bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identity, Compliance and Dissent in Organizations: A Psychoanalytic Perspective
Authors: Carr Adrian
Published: March 2007

Much of the literature in organization theory has yielded an image of the individual which could be called `skilfully partial'. The viewpoints talk `about' human agency without having a view `of' human agency, turning what is a `process' into an `object'. Other viewpoints raise the same dichotomy, without an underlying theoretic about the dynamic between the two. An example of this difficulty is apparent in the literature that seeks to address the issues of compliance and dissent in organizations. There is little in the way of explanation of the psychodynamics that are involved. This paper puts forward an explanation of compliance and dissent in organizations and explains how these issues are very much intertwined with the dynamic processes involved in the construction of individual identity. This explanation recognizes the importance of individual experiential histories, including those that are specifically institutionally fashioned, such as gender and the primacy of work. Drawing upon psychoanalytic theory (with some of its Frankfurt School and other variants), an essential lens is provided through which the issues of compliance and dissent can be readily viewed and understood. Results from recent studies are used to illustrate this different perspective, and the psychodynamics that are put forward are discussed in terms of further implications for the field.
The Social-Spatial Constitution of Business Organizations: A Geographical Perspective
Authors: Yeung Henry Wai-Chung
Published: March 2007

Business organizations are important subjects in organizational studies, but their social-spatial constitution is largely caricatured in the existing theoretical literature. This paper examines the nature and operations of business organizations, arguing that the concept of business organizations embraces more than their rigid separation from the external environment. Business organizations should rather be conceptualized as causal agencies capable of exercising their peculiar modes of rationality; they gain causal powers from ongoing networks of social relations embedded in society and space. The quest for control, power and strategic advantages provides the central dynamics to a continuous process of structuration between business organizations and their network relations. In practice, business organizations become a network form of governance structure that replaces `spaces of firms' by `spaces of network relations'. Because business organizations are embedded in network relations, they must also be embedded in geographically specific localities in order to reproduce themselves. This notion of the geographical embeddedness of business organization is further illustrated with an example of Chinese business organizations from Hong Kong. Some elements of a future research agenda are proposed in the concluding section.
IT Outsourcing and the Construction of Accountable Worlds
Authors: Yakhlef Ali
Published: March 2007

Williamson (1975) treats `markets' and `hierarchies' as two distinct governance structures constituting two discrete categories. For him the prevalence of the one or the other is dependent upon a trade-off between, on the one hand, `transaction' cost and dependence on the market, and the risk of loss of control, on the other. Within this framework, `organization', `markets', `costs', `control', etc. are taken as essences, as objective `facts'. The paper draws on six information technology outsourcing cases to suggest a process-based approach where what things are is determined by their becoming. This becoming-realist perspective directs our attention to the study of the organizing practices involved in constituting organizational aspects. For instance, whereas according to Williamson (1975) `cost' is an objective reflection of a certain value, in the present paper we will see that it is the outcome of a set of reality-constituting practices and principles, of certain ways of seeing and knowing the world, of such mundane practices as categorizing, labelling, measuring, etc.
Institutional Breakdown and International Cooperation: the European Agreement to Recognize Croatia and Slovenia
Authors: BEARCE DAVID H.
Published: March 2007

Using the logic of a two-phase cooperation framework (first bargaining to reach an agreement, then enforcement of the negotiated agreement), this article examines how the risk of institutional breakdown can help promote international cooperation. I argue first that the risk of institutional breakdown can help promote bargaining cooperation by raising the opportunity costs of bargaining failure, thus providing a strong incentive for states who value the fragile international institution to negotiate a cooperative agreement. Having helped states to reach a cooperative bargain, the risk of institutional breakdown can also play a role in the subsequent enforcement phase. I argue second that the risk of valued institutional breakdown can reduce state preferences for defection, moving the enforcement problem away from the standard Prisoners' Dilemma structure. To illustrate these arguments, I examine the European Community's decision to recognize the breakaway Yugoslav republics of Croatia and Slovenia.
On the Ontological Status of the State
Authors: RINGMAR ERIK
Published: March 2007

In which sense can we say that a state `exists'? According to the realist school, the state is an a priori given; according to the pluralist school, it is nothing but a collection of various sub-state actors. As I argue, however, neither solution is satisfactory. If we give the state a transcendental status, it disappears from the world; if we see it merely as a set of empirical attributes, it disappears in the world. The way out of this dilemma is to stop talking about what states really are, and start instead to talk about what things they resemble. We make sense of our collective selves in the same way as we make sense of our individual selves — with the help of metaphors that are expanded into narratives. A question of `being' is consequently always a question of `being as', and states are constructed through the stories told about them.
Dangerous Liaisons?
Authors: PRICE RICHARD , REUS - SMIT CHRISTIAN
Published: March 2007

The 1990s have seen the emergence of a new `constructivist' approach to international theory and analysis. This article is concerned with the relationship between constructivism and critical international theory, broadly defined. Contrary to the claims of several prominent critical theorists of the Third Debate, we argue that constructivism has its intellectual roots in critical social theory, and that the constructivist project of conceptual elaboration and empirical analysis need not violate the principal epistemological, methodological or normative tenets of critical international theory. Furthermore, we contend that constructivism can make a vital contribution to the development of critical international theory, offering crucial insights into the sociology of moral community in world politics. The advent of constructivism should thus be seen as a positive development, one that not only enables critical theorists to mount a more powerful challenge to the dominant rationalist theories, but one that also promises to advance critical international theory itself.
To Euro or Not to Euro?
Authors: RISSE THOMAS , ENGELMANN-MARTIN DANIELA , KNOPE HANS - JOACHIM , ROSCHER KLAUS
Published: March 2007

This article attempts to explain the variation in post-Maastricht elite attitudes toward the single currency in Western Europe. It concentrates on the British reluctance to join the single currency in the first round as well as the French and German continuing support for it. We argue, first, that explanations based solely on material conceptions of actors' interests — whether economic or geopolitical — are insufficient in explaining the variation in attitudes. There are as many good economic or geopolitical reasons in favour of the Euro as there are against it. In particular, perceived instrumental interests of actors as such do not explain the considerable variation in attitudes. Rather, we claim that actors' perception of their material and instrumental interests with regard to the Euro are deeply influenced by their visions of European political order. Second, the visions about European order which give political meaning to EMU, need to be understood in the framework of identity politics. Differences in the construction of collective elite identities pertaining to the nation-state and to Europe explain the controversies among the political elites in the three countries as well as the variation in attitudes. While the French and German political elites — from the centre-right to the centre-left — have incorporated `Europe' into their nationally defined collective identities, British policy-makers including New Labour remain hesitant. Third, on a more conceptual level, this article does not try to push an `identity versus interest' argument. Rather, we claim that the causal arrows run both ways. Collective nation-state identities define the realm of instrumental or material interests considered legitimate and appropriate in a given political discourse. We claim this to be the case in Britain and Germany. The more identity constructions are contested or in flux in a political discourse, however, the more likely it is that those constructions carry the day which actors see as furthering their perceived instrumental, political or economic interests. We argue that this was the case in France.
An Interview with K. J. Gergen (Part I) Culture and Self in Postmodern Psychology: Dialogue in Trouble?
Authors: Gulerce Aydan
Published: March 2007

Background Kenneth J. Gergen, a prominent name in psychology, has provided extensive commentaries on contemporary transformations in western cultural life, the basis of these changes in technological innovation, and the implications for our conceptions of self and the practices of human science more recently (Gergen, 1991, 1992, 1994). As a psychologist with interests in theory of knowledge, cultural variation and human change, it seemed important to me to address and deliberate with him on the relevant issues of postmodernism, and its implications for the study of culture and psychology. The discussion began in May 1994 at Swarthmore College, USA, and continued on electronic mail. A shortened and edited version of this dialogue is offered here in the hope of stimulating further relational thoughts and inviting 'joint action' (Shotter, 1980) in our field of intellectual inquiry.
Emotion and Facial Expression: A Semantic Perspective
Authors: Wierzbicka Anna
Published: March 2007

This paper addresses some basic conceptual issues which, as the author argues, must be clarified before the real controversies about the nature and universality of emotions and their expression can be clearly stated. To begin with, it argues that interpretative categories such as 'anger', 'fear', 'disgust', 'sadness' and 'enjoyment' are language-specific and culture-specific, and cannot identify any human universals in the area of emotions (even if such universals did exist). Furthermore, the paper shows how different emotions can be identified in terms of cognitive scenarios associated with them and how cognitive scenarios can be phrased in terms of universal human concepts. It also shows how clearly identifiable 'facial components' or configurations of 'components' (i.e. aspects of facial behaviour) can be linked with cognitive components (and with feelings identifiable through such components). Finally, it puts forward and illustrates a hypothesis about an iconic basis of the 'semantics of the human face'. Throughout the paper, the author tries to demonstrate that the use of conceptual primitives allows us to explore human emotions from a universal, language-independent perspective. Since every language imposes its own classification upon human emotional experience, English words such as anger or sadness are cultural artefacts of the English language, not culture-free analytical tools. On the other hand, conceptual primitives such as 'good' and 'bad', or 'want', 'know', 'say' and 'think' are not cultural artefacts of the English language but belong to the universal 'alphabet of human thoughts' apparently lexicalized in all languages of the world. The author argues that basing our analysis on lexical universals we can free ourselves from the bias of our own language and reach a universal, culture-independent perspective on human cognition in general and on human emotions in particular.
A Plea for a Hypothesis-Generating Approach to Link the Individual's World of Meaning and Society's Cultural Orientation: A Commentary on Oerter et al. (1996)
Authors: Minoura Yasuko
Published: March 2007

After a brief summary of my understanding of the authors' conceptual framework for cross-cultural comparison, I suggest that the universal levels of conceptualization that the authors claim to exist may be a mere reflection of their conception of human nature which gives a priority to cognitive ability. In order to understand the multiplicity of factors involved in the formation of the individual's world of meanings, including the concept of human beings, a new theoretical framework is proposed. A change from a hypothesis-testing approach to a hypothesis-generating orientation is advocated.
Social Representations and beyond: Brute Facts, Symbolic Coping and Domesticated Worlds
Authors: Wagner Wolfgang
Published: March 2007

Social representation theory is scrutinized for its capacity to ask new questions and to give new answers to social psychological problems. Its social constructionist implications and relationship to brute facts are investigated. It is shown that social representations result from collective symbolic coping with 'brute' facts. Consequently representations create the domesticated world of social objects which implies considering activity as part of a representation. Culture change in modern societies is shown to produce 'cognitive polyphasia' by adding alternative representations to existing ones instead of replacing them.
Out of Cash
Authors: Hanson Gordon S.
Published: March 2007

This is a report on the effects of party reform and federal election campaign finance reform on the US presidential pre-nomination process. It provides empirical support for commonly held perceptions about the importance of a first- or second-place finish in the New Hampshire primary. Specifically, a regression equation is used to demonstrate that the withdrawal dates of third-or-worse finishers can be predicted from the amount of the first 2 months of matching funds disbursements. A liberalization of the financial regulations or some restoration of state party control over delegate selection is needed, but not likely to occur.
Prophets, Purifiers and Prolocutors
Authors: Lucardie Paul
Published: March 2007

The foundation and electoral success of a new party can be attributed mainly to three factors: (1) its political project, which should address problems considered urgent by substantial sections of the electorate; (2) its resources: members, money, management and mass media exposure; and (3) the political opportunity structure: positions of other relevant parties as well as institutional, socio-economic and cultural conditions. These factors, however, affect different types of new parties differently. `Prophetic' parties, which articulate a new ideology, are successful if the ideology can be linked to latent or `subterranean' traditions, provided they can mobilize sufficient resources. `Purifiers', which refer to an ideology that has been betrayed or diluted by established parties, and prolocutors, which represent interests neglected by established parties, depend mainly on the political opportunity structure and specifically the position of established parties with respect to salient cleavages and issues, as well as on the electoral system.
Electoral Volatility in Postcommunist Belarus
Authors: Korasteleva Elena A.
Published: March 2007

Since the fall of communism nearly a decade ago, a series of important changes have occurred within the party system of Belarus. On the one hand, there is a potential for party system stabilization, given relatively stable party competition, the acceptance of parties as legitimate political actors in the electoral game, and the existence of predictable group loyalties to them. On the other hand, one may still witness intensive vote changing, the tendency for the presidency to strengthen, and a lingering sign of reversion in Belarus's democratization. This necessitates a discussion of the extent to which these two perspectives are contradictory, and how the paradox can be explained. The study examines the nature of instability and its causes, and discusses whether vote changing may be interpreted as `quasi-volatility', which does not primarily imply a radical dealignment in voting.
British Parliamentarians and European Integration
Authors: Cowley Philip
Published: March 2007

This note re-examines the survey data gathered by the Members of Parliament Project (MPP) on the attitudes of British parliamentarians towards European integration. Central to the analysis of the MPP is the idea that within the parties there is at work a dramatic cohort effect: long-serving Labour MPs are Eurosceptic, but the more recently elected Labour MPs are pro-European; whilst long-serving Conservative MPs are pro-European, but the more recently elected are Eurosceptic. The MPP have argued that this cohort effect began at different times in each party: in 1979 for the Conservatives and in 1987 for Labour. This note finds that whilst this is (largely) true for the Conservatives, it is not true for Labour. According to the MPP's own data, pro-European Labour MPs began entering the House of Commons in 1979, 8 years - and two elections - before the MPP have argued.
Negative Campaigning by US Senate Candidates
Authors: Lau Richard R. , Pomper Gerald M.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the use of negative campaigning in US Senate election campaigns from 1988 to 1998. We explore the relationship of negativism to candidate characteristics, campaign activities and the political context of these elections by testing seven hypotheses about candidates' use of negative campaigning. Our results suggest that such practices are disproportionately employed by candidates with relatively few campaign resources, by challengers, by Republicans, by candidates in open seat races, and by candidates whose opponents `go negative'. Indeed, we estimate almost a one-for-one feedback of the opponent's negativism on the negativism of Senate candidate's own campaigns - which, borrowing from the international relations field, we refer to as Mutually Assured Detraction, or MAD. The article concludes with a discussion of the possible impact and desirability of negative campaigning in American elections, and speculation on the implications for politics in other democracies.
Bringing Society Back in
Authors: Yishai Yael
Published: March 2007

The evolution of parties portrays a shift from civil society to the state, the culmination of which is the cartel party. Previous research has noted the vulnerabilities of the cartel model, emanating from processes originating in civil society. This study, based on the Israeli case, relates the weakness of the cartel not to challenges from without, but to its own vulnerabilities. The shortage of resources, the fragmentation of the party system and the decline of established parties are inherent to the cartel. Solutions to these maladies are sought in civil society in the framework of the post-cartel party. Taking advantage of developments occurring in the post-individualistic society, parties penetrate civil society by allying with voluntary associations and by stimulating politics of identity. The new, post-cartel, type of party combines the organizational benefits of the cartel while at the same time returning to grassroots social forces.
How Transnational Factors Influence the Success of Ethnic, Religious and Regional Parties in 21 States
Authors: Tossutti Livianna S.
Published: March 2007

This article explores whether ethnic, religious and regional parties in 21 advanced capitalist democracies are more likely to achieve political salience in systems which have been more exposed to the effects of globalization and post-industrialization. Globalist—localist scholars have argued that the new localism — which encompasses the post-war resurgence of decentralist political movements — is linked to intensified international interdependence and changes in production and consumption modes. Using quasi-likelihood statistical methods, we find that parties catering to particularist interests are more likely to participate in ruling coalitions to support minority governments, or to serve as the official opposition in countries that have been relatively insulated from transnational forces. While domestic economic conditions and a party's lifespan and programmatic orientation also influence the probability for success, domestic institutional arrangements such as electoral systems and the division of powers do not.
The Impact of Spending on Party Constituency Campaigns at Recent British General Elections
Authors: Johnston R. J. , Pattie C. J.
Published: March 2007

British political parties spent over £10 million on the 1992 general election campaign in the constituencies. Most commentators believe that this expenditure has no impact on the election outcome. Analyses of the last three inter-election periods show otherwise, however. Parties spent most in marginal constituencies and in defending the seats that they held. In general, the more they spent, the better their electoral performance, which could have influenced the outcome in a not-insignificant number of seats. Overall, the pattern of local campaign activity appears to be both rational and effective.
The Political Uses of Xenophobia in England, France and Germany
Authors: Thränhardt Dietrich
Published: March 2007

This article centres upon the nature of xenophobia as it relates to electoral politics, addressing in particular how and why `race politics' were employed in three large West European states at the end of the Cold War. Rather than looking only at extremist fringe groups, this article focuses on party competition as a driving force. Discussing developments since 1979, a strict comparison of party strategies employed in Britain, France and Germany is undertaken, describing the ups and downs of xenophobia as a public issue largely as a product of campaign strategies of the established conservative parties, who used the issue as a `weapon of last resort'. The handling of the issue by actors in the three countries is compared; this resulted in the success of the Front National in France and the Republikaner in Germany, and diverging development in Britain. It is also stressed that the emergence of `race' and migration as public issues are largely independent of the actual numbers of immigrants, which differed fundamentally between the three countries.
Developing Party Organizations in East-Central Europe
Authors: Kopecký Petr
Published: March 2007

Political parties are central to the process of democratization in east-central Europe. In contrast to the many studies that look at the instability of new parties and party systems, this article focuses on party organizational development. First, a hypothesis is put forward contending that parties in the region are likely to develop as formations with loose electoral constituencies, unimportant membership and a dominant role played by party leaders. Second, this hypothesis is tested on a sample of six parties from the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that certain variations in organizational structure exist, deriving from the distinction between old parties and newly established parties, the former deviating from the hypothesis to a greater extent than the latter.
Models of Party Development and Questions of State Dependence in Poland
Authors: Lewis Paul G. , Gortat Radzisława
Published: March 2007

In the wake of the 1993 Polish election it became obvious to party leaders not just that it was only the Polish Peasant Party that could claim mass status but that other parties had little prospect of developing along those lines. This provided the occasion for a general review of the conditions of party development which could be linked with the range of party models discussed in political science literature. While the paths of party development in eastern Europe are unlikely to fit known Western models, the growing emphasis on links with the state and dependence on public funds has been replicated in recent Polish experience. The post-communist parties thus drew considerable funds from the public purse after the 1993 election, which further strengthened their position and augmented the extensive organizational resources they already commanded.
Sodomy, Slaughter, Sunday Shopping and Seatbelts
Authors: Cowley Philip , Stuart Mark
Published: March 2007

This report analyses the cohesion of British parliamentary parties over a range of `free' votes - votes on which the party managers gave no instructions - between 1979 and 1996. British parties are usually highly cohesive, and this is often attributed to strict party management by the party `whips', who are said to bully MPs into line. But this report shows that high levels of party discipline exist even when the whips are `off'. Even on moral issues, which are said to split the parties, it is more usual to see the vast majority of one main party opposing the vast majority of the other main party.
Changing Party Ideology
Authors: Demker Marie
Published: March 2007

What are the conditions for a change in party ideology? Earlier research has pointed at changing electoral opinions, variations in the party elite and organization as well as at the party system and electoral system as such. Which of these factors are the most important for initiating party ideology change? This is the theoretical question addressed in this article. Through a qualitative ideological analysis of Gaullist party documents since 1947, this study shows that electoral failure is a necessary but not sufficient condition for ideological change. When a political party has experienced an electoral setback and also a change in the party system or in their own party organization, a change in ideology will also occur. The article also shows that the Gaullist parties, by always having a blend of conservative and liberal values, have made change possible by emphasizing one or other of these values. It has been possible to cope with apparent contradictions in the ideology since separate values have been guiding various ideological domains in the Gaullist party ideology.
Women's Representation in Parliament
Authors: Caul Miki
Published: March 2007

Parties vary substantially in the proportion of women they send to parliament. I examine how party characteristics affect women's representation in the parliamentary parties of 12 advanced industrial nations over time. Four party-level factors have some explanatory power: organizational structure, ideology, women party activists and gender-related candidate rules. A temporal sequence is proposed in which these factors and electoral rules directly and indirectly affect women's representation. Women party activists and gender-related rules are the more direct mechanisms affecting women's legislative representation. Further, New Left values and high levels of women activists within the party both enhance the likelihood that gender-related candidate rules will be implemented.
Voters' Perceptions and Party Dynamics
Authors: van der Brug Wouter
Published: March 2007

Various authors have argued that the behavior of voters as well as parties in most West European countries is structured mainly by an ideological `left-right' dimension. However, it remains unclear how the dimension labeled `left-right' by those studying party behavior relates to voters' perceptions of this dimension of conflict. This study assesses the extent to which Dutch voters' perceptions of parties' left-right positions reflect policy positions of parties determined by the contents of election programs. The research design is dynamic, allowing one to observe changes in party positions, as well as dynamic changes in the structure of a party system. The analyses show that the contents of party programs are strongly linked to voters' perceptions of parties' left-right positions, but that the strength of this linkage has decreased gradually since the late 1970s. Repercussions for political representation are discussed.
Explaining Electoral Reform
Authors: Sakamoto Takayuki
Published: March 2007

Japan, Italy and New Zealand changed their electoral systems to similar (though also significantly different) mixed systems combining single-member districts and proportional representation in the early 1990s. I examine the reasons for these three reforms being enacted, showing that while common symptoms of system failures were important in setting the three reform movements in motion in like fashion, they were not compelling enough to push reluctant politicians to enact reform. Other country-specific factors were needed to intervene and force them to take action. Japan's reform was enacted without the imposition of the popular referendum that occurred in Italy and New Zealand, but was made possible by changes in the nature of party competition that favourably altered political parties' incentives to reform. The change was brought about by the presence of pro-reformers within the dominant party and the relative coincidence between reform and the interests of parties.
Changing the Rules Changed the Game
Authors: McSweeney Dean
Published: March 2007

Some authors have argued that the change in the method of Conservative party leadership selection introduced in 1965 was modest in impact. This paper argues that the change in procedures transformed both the process and its outcomes. The effects of the procedural change are demonstrated by examining all leadership selections since 1945, comparing those conducted by informal consultation with those decided by ballots of MPs. The transformation is evident in the timing and form of selection contests, the candidates considered for selection, and the leaders who are chosen. Fragmentary evidence from past selections suggests that the inclusion of party members in selection will again reshape both the process and outcomes.
Urban Teachersí Use of Productive and Reproductive Teaching Styles Within the Confines of the National Curriculum for Physical Education
Authors: Curtner-Smith Matthew D. , Todorovich John R. , McCaughtry Nate A. , Lacon Simon A.
Published: March 2007

The main purpose of this study was to describe the teaching styles employed by a sample of 18 teachers working in an urban setting under the conditions of the first revision of the National Curriculum for Physical Education. A second purpose was to compare the teaching styles used by this urban sample of teachers with those employed by a rural sample we had studied previously. Two lessons taught by each teacher to pupils in Years 7, 8, or 9 during one summer term were videotaped and coded with the Instrument for Identifying Teaching Styles, a systematic observation instrument designed to record the percentages of time in which teachers employ each of eight teaching styles. Descriptive statistics were computed across all 36 lessons and for lessons on striking/fielding games, track and field events, and tennis. Independent t-tests were used to compare the teaching styles used by the urban sample of teachers in the present study and those used by the rural sample previously studied. Results indicated that the teachers in the present study spent most of their time using direct styles of teaching. Their pattern of teaching style use was very similar to that of the rural teachers observed in the earlier study. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.
The Contribution of Secondary School Physical Education to Lifetime Physical Activity
Authors: Fairclough Stuart , Stratton Gareth , Baldwin Graham
Published: March 2007

The promotion of lifetime participation in physical activity is a major goal of physical education, which this study considered in the context of curricular and extracurricular opportunities. Questionnaires focusing on PE provision were completed by 51 heads of physical education (HoPE). Results showed that team games predominated over lifetime activities in Key Stages 3 and 4 ( p < .01), while lifetime activities were more prominent during extra-curricular time ( p< .01). Female HoPE offered more lifetime activities than team games as part of their curricular ( p < .01) and extracurricular provision. In contrast, male HoPE provided most opportunities for team games ( p < .01). Schools place a significant emphasis on team games, often at the expense of lifetime activities. Physical educators must recognize which activities have the greatest carry-over value into adult life, and aim to provide more opportunities for allstudents to experience these activities.
Competing Conceptions of Competition: Implications for Physical Education
Authors: Drewe Sheryle Bergmann
Published: March 2007

This paper considers various conceptions of competition. Distinctions are made between positive and negative consequences of participating in competitive activities and between views that competition is intrin sically positive or negative. When examining and critiquing the nature of competition the root word (com-petitio: to strive together) is highlighted. From this, it is argued that the proposition that competition is intrinsically selfish cannot withstand an analysis of what is meant by 'selfish :

The paper concludes that competition is intrinsically positive, and furthermore, that participation in competitive activities provides the opportunity to develop skills in the pursuit of excellence. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of viewing com petition as 'striving together' for teachers and students in a physical education context.
Networks and Evaluating Public-sector Reforms
Authors: Bulder Bert , Leeuw Frans , Flap Henk
Published: March 2007

Concentrating on ways of describing and measuring organizational networks as a form of social capital, and how it is affected by changes in public-sector procedures, this article advocates a particular approach to the evaluation of public-sector reforms. The authors report on an empirical investigation conducted in the Netherlands, in which they monitored relationships between social capital and government reforms and used network methodology. Social networks—the 'social capital' of the organization— greatly contribute to the productivity of individual employees as well as organizations. It is argued that well-intentioned reorganizations or reforms may well turn formerly existing social capital into 'sour' capital, and lead to a consequent deterioration in efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
Anomalous Ageing: Managing the Postmenopausal Body
Authors: LOCK MARGARET
Published: March 2007

Discourse in EuroAmerica in connection with menopause is selectively naturalized, with specific consequences for practice, deflecting attention away from non-biological aspects of ageing. The medicalized discourse of North America is compared with that of contemporary Japan, where emphasis is focused predominantly on social rather than biological change. Following Latour and Haraway, it is argued that culture and nature are not dichotomous. Further, both biology and culture are contingent. `Local biologies', that is, subjective experience constituted from culturally informed knowledge, expectations and practices, are in part shaped by physical sensations and symptoms, that differ quantitatively in Japan and North America. This difference influences - but does not determine - the production of discourse and medical responses to this stage of the life cycle. Situated cultural practices of creating culture/nature boundaries are sites for moral and political disputes, which in turn influence subjective experience, the discourse of medicalization and the politics of ageing.
Case Report: Mixed Mania - Apparent Induction in an Adolescent by a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Antidepressant (SSRI)
Authors: James Anthony C.
Published: March 2007

A case is described of mixed mania in a 15-year-old boy, possibly induced by the use of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). A potentially dangerous, suicidal mental state was treated with ECT. The implications of the recognition and treatment of adolescent onset bipolar disorder is discussed.
Is `Self-Regulation' a more Helpful Construct than `Attention'?
Authors: Cousens Penelope , Nunn Kenneth Patrick
Published: March 2007

Attentional processes have increasingly moved to a central position in understanding human development and behaviour. When care is given to the definition and the assumptions underlying the notion of attention, however, it becomes apparent that a gulf has developed between clinical folklore and the scientific literature; not all attentional difficulties are due to deficits, and not all problems with behaviours labelled `attention deficit disorder' are due to attention. Distractibility, perceptual impairment, memory impairment and inability to shift cognitive set have received too much attention in the literature, while processing time, complexity of task, cognitive effort and rehearsal strategies have received too little. We propose the broader concept of self-regulation in which attentional processes remain a key component, but in which emotional and contextual factors are crucial contributors in themselves and also interact with attentional processes. The fact that a number of constraints upon self-regulation arise from the very nature of the brain becomes another important consideration. The clinical implications of this approach are considerable. If behavioural self-regulatory difficulties are all equated with attentional difficulties, then there will be a marked increase in the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD). If, on the other hand, attentional difficulties are seen as only one component of self-regulatory difficulties, differential diagnosis will remain important and emotional regulatory processes and contextual contributions will need to be considered simultaneously. In particular, the interaction between emotional regulation and attentional processes will be the focus of clinical and research endeavour.
A Description and Evaluation of a Community Child Mental Health Service
Authors: Davis Hilton , Spurr Pamela , Cox Antony , Lynch Margaret A. , Von Roenne Annette , Hahn Kornelia
Published: March 2007

A community-based child mental health service was established for families of preschool children with emotional and behavioural problems in the children, psychosocial problems in the family or parenting difficulties. The intervention was home-based and conducted by health visitors and paediatric community medical officers trained in parent counselling, parenting issues and child behavioural management. The approach was based upon frameworks derived from counselling theory, with the intervention dependent upon the development of a trusting and respectful partnership with the parents. The aims were to promote and support the parents' own exploration of the identified problems, and to help them establish clear aims and effective problem management strategies. Ongoing supervision was provided by a clinical psychologist. The evidence indicated that the training course was acceptable to non-mental health professionals and effective in preparing them to work with psychosocial problems. The service was a feasible option for work at the community level; it was acceptable to both referrers and parents and beneficial for families living in a very deprived inner-city community.
An Interactional Model of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinical Case Formulation
Authors: Connor Daniel F. , Fisher Stuart G.
Published: March 2007

As treatment resources for child mental health become increasingly rationed and limited, there exists a growing need for clinical tools to help the practicing clinician integrate complex problems presented by children and families seeking services into a clear focus that facilitates effective treatment planning. A model of interactional child mental-health case formulation is presented and discussed as one possible tool.
Working with the Media: Suggestions for Practice
Authors: Vizard Eileen
Published: March 2007

Although mental health professionals are in demand to respond to media enquiries about their work, relatively few are prepared to engage in the challenge. This article suggests an approach based on the assumption that media work is a public education service of value to the mental health professions and to the public. Guidance is given on how to engage with media colleagues in a positive and proactive manner despite the pressured context in which many media requests may arrive.
(Non)Compliance with Disease Prevention and Control Messages
Authors: Burgoon Michael
Published: March 2007

This article argues that while compliance with disease prevention and control messages should be high given the unique characteristics of this persuasive situation, the data indicate that non compliance is a major social problem. Two communication theories, Language Expectancy Theory and Reinforcement Expectancy Theory, offer promising new conceptualizations of how more compliance can be obtained with health-related messages. Both theories are supported by empirical evidence. Also, ongoing research programs with three psychological predictors (misanthropy, acculturation and sensation-seeking) show promise in providing evidence on how to tailor health-related, compliance-gaining messages to subgroups within the general population.
The Future of Coping Research as We Know It
Authors: Somerfield Mark R.
Published: March 2007

The author responds to commentaries by J. C. Coyne, S. Folkman, S. E. Hobfoll and J. D. Wells, R. S. Lazarus, H. Leventhal, T. L. Patterson and R. M. Kaplan, T. A. Revenson, C. A. Smith and K. A. Wallston, J. Spicer, D. Spiegel, and H. Weber concerning his target article on the utility of systems models of stress and adaptation for applied coping research. The author addresses the pragmatic advantages of targeted, programmatic applied coping research; the potential contributions of coping research on specific stressors to basic stress and coping research; measurement, design, and analysis issues in coping research; the value of systems concepts and methods for stress and coping research; the integration of dispositional and situational coping approaches; and the future of coping research.
Adaptive Tasks, Coping and Quality of Life of Chronically Ill Patients
Authors: De Ridder Denise T.D. , Schreurs Karlein M.G. , Bensing Jozien M.
Published: March 2007

This article is a report of a larger study on the relationship between adaptive tasks, coping and quality of life, taking Parkinson's disease and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as examples. The concept of adaptive tasks or disease-related stressors testing the adaptive capacities of chronically ill patients ( N=134) was explored by applying the method of concept mapping. Results show that patients both with Parkinson's disease and with CFS generally refer to the same themes when asked for the adaptive tasks their disease brings about. However, the actual contents of these adaptive tasks differ as well as their impact on coping and quality of life. In the case of patients with Parkinson's disease, objective disease characteristics appear to be more important in predicting quality of life than in the case of patients with CFS, whose evaluation of adaptive tasks is predictive of quality of life.
A Four-year Study of Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness, Social Support, and Perceived Mistreatment in Medical Students
Authors: Wolf Thomas M. , Scurria Philip L. , Webster Michael G.
Published: March 2007

The goal of this study was to examine anxiety, depression, loneliness, social support, and perceived mistreatment at 4 time points over the course of the 4 years of undergraduate medical education, beginning in 1991. Representative samples of medical students completed a battery of questionnaires at freshman orientation (111 of 189 students = 59 percent), end of the first year (114 of 182 students = 63 percent), end of the second year (96 of 189 students = 51 percent), and end of the fourth year (85 of 192 students = 44 percent). Depression and anxiety were highest at the end of the first year and lowest at the end of the fourth year. Perceived mistreatment, particularly of a psychological nature, was pervasive over the course of 4 years of medical education. Perceived mistreatment was significantly positively correlated with depression and anxiety at freshman orientation and at the end of the first year. The implications of these findings are discussed with a view to making reforms in medical education designed to enhance the professional and personal development of each student.
Perceived and Actual Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Skinner Celette Sugg , Kreuter Matthew W. , Kobrin Sarah , Strecher Victor J.
Published: March 2007

Perceived risk can influence health behaviors. Studies using various populations and breast cancer risk bias assessment methods have identified both risk over- and underestimation. Among 1803 women in primary care settings, 47 percent were at average epidemiologic risk (Gail calculated relative risk ±50 percent of age-adjusted population average) and 55 percent perceived themselves to be at average risk (compared to same-age others) but there were mismatches or 'biases': 31 percent underestimated personal risk; 26 percent overestimated. Multiple logistic regression revealed that smokers were more likely to overestimate risk. Overestimation decreased with more education. Mammography use did not independently predict perception bias but, among never-screened women aged over 40 years, those contemplating mammograms were most likely to overestimate risk; precontemplators were most likely to underestimate. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.
DSM-IV-Defined Asperger Syndrome: Cognitive, Behavioral and Early History Differentiation from High-Functioning Autism
Authors: Ozonoff Sally , South Mikle , Miller Judith N.
Published: March 2007

This study compared 2 3 children with high-functioning autism with 12 children with Asperger syndrome, both defined according to strict DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The groups were well matched on chronological age, gender and intellectual ability. Three possible sources of difference between Asperger syndrome and highfunctioning autism were examined: cognitive function, current symptomatology and early history. We found few group differences in current presentation and cognitive function, but many early history differences. The Asperger syndrome group generally demonstrated less severe early symptoms, a milder developmental course and better out-come than the high-functioning autism group. Many of the group dif-ferences appeared secondary to the initial group definition process, however. Overall, the results suggest that Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism involve the same fundamental symptomatology, differing only in degree or severity.
Review of Literature on Interventions to Reduce Pica in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Myles Brenda Smith , Simpson Richard L. , Hirch Nancy C.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to provide an integrated review of literature on interventions used with persons with autism and other developmentalwho exhibit pica behaviour. Each study in the area is overviewed by intervention class, and implications disabilities; for future interventions in this area are discussed.