bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transference in Organizational Research
Authors: Baum Howell S.
Published: March 2007

Organization members decide to participate in research in reaction to a researcher's approach, on the basis of their conscious and unconscious assumptions about him. This article draws from the author's work to look at how people react to a researcher's request to study them A psychoanalytic perspective focuses on how members unconsciously engage in transference toward the researcher in deciding whether to participate. Many who make negative assumptions about him are involved in conflict, and they identify him with organizational authority that will punish disloyally. Many who make positive assumptions about the researcher believe that what they do is of potential value and identify him with themselves or someone who will care about and appreciate them.
Pragmatism
Authors: Shields Patricia M.
Published: March 2007

Public administrators are often described as pragmatic. Yet few scholars have investigated what this might mean. This article introduces the notion of policy imprint-the effect that professional groups have on policy. Pragmatism is championed as an organizing principle that explains the public administration (PA) policy imprint. The pragmatism of William James and John Dewey is described and applied to PA. Because PA leaves its imprint where theory and practice meet, the article examines the theory-practice nexus through the lenses of pragmatism. Finally, pragmatism's link to democracy is developed.
Agenda Setting, the “Third Wave,” and the Administrative State
Authors: Durant Robert F.
Published: March 2007

On the eve of a new millennium, the United States appears bent on diffusing the administrative state’s (Waldo) authority to address social problems throughout the public, market, and civic spheres. Ascendant presently in informing this “neoadministrative” state is a “downsizing, defunding, and devolution” (D3) agenda premised on behavioral, instrumental, and normative assumptions that are not so much wrong as seriously incomplete. This article argues that appropriately matching the metes and bounds of the neoadministrative state with the challenges posed by Third Wave transformations will elude the United States unless an alternative agenda is offered. This agenda must go beyond one-size-fits-all prescriptions, be better informed by empirically based research, and be culturally resonant with the values Lipset identifies as the “American Creed.” To this end, the rudiments of—and important questions posed by—a “reconnecting, reconceptualizing, and reengaging” (R3) agenda are offered, which may yet reframe debates over the neoadministrative state in the 21st century.
Race
Authors: Gabard Donald L. , Cooper Terry L.
Published: March 2007

The concept of race, from a scientific perspective, has such poor construct validity and reliability that there is a growing consensus that the term should be abandoned. It is the premise of this article that the concept of race is not only a scientific construct but also a social construct and a policy construct. It is argued through an ethical analysis that the premature abandonment of the scientific construct of race, especially in epidemiology, clinical field trial studies, and health care delivery monitoring, may create greater harm than good. Recommendations are offered for the orderly dismantling of the social construction of race, which this article proposes should come first, through both biological and policy constructs.
A Secondary Survey Analysis Study of African American Ethnic Identity Orientations in Two National Samples
Authors: Hyers Lauri L.
Published: March 2007

This study used secondary survey analysis to explore the national variability in the ethnic identity orientations of African Americans, making use of Cross’s racial identity model as a framework. Respondents to two national panel surveys (the National Black Election Panel Study and the National Survey of Black Americans) were classified into one of three racial identity profiles (preencounter, immersion, and internalization). Based on the classification procedure used here, these three racial identity types represent substantial proportions of the African American community, how they differ in important ways in terms of their demographic backgrounds, their reported experiences with racism, their psychological well-being, and in the stability of their racial identity orientations.
The Assessment of Ethnic Identity in a Diverse Urban Youth Population
Authors: Yancey Antronette K. , Aneshensel Carol S. , Driscoll Anne K.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the assessment of ethnic identity in a multiethnic, probability sample of urban adolescents using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). The concept of ethnic identity captures the incorporation of ethnicity into self-perception, providing a pivotal link to the social psychological consequences of minority status. A more generalizable psychometric examination of an instrument used extensively in research on African American youth to capture this phenomenon is warranted. This investigation seeks to identify revisions of the MEIM that would render it more useful for interethnic and intraethnic comparisons, utilizing a sample more heterogeneous and representative than those of prior studies. Item and exploratory factor analyses indicate that 10 of 14 items can be combined into a short form (MEIM-S) that measures aspects of this phenomenon that are comparable across ethnic groups, and identify two factors. In general, Whites score significantly lower than African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos, whose scores tend to be similar to one another, consistent with the literature on interethnic variation in the salience of ethnic identity.
Parental Self-Reports of Child Rearing Practices in the Caribbean
Authors: Payne Monica A. , Furnham Adrian
Published: March 2007

The modified Block Child Rearing Practices Report (Rickel & Biasatti, 1982) was completed by 628 Black parents in the Caribbean island of Barbados. Separate factor analyses of responses to the main Nurturance and Restrictiveness scales identified four and five fairly discrete and independent subscales (respectively). Findings were generally consistent with those of prior sociological and anthropological research in the Caribbean, but also served to highlight some particular contemporary concerns. General issues relating to the use of this particular research methodology are addressed.
The Relationship of Demographic and Background Factors to Racial Identity Attitudes
Authors: Parham Thomas A. , Williams Paris T.
Published: March 2007

During the previous decade, the explosion of research articles in the nigrescence area has contributed significantly to the understanding of the relationship between racial identity attitudes and other psychological constructs. In some respects, research that attempts to further develop the theoretical constructs of the nigrescence models has yielded to those studies that attempt to apply the modeL Using the Cross model of psychological nigrescence, the present study sought to build on the work by Cross, Parham and Helms, especially Parham 's recent efforts to elaborate on those factors that might influence the development of a person's racial identity attitudes. Questions regarding specific factors that instigate a person's movement through the stages are explored, as well as questions about various identity resolution alternatives.
Cultural Mistrust and Racial Awareness among Ethnically Diverse Black Adolescent Boys
Authors: Biafora Frank A. , Taylor Dorothy L. , Warheit George J. , Zimmerman Rick S. , Vega William A.
Published: March 2007

Using survey datafrom a study of adolescents in Miami, Florida, data on cultural mistrust and racial awareness are presentedfrom a multiethnic sample of 1,328 Black adolescent boys: 946 African American Blacks, 196 Haitians, and 186 Caribbean Islanders from countries other than Haiti. Of the Haitians and other Caribbean Island students, half were born outside the United States. Overall, Haitians, especially foreign-born ones, expressed more mistrust of Whites and less racial awareness and pride of being Black than did African American and other Caribbean Island students. Students with Caribbean Island backgrounds other than Haitian expressed the lowest levels of racial mistrust. The data suggest that there are important differences between African American adolescents and students from other national and cultural backgrounds on these characteristics. Several explanations are offered for these findings, and avenues for further exploration into these issues are suggested.
Coping and Resilience: Exploring the Inner Lives of African American Children
Authors: Barbarin Oscar A.
Published: March 2007

In contrast to the conclusions commonly drawnfrom media portrayals ofAfrican American children, the majority are not poorly adjusted. Many do weU even by traditional standards, such as mental health, high school graduation, and employment. Although the simultaneous pursuit of diverse research strategies is possible, the focus on problems such as delinquency and aggression has so dominated the national agenda that it has diverted resources awayfrom research on normal development and resilience. A model is proposed to delineate several sociocultural, family, neighborhood4 and personal coping factors thought to moderate the effects of stress and risk factors that ordinarily contribute to adverse developmental outcomes in children and adolescents. The need for research on emotional development particularly the developing capacity for emotion regulation, is unquestionable. The article concludes by proposing research on issues related to resilience and coping that can advance our understanding of the emotional development of African American children.
Assessing the Reliability, Factor Structure, and Validity of the African Self-Consciousness Scale in a General Population of African Americans
Authors: Stokes Julie E. , Murray Carolyn B. , Peacock M. Jean , Kaiser Robert T.
Published: March 2007

The purposes of this study were to conduct afactor analysis of Baldwin and Bell's African Self-Consciousness (ASC) Scale, evaluate the effect of demographic variables on one's African self-consciousness, and relate the ASC Scale scores to criterion behaviors in a non-Southern and noncollege population. The scale was administered to 147AfricanAmericans residing in three Southern California cities. The ASC Scale's reliability, factor structure, and construct validity were examined. The scale had a Cronbach's alpha of .78. Principal axesfactoranalysis foundfourfactors, and it is suggested that 32 out of 42 items be retained to formulate the revised subscale dimensions identified as Personal Identification With the Group, Self-ReinforcementAgainstRacism, Racial and Cultural Awareness, and Value for African Culture. The ASC Scale appears to be a viable instrument for use in research investigating African Americans.
The Influence of Africentric Values, Self-Esteem, and Black Identity on Drug Attitudes among African American Fifth Graders: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Belgrave Faye Z. , Cherry Valerie R. , Cunningham Deliana , Walwyn Steve , Letdaka-Rennert Kedibone , Phillips Fred
Published: March 2007

The relevance of Africentric values and beliefs has been articulated by a number of African American scholars. Moreover, Africentric frameworks have been used in the design and implementation of substance abuse prevention programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Africentric values along with self-esteem and Black identity on drug attitudes amongfifth graders. Measures of Africentric values, self-esteem, and Black identity were obtained from 54 African Americanfifth graders. A regression analysis indicated that Africentric values significantly explained drug attitudes. Self-esteem andiBlack identity were not significant contributors to explaining drug attitudes. Self-esteem and Black identity were significantly related to each other; self-esteem was negatively correlated with Africentric values. The findings of the study are discussed, including the implications for the inclusion of Africentric values when looking at drug attitudes and behaviors.
Do Parental Coping, Involvement, Religiosity, and Racial Identity Mediate Children’s Psychological Adjustment to Sickle Cell Disease?
Authors: Barbarin Oscar A.
Published: March 2007

Many African Americans with sickle cell disease (SCD) also experience significant economic hardship. Yet, few studies of the psychosocial effects of SCD employ designs robust enough to control socioeconomic factors. This study compares the functioning of families with SCD to that of healthy controls matched for race and socioeconomic status. In general, functioning within SCD and control families did not differ. However, parents granted less autonomy to, and were less involved in the schooling of, children with SCD. Overall, SCD had a greater impact on children’s social and academic competence than on their emotional functioning. However, adolescents with SCD and their siblings were at greater risk for mental health difficulties than were controls. The more SCD interfered with living normally, the greater the risk of psychological dysfunction. Importantly, emotional well-being in parents moderated the adverse effects of SCD on children. Similarly, racial consciousness, religiosity, and emotional support enhanced parental coping.
American and Chinese Children’s Knowledge of Basic Relational Concepts
Authors: Zhou Zheng , Boehm Ann E.
Published: March 2007

Three hundred kindergarten, first and second grade children from Beijing, China were given the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised (BTBC-R) at the end of the school year. Their performance was compared with that of American children from the standardization sample of BTBC-R. This study explores two questions: (1) Will lexical diversity and morphological complexity affect the rate of acquisition of the basic relational concepts between children who speak distinctly different languages? and (2) to what extent do conceptual factors interact with linguistic differences in children’s development of basic relational concepts? Results showed that Chinese children acquired significantly more basic relational concepts than their American peers at both first and second grades did but not at kindergarten. This difference in acquisition is discussed in terms of the characteristics of the two languages. Nonlinguistic factors are discussed in terms of cultural and parental influences on young children’s conceptual development.
Psychosocial Association of Japanese Mothers and Their Children When Living Temporarily Abroad
Authors: Ishizaki Yuko , Ishizaki Tatsuro
Published: March 2007

To evaluate the effects of overseas sojourns on the psychosocial conditions of children, we observed Japanese children and their mothers temporarily living in the United States. Using a questionnaire, we examined the psychosocial condition of 61 Japanese mother-and child pairs (male = 51 percent, aged 8 to 15) living in the United States. One-fourth of the mothers were regarded as having minor psychiatric illness according to the General Health Questionnaire. One-tenth of the children were assessed as depressive by the Children’s Depression Inventory, and 30 percent of the children were identified as having a high level of anxiety according to the Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the mother’s minor psychiatric illness was significantly associated with the levels of depression and anxiety in their children.
Role of the School Psychologist
Authors: Watkins Marley W. , Crosby Edward G. , Pearson Jeremy L.
Published: March 2007

School psychologists often report that they would like to reduce their involvement in assessment activities in favour of an increase in other service delivery roles. Surveys of teachers and administrators reveal that they do not want a reduction in assessment services. Rather, they want more school psychology services of all kinds. In this study, 522 school staff from a suburban southwestern school district in the USA were surveyed regarding the importance of nine school psychology services. School staff gave ‘very important’ ratings to six services: assessment, special education input, consultation, counselling, crisis intervention and behaviour management. School-community liaison and parent education roles were rated as ‘fairly important’ and staff development was considered to be ‘somewhat important.’ School staff also wanted a school psychologist to be available on a daily basis at their schools. These results are discussed in terms of the ‘paradox of school psychology’ and the skills required of school psychologists who wish to deliver diverse school psychological services.
The Portage Guide to Early Intervention
Authors: Brue Alan W. , Oakland Thomas
Published: March 2007

The Portage Guide to Early Intervention, a program in which teachers instruct mothers in their homes in an effort to help promote the development of young children with developmental delays, is used widely (e.g. in more than 60 countries). Anecdotal and empirical evidence pertaining to the effects of the Portage Guide was reviewed, indicating generally favourable reports by parents and professionals. Empirical evidence was available from few studies. In addition, small sample sizes, brief duration of interventions, lack of control groups, restricted dependent measures and lack of follow-up studies precluded an appropriate evaluation of the Portage Guide's effects. Research that overcomes these and other methodological problems is needed. Lacking suitable evidence, professionals are encouraged to be conservative when discussing the Portage Guide's beneficial effects.
Editorial: The Psychologist's Work in the Schools and Beyond
Authors: Lowenstein L. F.
Published: March 2007

Today, more than ever before, psychologists working with each other could provide greater scope for the creation of a healthier future society. Working together, we could improve the plight of our present society and the world, and divert them from the dangerous course they appear to be taking. What is this dangerous course? Need I explain when signs and examples are all about us? Some of the problems are social, others ecological, and still others are due to psychological problems or economic deprivation, or to nationalistic rather than international considerations.

Despite the comparative affluence of western society, some individuals fall through the net and fail to share in the wealth, do not desire it, or are unable to benefit from it. Additionally, with greater emphasis on technology and automation, there is a great danger that the human side of social development may be increasingly neglected. Thus we may find that the worst aspects of Huxley's Brave New World are likely to be our heritage or, at the other extreme, that we become a society of individuals who care little or nothing for the plight of our less fortunate neighbours.
The Training of School Psychologists in France
Authors: Guillemard Jean-Claude
Published: March 2007

School psychologists have been trained in France since 1945. About 2300 of them now work in elementary schools and preschools. Despite professional action, they remain underqualified in comparison with other psychologists. This paper describes the academic and vocational programmes of two (of the five) School Psychology Training Centres in France: the smallest one, in Besancon, and the largest one, in Paris. Future orientations which are supported by professional organizations are suggested. These imply a need for change in initial and inservice training.
School Psychology in Micronesia
Authors: Hines Donald P. , Niel Pia N.
Published: March 2007

School psychology in Micronesia encompasses a wide range of variability in services. On many of the islands, there are no psychological services available for children with special needs. On Guam, the provision of special educational services and accompanying school psychology services has been in existence for well over three decades. The extent and type of services continue to evolve in relation to the economic development of Guam.
USA School Psychologists
Authors: Ramage Jean C.
Published: March 2007

USA school psychologists are described with regard to their employer, gender, age, race, professional membership, highest degree, title, certification and licensure. The role and function of school-based psychologists is then discussed in relation to recent changes, psychologist-student ratio, referral services used and student ethnicity. This is followed by consideration of the special education legislation and court decisions that have influenced the role of USA school psychologists.
Secular Increases in Reasoning and Mathematical Abilities in Britain,1972-84
Authors: Lynn Richard , Hampson Susan
Published: March 2007

A number of recent studies have shown that the intelligence of children has been increasing over the last half-century. Evidence from the standardizations of the Cognitive Abilities Test in Britain in 1972 and 1984 confirms this. It was found that the increases over a 12-year period were 3.0 IQ points for Non-Verbal Ability, 3.6 points for Verbal and 6.4 points for Quantitative. The inferences drawn are that there has been no diminution in recent years in the rate of increase of intelligence; that the rate of increase of the reasoning primary ability in Britain is approximately 2.5-3.0 IQ points per decade; that the verbal comprehension primary has been increasing at a lower rate; and that crystallized educational abilities show variable rates of increase depending on changes in the curricula taught in schools and the motivation of pupils and teachers.
A Scale for Children's Attitudes to Computers
Authors: Todman John , File Portia
Published: March 2007

The development of a Likert-type scale for measuring children's attitudes to computers is described. Items sampled from six independently constructed scales were combined in a pilot scale which was administered to 59 secondary schoolgirls. Item analysis of the data justified retention of 20 of the original items. The final version of the scale was administered to 358 secondary 3 boys and girls, and was shown to discriminate effectively between boys and girls and between children who had and had not opted for computing courses for which they were eligible. The internal consistency (coefficient alpha) of the scale was 0.82. Additional evidence relating to the concurrent and construct validity of the scale is presented. In particular, the scale is shown to be sufficiently sensitive to record differing degrees of attitude change resulting from experimental manipulation of microcomputing experience.
The Generalizability of the Confirmation Bias Among School Psychologists
Authors: Huebner E. Scott
Published: March 2007

Research has highlighted the possibility of bias in special education decision-making practices. This study explored the potential biasing effects of prior special education placement (and associated diagnostic label) on a national sample of school psychologists. A total of 240 randomly selected NASP members were asked to make diagnostic and placement decisions in response to fictitious, written case studies that were mailed to them. Each psychologist received one of four case studies that varied the referred child's educational placement (special vs. regular class) and current psychological test results (LD vs. normal). Eighty-eight school psychologists returned completed materials. The findings indicated that the school psychologists' decisions were not biased by knowledge of the child's prior special education placement but were influenced appropriately by current psychological test results. School psychologists who reevaluated a child who had been previously placed in a resource program for learning disabled students, but who currently demonstrated average academic functioning, were likely to re-classify the child as non-handicapped and recommend return to regular class programs. The findings question the generalizability of theories of a 'confirmation bias' set among school psychologists.
Self-Modeling with Preschoolers
Authors: Clark Elaine , Beck Donald , Sloane Howard , Jenson William , Bowen Julie , Goldsmith Douglas , Kehle Thomas
Published: March 2007

A complex reversal design was used to investigate the effectiveness of self-modeling procedures in reducing aggression and noncompliance in six preschool-age children. Self-modeling was compared with peer modeling and a control condition over a ten-week period. Follow-up and maintenance of behavior change was studied, as was generalization. No positive effects were found for the selfmodeling intervention in reducing instances of aggression or noncompliance. Supplementary analysis of four subjects' data further showed no increase in prosocial behavior as a function of the self-modeling intervention.
Reactions of Students and Teachers Towards Key Facets of Classroom Testing
Authors: Zeidner Moshe
Published: March 2007

This study compared and contrasted the attitudes and perceptions of 402 high school students and 174 of their teachers with respect to a selected number of critical dimensions of classroom testing and assessment (e.g. varying item formats, choice among items, open book exams, quizzes, etc.) In addition, the findings were partially replicated on an independent sample of 248 junior high school students. The majority of students preferred being given written assignments to taking tests, clearly preferred open book to closed book exams, were in favor of free choice among items and opposed quizzes. In addition, students felt that tests should be more heavily weighted relative to other devices for purposes of student grading. The majority of teachers were also in favor of allowing some choice among items and favored weighting test scores heavily for grading purposes. However, in contrast to students, teachers tended to favor quizzes and preferred tests to papers, with a particular affinity for open test formats. On the whole, reasons offered by teachers and students for their test attitudes were highly comparable. The practical implications of the findings for classroom testing are discussed and a mapping sentence specifying the universe of content of test attitude and examinee feedback research is suggested as a heuristic device for guiding future research.
Peer Relations of Children in Taiwan with Characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Li Ching-Yen , Copeland Ellis P. , Martin Janice D.
Published: March 2007

Purposes of the study were to determine whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was identifiable in the Taiwanese culture, and whether peer relations could serve as a significant predictor variable in identifying children with characteristics ofADHD. Peer relations were rated by teachers, by other children and by the children themselves. A total of 201 third and fourth graders participated in the study. The children were from predominantly middle-class families, and all attended regular schools at the time of the study. Results indicated that the behavioral characteristics of ADHD were evident among a sample of third and fourth grade children in Taiwan, and the combination of teacher ratings and other children's ratings discriminated children with ADHD characteristics from those without with 68 percent accuracy. Recommendations for social skills training for Taiwanese children with behavioral signs of impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention are addressed.
Spatial Ability and Academic Success of Sixth Grade Students at International Schools
Authors: Stumpf Heinrich , Haldimann Martha
Published: March 2007

Tests of verbal and mathematical reasoning ability (the Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Mathematics subtests of the CTP III) and a test of spatial ability (the CTY Spatial Test Battery, Form HH) were used to predict academic success in a sample of 423 sixth graders at international schools. The reasoning measures showed high correlations with success (as measured by the grade point average (GPA)); the scores on the spatial test, too, were substantially correlated with GPA, although this correlation was somewhat lower than those of the reasoning measures. When the sample was divided into native English speakers and students with English as a second language (ESL students), native speakers were found to have an advantage on the reasoning tests, especially on the verbal one, but not on the measure of spatial ability. With small group differences on the GPA, the reasoning tests, especially the verbal test, underestimated the academic potential of the ESL students. It was concluded that the spatial test can contribute to reducing the bias against ESL students that is likely to occur when measures of verbal reasoning ability are administered to members of this population.
Scientific Standards of Practice in School Psychology
Authors: Phillips Beeman N.
Published: March 2007

This article challenges the discipline of school psychology to begin to ensure that scientific knowledge is actually used by practitioners. Topics and related issues and recommendations discussed include: the dialectics of science and practice; what is wanted from standards; standards as a basis of practice; how standards can be created; role of the practitioner in implementing standards; and some of the problems to be solved and pitfalls to be avoided. In essence, scientific standards of practice are examined as a method of linking practical psychological work to contemporary scientific knowledge.
Cognitive Learning in Younger and Older Immigrant Students
Authors: Kozulin Alex
Published: March 2007

Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (IE) program has been widely used for teaching learning strategies to socially disadvantaged, learning disabled and educationally deprived minority children. The present study focused on the question of mastery of IE tasks by new immigrant children from Ethiopia. The level of spontaneous correct solutions of IE tasks was evaluated. The IE task performance of the new immigrant students was compared to that of the veteran Israelis. The difference in performance between younger and older immigrant students is discussed and educational implications are drawn.
How Do Shop Stewards Perceive Their Situation and Tasks? Preconditions for Support of Union Work
Authors: Pilemalm Sofie , Hallberg Niklas , Timpka Toomas
Published: March 2007

When unions worldwide confront a decline in density and power, pressure increases on shop stewards. They occupy a position desribed s demanding, which involves striking a balance between conciliation and tough negotiation, between ordinary work and union work, and feelings of isolation from members. If shop stewards already experien a demanding work situation, and parallel to this the overall union conditions become aggravated, a next step would be to find out in what ways their situation can be facilitated. This article is based on data desribing recent experiences of Swedish shop stewards, and it compares their situation to that desribed in the international research literature. It is found that the basic components of union work remain stable, in spite of rent labour relations changes and national differences. However, lees than half of the reported problems were related to direct contact with the employer. Shop stewards generaly experience a situation characterized by inherent conflict and wide-ranging tasks, resulting in high demands on their skills and in role overload. On the other hand, the results indicate differences with regard to the ulnion affilation, age, experience and gender. En the eyes of union members the shop stew ards largely emb ody the ui on organizati on. Therefore, they should reeive increased attention when dealing with the problems of unions. Measures to facilitate their work can include training, supportive networks and access to adequate information technology, and can further be targeted with regard to age/experience and gender.
Political Unionism and the Corporatist Thesis
Authors: Higgins Winton
Published: March 2007

The notion of corporatism enjoys wide acceptance as an alternative to pluralist analyses of political processes in the West and as a way of imputing conservative functions to the more developed union movements that involve themselves in public policy and economic management. In both instances, the corporatist thesis rests on ahistorical functionalist assumptions and even fails to make out its claim to be an alternative to pluralism. Union involvement in public policy and economic decisionmaking is better understood in terms of unionism's historical maturation and higher levels of ambition in asserting wage-earner interests in economic life, factors that make them harbingers of radical change.
Union-Worker Relations in a Transforming Spain
Authors: Lucio Miguel Martinez
Published: March 2007

Spain is a country attracting a high degree of interest because of its recent political, social and economic crises and developments. In the area of industry and labour it has appeared to compress a move to industrialism and, if observers are correct, the first tentative steps towards postindustrialism within a short space of time. In the sphere of labour this has meant a rapid pace of development in constituency and institutions which exposes some of the rigidities in our thinking on trade union development and action. The way the unions of Spain have attempted to represent workers and their interests throws into sharp focus many of the problems facing the western labour movements as well as many of the possibilities at the same time. These possibilities appear to rest on a questioning of the industrial/employment relationship as the principal or sole basis of trade union existence, and on a reconsideration of its social and political origins.
Coordination and Control in a Small Producer Cooperative: Dynamics and Dilemmas
Authors: Oliver Nick
Published: March 2007

This paper examines organizational structure and control in a small producer cooperative. The methods by which the cooperative meets its information-processing needs (Galbraith, 1974), the sites of authority in the cooperative, and the sources of member compliance are analysed. This analysis reveals that, although authority relations in the cooperative did not conform to those of a classical bureaucracy, the information-processing needs of the organization led to a greater bureaucratization along some dimensions than is typically found in comparable traditional businesses. It is argued that separating the information-processing aspects of coordination and control from issues of authority can provide a useful insight into the processes and dilemmas of cooperative organization.
A Comparative Analysis of Organizational Commitment among Workers in the Cooperative and Private Sectors
Authors: Wetzel Kurt W. , Gallagher Daniel G.
Published: March 2007

Workers' loyalty or commitment to their employer has implications for the viability and effectiveness of the organization. The concept of organizational commitment and the determinants of commitment have been extensively researched. This empirical study examines type of ownership along with other established correlates to ascertain the effect of cooperative ownership upon organizational commitment. It compares coop employees in the retail grocery industry in Saskatchewan with employees of private sector firms as well as comparing employees of retail and wholesale cooperatives. The results indicate that type of ownership is significantly related to organizational commitment. Among coop employees, adherence to the values espoused by coops contributes a unique dimension to organizational commitment and appears to be an element which coop employers could capitalize upon in order to enhance commitment.
US Unions, Trade and International Solidarity: Emerging Issues and Tactics
Authors: Hecker Steven
Published: March 2007

This article examines the current international solidarity activities of US unions in the context of their campaign against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the decline of union strength. Unions have linked with environmental, consumer, agricultural and other groups in challenging the premises and predicted impacts of the NAFTA. A grass-roots trinational campaign has developed involving similar groups in Canada and Mexico. Obstacles to the success of these activities are discussed, as are crossborder collective bargaining efforts by US unions. The article assesses union goals in trade agreements and the potential for attaining these under a Clinton presidency.
Resistance to Change: The Influence of Social Networks on the Conversion of a Privately-Owned Unionized Business to a Worker Cooperative
Authors: Brown Judith , Quarter Jack
Published: March 2007

This study analyses the impact of social networks upon the conversion of a privately-owned construction firm in central Canada to a worker cooperative based on Mondragon by-laws. The conversion was undertaken by the president and co-owner of the privately-owned company, Conco, in 1987, and the study was done four years later.

The four construction unions representing the trades-people resisted the conversion. In the beginning the cooperative consisted only of management. Gradually, it has expanded to include the office staff, but only a small minority of trades-people became involved. This phenomenon is analysed in terms of social networking theory.

The main findings were: (1) employees at Conco interpreted information and formed attitudes through social networks in which they participated; (2) identification with one's network was accentuated by a lack of trust with those in the opposing network; and (3) given the lack of trust, people turned to key players in their network for information and turned to others within their networks to compare ideas and opinions.
When Sense is Not Common: Alternatives to Hierarchy at Work
Authors: Ames Lynda J.
Published: March 2007

Alternative, non-hierarchical working arrangements often 'degenerate' over time into ordinary hierarchies. The argument is often made that this degeneration proves that hierarchy is superior as an organizational form. This paper argues instead that one reason for such phenomena is the very ordinariness of hierarchy at work, its commonsense character. Members of a work setting construct common sense situationally, and do so with taken-for-granted assumptions of hierarchy-as-normal. Thus, they achieve a hierarchy without trying. New 'forms' of common sense are required for the viability of non-hierarchical working arrangements.
The Labor Market and Lifetime Employment in Japan
Authors: Takahashi Yukichi
Published: March 2007

Japan's labor market and unemployment are more similar to those in Western economies than is usually understood in the West. Inclusively measured unemployment levels are well above the official rate. Recession, a strong yen and changes in world markets are changing the structure of management and employers' obligations to employees. Lifetime employment, historically limited to men in large companies, is being weakened. Women, older workers and employees in smaller firms were never part of this arrangement. Japan's enterprise unions are not able to resist these changes. Restoring full employment in Japan will require new public policies to limit employers' ability to reduce employment, especially in smaller firms. Legislation is needed to reduce hours of work, and protect women, older workers and young workers who are at greatest risk.
Economic Concentration and the Externalization of Labour
Authors: Appay Beatrice
Published: March 2007

Current debate focuses on the consequences of massive layoffs and the search for ever-increased productivity. In this perspective, the future of work points towards even greater unemployment. This article proposes a different interpretation: the major trend is not so much towards the 'end of work' but to strategic expansion, through economic concentration and the externalization of labour. Evidence is given to demonstrate this thesis, with empirical examples in different industries at national and international level. The externalization process which characterizes current economic restructuring is directly related to the search for greater flexibility. As a result of fierce competition, different forms of labour organization are appearing as well as new costs for society. This article concludes that today's 'cascading subcontracting' is not only related to the externalization of labour costs, but also to the externalization of risks and responsibilities and, as such, contradicts more and more the basic principles of democracy.
Re-Evaluating the Labour Process Debate
Authors: Smith Chris , Thompson Paul
Published: March 2007

From the publication of Braverman's Labor and Monopoly Capital there has been a continued debate on the labour process in Britain. What relevance does this polemic have for the contemporary global restructuring of work? This article reviews the main developments within the broad labour process debate, including changes in the division of labour, control structures and cultural management. In addition, it links labour process enquiry to wider structural trends and the relationship between the idea of a specifically capitalist labour process and divergent national ways of organizing work. The authors argue that the tools and concepts of labour process theory remain equally important for analysing today's workplace.
Anxiety in Ethnic Minority Youth
Authors: Safren Steven A. , Gonzalez R. Emily , Horner Kelly J. , Leung Anna W. , Heimberg Richard G. , Juster Harlan R.
Published: March 2007

Although current research has documented a relatively high prevalence of anxiety disorders in American youth, this research has been conducted mainly with nonminority samples. Fair treatment and increasing numbers of ethnic minority persons in the United States require that more should be known about minority youth. However, research with majority youth cannot be safely generalized to minority youth for several reasons, such as potential differences in the manifestation of anxiety, differences in style of response to assessment devices, and different life circumstances. This review is presented in two major sections. First, the authors address definition of terms and fully examine the significance of studying anxiety in ethnic minority youth. Also considered are methodological issues such as sampling and participation biases. Second, the authors reviewanxiety in ethnic minority children and adolescents in the United States including studies addressing fears, worries, trait anxiety, test anxiety, and anxiety disorders.
Relaxation Therapy in Adult Asthma
Authors: Ritz Thomas
Published: March 2007

Studies of relaxation training for adult asthma patients were reviewed for the period between 1980 and 2000. Six controlled and three uncontrolled studies were identified, employing a variety of methods, such as progressive relaxation, functional relaxation, autogenic training, or yoga. Most studies had low sample sizes and suffered from one or more methodological deficiencies, such as suboptimal data analysis, high dropout rates, problematic measurement procedures, or insufficient descriptions of methodology and results. Overall effects on parameters of lung function, symptoms, medication consumption, and health care use were generally negligible. Problems with the underlying rationale of relaxation therapy in asthma are discussed from a psychophysiological viewpoint. Examples are given of potential beneficial and detrimental effects of these techniques on lung function with respect to emotional processes, the musculoskeletal system, and ventilation as targets of a relaxation intervention. It remains to be demonstrated that relaxation training can significantly contribute to the standard treatment of asthma in adult patients.
The Benefits of Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior for Children with Autism
Authors: Sundberg Mark L. , Michael Jack
Published: March 2007

Behavior analysis has already contributed substantially to the treatment of children with autism, and further gains can result from more use of Skinners analysis of language in Verbal Behavior (1957) and in the resulting conceptual and experimental work. The approach emphasizes a unit of analysis consisting of the relations between behavior, motivative and discriminative variables, and consequences. Skinner identifies seven types of verbal operants—echoic, mand, tact, intraverbal, textual, transcriptive, and copying a text—which function as components of more advanced forms of language. This approach focuses on the development of each verbal operant (rather than onwords and their meanings) and on the independent training of speaker and listener repertoires. Five more specific contributions are described that relate to the importance of (a) an effective language assessment, (b) mand training in early intervention, (c) establishing operations, (d) an intraverbal repertoire, and (e) automatic reinforcement.
A Functional Analysis of Echolalic Speech
Authors: Goren Elizabeth R. , Romanczyk Raymond G. , Harris Sandra L.
Published: March 2007

The impact of antecedents and consequences upon echolalic behavior was examined in two successive studies. In Experiment I, four atypical children with a high frequency of echolalia were exposed to three sets of antecedent conditions: verbal imitation, verbal response to questions, and nonverbal response to commands. There were marked individual differences as well as some consistencies in responding. Nonverbal tasks elicited less echolalia than verbal tasks. Echolalia and appropriate verbal behavior were not inversely related to one another, suggesting that these two be treated as separate classes. In Experiment II, two of the subjects from Experiment I were exposed to three sets of consequent conditions: reinforcement of echolalia, punishment of echolalia, and concurrent reinforcement of appropriate verbal behavior and punishment of echolalia. The application of punishment following echolalia led to a generalized suppression of speech behavior. In general, the data suggest that echolalia varies as a function of the subject, environmental antecedents, and contingencies and should not be treated as a unidimensional response pattern.
Parental Manipulation of Compliance and Noncompliance in Normal and Deviant Children
Authors: Green Kenneth D. , Forehand Rex , McMahon Robert J.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of the present study was to examine if parents can manipulate child compliance and, if they can, to determine what parental behavior changes occur in order to accomplish this child behavior change. A second purpose was to examine if parents of deviant and normal children could equally and effectively manipulate child compliance. Ten mothers and their clinic-referred children and ten mothers and their nonclinic children served as subjects. All mothers were seen in a laboratory setting and instructed in one phase to make their children look compliant and in another phase to look noncompliant. All parents subsequently issued 20 standard commands to their children. The results indicated that mothers could manipulate child compliance. Mothers of deviant and normal children did not differ in their ability to change child compliance or in the behaviors they used to obtain compliance and noncompliance. Clinic-referred children were perceived as more deviant by their mothers and displayed less compliance and more general deviant behavior during the standard command situation.