racism. The authors argue that the Obama phenomenon as a cultural symbol and his political stance and persona on race are compatible with color-blind racism. The authors conclude with the prognosis that, under the Obama administration, the tentacles of color-blind racism will reach even deeper into the crevices of the American polity.
Incarceration and Prisoner Reentry in the United States
Authors: Raphael Steven
Published: June 2011

This article addresses the reentry challenges faced by low-skilled men released from U.S. prisons. The author empirically characterizes the increases in incarceration occurring since 1970 and assesses the degree to which these changes result from changes in policy as opposed to changes in criminal behavior. The author discusses what is known about the children of inmates and the likelihood that a child in the United States has an incarcerated parent. The article then addresses the employment barriers that former prison inmates face, with a particular emphasis on how employers view criminal records in screening job applicants. Finally, the author discusses a number of alternative models for aiding the reentry of former inmates. Transitional cash assistance, the use of reentry plans, traditional workforce development efforts, and transitional jobs for former inmates all are among the tools used across the United States. The author reviews the existing evaluation literature on the effectiveness of these programmatic interventions.
Young Disadvantaged Men as Fathers
Authors: Berger Lawrence M. , Langton Callie E.
Published: June 2011

This article reviews current theory and empirical evidence regarding young disadvantaged men’s involvement with children. It first chronicles the major theoretical perspectives on fathers’ involvement among resident (married and cohabiting) biological fathers, resident social fathers (unrelated romantic partners of children’s mothers), and nonresident biological fathers. Second, it provides a brief overview of the current and historical role of the father in child rearing. Third, it describes the characteristics of men who become young fathers, highlighting that they tend to be socioeconomically disadvantaged. Fourth, it summarizes the empirical literature on both antecedents of fathers’ involvement and patterns of involvement across father types. Finally, it examines the foremost limitations of existing research and draws implications for future research and policy.
Income Support Policies for Low-Income Men and Noncustodial Fathers: Tax and Transfer Programs
Authors: Mincy Ronald B. , Klempin Serena , Schmidt Heather
Published: June 2011

Both wages and labor force participation have been declining for young, less-educated men since the mid-1970s. The purpose of this article is to examine how key income-security policy areas—including unemployment insurance, payroll taxes and the Earned Income Tax Credit, and child support enforcement—affect these men. The article concludes with policy recommendations to improve the impact of work-based subsidies on poverty among low-income men. Subsidized jobs in transitional job programs could play a critical role in helping these men to access these subsidies.
Relocation Threats and Actual Relocations in Canadian Manufacturing: The Role of Firm Capacity and Union Concessions
Authors: Jalette Patrice
Published: June 2011

The goal of this article is to compare the situations of various plants in which there were relocation threats, some of which materialized and some of which did not. It is based on data collected through a survey of local unions in the manufacturing sector in the province of Quebec in Canada. The results show that certain structural characteristics of the plant, such as producing standardized products and being downwardly integrated into the value chain, were associated with a greater probability of a relocation threat. Furthermore, union concessions were linked with a decrease in the likelihood of an actual relocation. There was a significant association between actual relocation and concessions on employment levels but not between relocation and concessions on wages and benefits. In these relocation decisions, there were clearly two logics at work: managerial capacity to relocate and industrial relations dynamics.
Globalization and the Service Workplace: Citizenship, Entitlement, and the Future of U.K. Occupational Pensions
Authors: Strauss Kendra
Published: June 2011

The global economic recession has hit the U.K. service economy hard; less remarked on has been the recession’s effect on the British pension system. As private-sector occupational pension coverage continues to plummet, public-sector pensions are also in the sights of politicians looking to cut public spending. The government, which in 2005 announced plans for a universal (citizen’s) state pension, has now shifted its focus to a new system of personal accounts to impel medium- and low-income workers without pensions to save for retirement. In this article, the author argues that only a system built on a universal pension in the “first pillar” can guarantee an adequate pension for all, especially part-time and/or temporary workers, carers, and those with interrupted careers. Many such women are workers, and many are in service-sector jobs. Unions and organizations representing service-sector workers therefore need to consider whether to focus their energies on preserving existing benefits for the few or on campaigning for adequate pensions for all.
Peanut Allergy in Children
Authors: Roy Kimberlee M. , Roberts Michael C.
Published: June 2011

Peanut allergy prevalence appears to be increasing in the pediatric population and pediatricians need to be aware how it may affect children’s psychological functioning. This study examined relationships between health-related quality of life, child anxiety, and parental stress in children with peanut allergy. A total of 51 families completed questionnaires regarding child anxiety, parenting stress, and quality of life. Child anxiety and parenting stress were found to significantly predict parent proxy report of their child’s health-related quality of life. Child anxiety, parenting stress, length of diagnosis, and experiencing an epinephrine shot predicted self-report of health-related quality of life. Although many children with peanut allergy function well, a certain subset of children and families appear to experience high levels of parenting stress and high levels of child anxiety that can affect health-related quality of life and these children may require referrals for mental health treatment.
Month-by-Month Age Analysis of the Risk for Serious Bacterial Infections in Febrile Infants With Bronchiolitis
Authors: Yarden-Bilavsky Havatzelet , Ashkenazi-Hoffnung Liat , Livni Gilat , Amir Jacob , Bilavsky Efraim
Published: June 2011

Objective. This study’s aim was to assess the risk of serious bacterial infections (SBI) in each of the first 3 months in hospitalizes febrile infants with bronchiolitis. Patients and methods. The risk of SBI was compared between hospitalized infant with or without bronchiolitis by age in months. Results. A total of 1125 febrile infants aged ≤3 months were admitted during the study period, 948 without and 177 with bronchiolitis. The incidence of SBI was significantly lower among infants with bronchiolitis compared with those without (4% vs 12.2%, P < .001). However, within the subgroup of neonates with bronchiolitis aged ≤28 days, the incidence of SBI was 9.7% and was not significantly lower than in neonates without bronchiolitis. Conclusion. The risk of SBI among febrile infants with bronchiolitis is significantly lower compared with febrile infants without bronchiolitis, but only after the neonatal period in which the risk for urinary tract infection was relatively high (9.7%).
Comparing Two Forms of Dynamic Assessment and Traditional Assessment of Preschool Phonological Awareness
Authors: Thatcher Kantor Patricia , Wagner Richard K. , Torgesen Joseph K. , Rashotte Carol A.
Published: June 2011

The goal of the current study was to compare two forms of dynamic assessment and standard assessment of preschool children’s phonological awareness. The first form of dynamic assessment was a form of scaffolding in which item formats were modified in response to an error so as to make the task easier or more explicit. The second form of dynamic assessment was direct instruction of the phonological awareness tasks. The results indicate that preschool children’s phonological awareness can be assessed using standard assessment procedures, provided the items require processing units larger than the individual phoneme. No advantage was found in reliability or validity for either dynamic assessment condition relative to the standard assessment condition. Dynamic assessment does not appear to improve reliability or validity of phonological awareness assessments when preschool children are given tasks that they can perform using standard administration procedures.
Central Processing Energetic Factors Mediate Impaired Motor Control in ADHD Combined Subtype But Not in ADHD Inattentive Subtype
Authors: Egeland Jens , Ueland Torill , Johansen Susanne
Published: June 2011

Participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often impaired in visuomotor tasks. However, little is known about the contribution of modal impairment in motor function relative to central processing deficits or whether different processes underlie the impairment in ADHD combined (ADHD-C) versus ADHD inattentive (ADHD-I) subtype. The present study analyzes performance on the Visual Motor Integration Test relative to less effortful motor tests as well as on measures of energetics. Both ADHD groups showed evidence of impaired motor function on both visual-motor integration (VMI) and the less effortful motor tests. The ADHD-C group performed below the ADHD-I group on VMI, but their performance correlated highly with the measures of the energetic pools of arousal and effort. Different mechanisms may underlie impaired fine motor skills in ADHD. Central processing deficits contribute significantly to the deficit of ADHD-C but do not explain the motor impairment in ADHD-I.
Creating a Brief Rating Scale for the Assessment of Learning Disabilities Using Reliability and True Score Estimates of the Scale’s Items Based on the Rasch Model
Authors: Sideridis Georgios , Padeliadu Susana
Published: June 2011

The purpose of the present studies was to provide the means to create brief versions of instruments that can aid the diagnosis and classification of students with learning disabilities and comorbid disorders (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). A sample of 1,108 students with and without a diagnosis of learning disabilities took part in Study 1. Using information from modern theory methods (i.e., the Rasch model), a scale was created that included fewer than one third of the original battery items designed to assess reading skills. This best item synthesis was then evaluated for its predictive and criterion validity with a valid external reading battery (Study 2). Using a sample of 232 students with and without learning disabilities, results indicated that the brief version of the scale was equally effective as the original scale in predicting reading achievement. Analysis of the content of the brief scale indicated that the best item synthesis involved items from cognition, motivation, strategy use, and advanced reading skills. It is suggested that multiple psychometric criteria be employed in evaluating the psychometric adequacy of scales used for the assessment and identification of learning disabilities and comorbid disorders.
Emergent Literacy Intervention for Prekindergarteners at Risk for Reading Failure
Authors: Bailet Laura Lyons , Repper Karla , Murphy Suzanne , Piasta Shayne , Zettler-Greeley Cynthia
Published: June 2011

This research examined the effectiveness of an emergent literacy intervention for prekindergarten children at risk for reading failure, to replicate and improve on significant findings from Year 1 of the study. Data are reported for 266 children in 72 child care and preschool sites in Year 2 of the study and for 374 children at 102 sites in Year 3. The intervention consisted of eighteen 30-min lessons delivered twice weekly to small groups of children. Lessons targeted critical emergent literacy skills through explicit, developmentally appropriate activities for prekindergarteners. Hierarchical linear models were used to nest children within center and measure treatment effects on phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and vocabulary skills. Results indicated significant treatment effects on multiple measures in Years 2 and 3. This study replicated and strengthened findings from Year 1 in demonstrating a positive impact of this intervention for prekindergarteners at risk for reading failure.
Youth Studies and Timescapes
Authors: Groves Julian M. , Ho Wai-Yip , Siu Kaxton
Published: June 2011

This article draws on insights from the sociology of time to examine how scheduling influences social interaction and identity among young people and those who work with them. Drawing on an ethnographic analysis of “Young Night Drifters” and youth outreach social workers in Hong Kong’s public housing estates, we create a framework to understand youth in the context of time scheduling. Certain time schedules provide opportunities for young people to enjoy greater intimacy and looser authority structures. The particular scheduling of young people’s activities can expose them to delinquent groups and activities and isolate them from mainstream society. Time is also a marker that creates new identities and shapes interactions between youth workers and their clients. By focusing on the timing of youth activities, we redress an imbalance in the literature on youth studies which has been preoccupied with space.
The Moderating Role of Positive Affectivity: Empirical Evidence from Bank Employees in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Shaw Jason D. , Duffy Michelle K. , Abdulla Mohamed Hussain Ali , Singh Romila
Published: June 2011

In this study, we proposed and tested an interaction between positive affectivity (PA) and job satisfaction in predicting two organizationally relevant job attitudes, frustration and intention to quit. Specifically, we predicted that job satisfaction would be strongly and negatively related to frustration and intention to quit among high-PA, but not low-PA, individuals. The predictions were tested using survey data from commercial bank employees (N = 172) in the United Arab Emirates. Hierarchical regressions supported the hypothesized interactions for both dependent variables. The results contribute to the evidence that high-PA can be associated with generally unfavorable organizational outcomes in certain situations, and they point to the stability of dispositional research in different cultures.
What Did You Expect? An Examination of Career-Related Support and Social Support Among Mentors and Protégés
Authors: Young Angela M. , Perrewé Pamela L.
Published: June 2011

Perceptions of mentors and protégés were examined to understand how the mentoring exchange is perceived and how perceptions of the exchange influence feelings about the relationship. In particular, we suggest that there are specific behaviors related to career and social support exhibited throughout the mentoring process. It was hypothesized that when relevant career and social support behaviors are exhibited sufficiently to meet the expectations of a partner, higher levels of relationship effectiveness, and trust for a partner are realized. Findings indicate that when protégés are open to advisement and coaching, and put forth effort in accomplishing required work or projects, a mentor’s perceptions of relationship effectiveness and trust felt for the protégé are positively influenced. When mentors engage in sufficient levels of social support behaviors to meet a protégé’s expectations, a protégé will form higher perceptions of relationship effectiveness and trust for the mentor. The findings of this study, implications for managers, and suggestions for future research are discussed in detail.
Team Members’ Affective Responses to Patterns of Intragroup Interdependence and Job Complexity
Authors: Van Der Vegt Gerben , Emans Ben , Van De Vliert Evert
Published: June 2011

In this questionnaire study, the relations between the affective reactions of 114 technical consultants and both intragroup interdependence and job complexity were examined. Individual-level task interdependence and job complexity were found to be positively related to individual job satisfaction, team satisfaction, job commitment, and team commitment. Cross-level interactions showed the positive relations between task interdependence and the affective outcomes to be stronger in high outcome interdependent teams than in low outcome interdependent teams. Specifically, a proper match between high task interdependence and high group-level outcome interdependence was found to produce more positive affective responses than “low-high” and “high-low” mismatches. The unfavorable effects of mismatched task and outcome interdependence on job satisfaction and job commitment were found to be mitigated by high levels of job complexity.
Power-Distance, Gender and Organizational Justice
Authors: Lee Cynthia , Pillutla Madan , Law Kenneth S.
Published: June 2011

A sample of Hong Kong employees was used to test the hypotheses that power-distance orientation and gender moderate the relationships between justice perceptions and the evaluation of authorities (trust in supervisor) and the organization (contract fulfillment). Results indicated that 1) the relationship between procedural justice and contract fulfillment was higher for males, 2) the relationship between procedural justice and trust in supervisor was higher for those with low power-distance orientations, and 3) the relationship between distributive justice and contract fulfillment was higher for those with low power-distance orientations. The discussion addresses the implication of including power-distance and gender variables in research on procedural and distributive justice.
Factors Influencing Creativity in the Domain of Managerial Decision Making
Authors: Ford Cameron M. , Gioia Dennis A.
Published: June 2011

This study examines factors that influence the creativity of managers’ decisions. A domain-based, evolutionary model that describes the influence of context on creative action is combined with a teleological model of creative managerial decision making derived from the strategy formulation and organizational decision process literatures. Results show that two key dimensions of managerial creativity, the novelty and the value of choices, were affected by markedly different factors. Surprisingly, influences on the novelty of managers’ choices were essentially independent of influences on the value of those choices. Overall, this study represents an initial attempt to describe and empirically examine processes that affect the creativity of executives’ choices.
Performance Implications of Aligning CEO Functional Experiences with Competitive Strategies
Authors: Beal Reginald M. , Yasai-Ardekani Masoud
Published: June 2011

This study examines the performance consequences of aligning managerial functional experiences with generic competitive strategies and adopts a multidimensional view of generic competitive strategies involving low-cost leadership and several differentiation based strategies. Using data on a sample of 101 small manufacturing firms, the results of analysis provide substantial support for the alignment hypotheses. The study further tests a series of hypotheses on alignments between combined managerial experiences and hybrid strategies that combine low-cost leadership with differentiation based strategies. The findings indicate that superior performance results in conditions where managerial functional experiences are congruent with the requirements of particular generic or hybrid strategies.
Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Assessment Center Dimensions: A Conceptual and Empirical Reexamination of the Assessment Center Construct-Related Validity Paradox
Authors: Arthur Winfred , Woehr David J. , Maldegen Robyn
Published: June 2011

This study notes that the lack of convergent and discriminant validity of assessment center ratings in the presence of content-related and criterion-related validity is paradoxical within a unitarian framework of validity. It also empirically demonstrates an application of generalizability theory to examining the convergent and discriminant validity of assessment center dimensional ratings. Generalizability analyses indicated that person, dimension, and person by dimension effects contribute large proportions of variance to the total variance in assessment center ratings. Alternately, exercise, rater, person by exercise, and dimension by exercise effects are shown to contribute little to the total variance. Correlational and confirmatory factor analyses results were consistent with the generalizability results. This provides strong evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the assessment center dimension ratings–a finding consistent with the conceptual underpinnings of the unitarian view of validity and inconsistent with previously reported results. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.