bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single and Multiple Indicators of Physical Attractiveness and Psychosocial Behaviors among Young Adolescents
Authors: Perkins Daniel F. , Lerner Richard M.
Published: March 2007

Using a sample of 157 young adolescents (mean age = 11.79 years, SD = .45) from the Replication and Extension of the Pennsylvania Early Adolescent Transitions Study (REPEATS), the present research examined relations among several indicators of physical attractiveness (PA): facial and full-body P4 ratings, height, weight, and triceps skinfold thickness. Appraisals were made of whether multiple PA indicators accounted for more variation in measures of psychosocial functioning than did single P4 indexes. Gender variation in relations among PA indexes and psychosocial functioning was assessed also. Facial attractiveness was the most frequent statistically significant predictor of psychosocial functioning, even when compared with the simultaneous regression equations involving all the PA indexes. Results of separate analyses of males and of females were consistent with this finding and no systematic significant gender differences were found. It was concluded that past research that used facial PA adequately represented the links between PA and psychosocial functioning in early adolescence.
Attachment and Antisocial Behavior in Early Adolescence
Authors: Marcus Robert F. , Betzer Phyllis D. S.
Published: March 2007

One hundred sixty-three sixth, seventh, and eighth grade boys (n = 72) and girls (n = 91) were given the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and a 23-item self-report measure of antisocial behavior. Correlations between attachment to mother, father, and best friend and antisocial behavior showed moderate, inverse associations for the sample as a whole. Explained variance in antisocial behavior predicted by attachment to best friend was redundant with parent attachment. Both for boys and girls, attachment to father was the strongest predictor of antisocial behavior. For boys, attachment relationships with best friends were related to antisocial behavior and parent attachment. For girls, relationships with best friends were independent of other attachments and antisocial behavior. Across the 11-year through 14-year age span studied here, girls showed a positive correlation between age and aggressive antisocial behavior
Early Adolescent Delinquent Behaviors
Authors: Vazsonyi Alexander T. , Flannery Daniel J.
Published: March 2007

A number of studies have been conducted to examine the relation between ethnicity and delinquent behavior. Whereas some studies have found ethnically unique predictors, other research has demonstrated that the same process variables underlie adokescent delinquent behaviors independent of ethnic group membership. The current investigation examined the correlates of family processes and school variables with delinquent behavior for a sample of 1,021 sixth- and seventh-grade Caucasian and Hispanic early adolescents (mean age = 12.8 years). Findings revealed (a) a great similarity for the relations between individual predictor variables and delinquent behavior between the two ethnic groups, (b) that family processes and school variables as domains of influence had independent effects in predicting early adokscent delinquent behavior for Caucasian and Hispanic youth, and (c) that family processes and school variables accounted for about 40% of the total variance explained in early adolescent delinquent behavior.
Early Adolescents' Perceptions of Patterns of Parenting, Teaching, and School Atmosphere
Authors: Paulson Sharon E. , Marchant Gregory J. , Rothlisberg Barbara A.
Published: March 2007

The purposes of this study were to examine the perceived congruence among middle school students' perceptions of parenting style, teaching style, and school atmosphere and to examine differences between resulting clusters of students on the importance of grades, academic competence, and school achievement. Participants were 230 fifth- and sixth-grade students whose perceptions of their contexts were cluster analyzed. Students who perceived congruent authoritative parenting and teaching styles accompanied by high parental involvement and a positive school atmosphere had the highest achievement outcomes. Students who perceived incongruent styles between their parents and teachers (neglecting parenting and authoritarian teaching) accompanied by low parental involvement and a negative school atmosphere had the lowest achievement outcomes. No gender or socioeconomic differences were found among the clusters. The importance of studying students' achievement within multiple contexts is discussed.
Adult Outcomes of Adolescent Conventional and Agentic Orientations:
Authors: Stein Judith A. , Newcomb Michael D.
Published: March 2007

The impact of early adolescent conventional attitudes and friendships, positive goals, and drug use on age-appropriate developmental behaviors was assessed using the theoretical paradigm of the Erikson developmental stages of identity, intimacy, and generativity. Assessment points at Years 1, 13, and 21 from a longitudinal community study (N = 477) were used. Outcomes examined when the participants were in their 20s and 30s included agency and efficacy, satisfying personal and intimate relationships, life satisfaction, and drug use. Conventional friendships at early adolescence predicted positive relationships with friends, family, and intimate partners. Agentic motivations in adolescence predicted more efficacy and better relationships in Year 13. Healthy identity formation in early adolescence facilitated the development of greater intimacy in young adulthood. Successful intimacy formation in young adulthood encouraged the development of a successful dyadic relationship and predicted greater life satisfaction in later adulthood.
Adolescent Affection and Helpfulness Toward Parents:
Authors: Eberly Mary B. , Montemayor Raymond
Published: March 2007

This short-term longitudinal investigation examined the 2-year stability of adolescents’ prosocial behavior toward mothers and fathers and the predictive role of attachment, conflict, and parental influence in adolescents’ prosocial behavior. At Time 1, adolescents (n = 129) in Grades 6, 8, and 10 and their mothers (n = 126) and fathers (n = 104) completed several questionnaires during two in-home visits. Two years subsequently, families (n = 42) completed the same measures from Time 1. In general, adolescents reported less affectionate behavior and helpfulness toward fathers and mothers during early adolescence and middle adolescence. Parents reported no change in adolescents’ behavior. Adolescents’ affection and helpfulness remained stable across 2 years. For adolescent reports, attachment predicted affection, whereas paternal influence predicted helpfulness toward fathers. For parent reports, conflict and parental influence predicted adolescent affection. The use of the relational approach for understanding adolescent prosocial behavior is discussed.
Content and Delivery: A Comparison and Contrast of Electronic and Traditional MBA Marketing Planning Courses
Authors: Smith Lois J.
Published: March 2007

The electronic or Internet-based MBA program is a growing phenomenon, primarily because of students’ needs for flexibility and because of continuously improving technology for delivery of courses. Online MBA programs occur in a number of different formats ranging widely in tuition rates, timing, and delivery. Course content also necessarily differs from traditional classrooms. To illustrate the differences and similarities between electronic and traditional classrooms, two versions of a marketing planning course are contrasted based on requirements such as exams, teamwork, discussions, and research techniques.
Student-Operated Internet Businesses: True Experiential Learning in Entrepreneurship and Retail Management
Authors: Daly Shawn P.
Published: March 2007

Using the Internet, students can create and carry through to completion their own business plans, from product development to marketing and promotions to operations. As measured by student satisfaction and content analysis of student reflection papers, this new technique is an effective way to study “real-world” entrepreneurship and retail management, especially in terms of developing Internet skills. Side benefits include increased fund-raising and membership for student organizations, increased community interaction, and free publicity for the host institution. The author provides observations and recommendations concerning the successful operation of student-operated Internet businesses.
Classroom Resources: Films, Slides, and Cassettes
Authors: Rice William E.
Published: March 2007

This article is typical of those to be presented in this new section which will be dedicated to the presentation, evaluation, and recommendation of different resources available to the marketing educator. Each issue will present several types of such resources with corresponding comments of evaluation or hints for applicable usage. This material is directed at a candid and pragmatic approach to classroom effectiveness and efficiency.
Choice Criteria Model for Selecting Live-Case Marketing Research Class Projects
Authors: McCain Gary , Lincoln Douglas J.
Published: March 2007

This article provides a two-stage model for selecting clients for live-case marketing research class projects. After research design requirements have been met, the importance and probability of benefit to students, clients, instructors and the institution can be calculated to derive a weighted expected value score for potential projects. Examples are evaluated.
The Case Method in Marketing Education: A Two-Team Approach
Authors: Nastas George
Published: March 2007

This article reports the successful use of a two-team case approach to teaching marketing problem-solving in a graduate marketing management course. For each case discussion, one team assumes the role of a marketing consultant, a second team plays the role of company management, and the remaining class members serve as company owners. Benefits to the students taught by this approach include increased experience in marketing application, reinforcement of marketing theory, and additional communication and interpersonal relations experience. The technique is presented in a ready-to-implement form for use by marketing educators.
Student Reaction to Local vs. Published Cases: Is there a Difference?
Authors: Elbert Dennis J. , Anderson Donald G.
Published: March 2007

This study examines a proposed method to increase student interest in a case course in marketing management. Cases involving local business firms were introduced to the class as a supplement to cases in the required textbook. Student reaction to the use of local cases is described.
The Marketing Curriculum: A Decade of Change
Authors: McDaniel Stephen W. , Hise Richard T.
Published: March 2007

The results are presented of a study involving the analysis of 75 undergraduate catalogs of colleges and universities offering a major or concentration in marketing. The various marketing courses required and offered, at these institutions are summarized and the results compared with those of a similar study conducted ten years ago. Conclusions are drawn regarding trends in, and the current status of, marketing education.
Constructs in Marketing: A Dynamic Pattern
Authors: Fox Harold W. , Penn William S.
Published: March 2007

Dialectical logic seems to help explain successive advents and denigrations of marketing constructs. Apparently, constructs arise in logical sequence, building on their predecessors. This systematization can facilitate the study of marketing.
The Art and Science of Marketing a Marketing Department
Authors: Samli A. Coskun , Hook Ralph C. , Nkonge Japhet
Published: March 2007

Marketing departments quite often are not geared to market themselves properly. The article explains why marketing departments have difficulty developing effective marketing strategies for themselves. The authors present an outline for developing a plan for a market-oriented product, and the article presents an overall marketing plan which can be used by any marketing department.
Corporate-Sponsored Research: An Opportunity for Educators
Authors: Lambert Douglas M. , Sterling Jay U.
Published: March 2007

A recurring theme in many marketing and business journals is the need to integrate theory with practice. In the current economic environment, business is finding it exceedingly difficult to achieve corporate profit objectives. With tax revenues severely reduced or stagnant, many universities are experiencing substantial difficulty funding academic programs. The opportunity for joint practitioner/educator involvement has never been greater. This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of industry sponsorship of university research projects, as well as an actual example of this type of joint effort.
On the Duration of Simulations: An Exploration of Minimum Effective Length
Authors: Redmond William H.
Published: March 2007

Many teachers of marketing management and strategy courses are faced with the problem of too much to present and too little time to do it, particularly when simulation games are used in conjunction with lectures, cases; and readings. In an attempt to establish a minimum number of periods which are compatible with substantial learning benefits, this article examines longitudinal changes in two simulation performance measures as well as student self-reports. The effective lower boundary for MBA students using Markstrat appears to be five periods.
Women Marketing Educators: Interests, Productivity and Satisfactions
Authors: Carsky Mary L. , Kennedy Ellen J. , Waller-Zuckerman Mary Ellen
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to describe female marketing educators and to measure their satisfaction with the profession. Survey results show the work styles of women educators differ depending on educational preparation: women with doctoral degrees were more research-oriented and women with master's degrees were more teaching-oriented. Both groups were generally satisfied with the profession.
A Process Approach for Developing Skills in a Consumer Behavior Course
Authors: Krishnan H. Shanker , Porter Thomas W.
Published: March 2007

The need for skills in marketing curricula in the 1990s is widely acknowledged; however, questions remain as to how to develop skills in specific courses. This article examines skills development with respect to a consumer behavior course. The core contribution is the presentation of a process approach for integrating skills into various course components. The authors conclude with a critical evaluation of the process approach that discusses implementation issues.
Experiential Learning and Customer Needs in the Undergraduate Marketing Research Course
Authors: Bridges Eileen
Published: March 2007

Research was conducted among undergraduates in the target market for a marketing research course to find ways of improving the course image, content, and teaching methodology. This study is unique because it applies the principles of marketing research to a course on marketing research, using the class to identify what students want from their marketing research course. Because the research was personally relevant to the students, they were highly motivated in a course that is historically unpopular. Students saw how they could work to improve their own experience and that of their peers, and they began to appreciate the value of carefully conceived and executed research in effective and successful service design.
Interactive Distance Learning: Impact on Student Course Evaluations
Authors: Clow Kenneth E.
Published: March 2007

To meet the needs of part-time and off-campus students, many institutions of higher education are using distance learning technologies. This study addresses the impact of the interactive television instructional technology on student evaluations of the course, its content, and the instructor. Data from courses not using the interactive distance facility were collected to compare to both the on-campus and off-campus interactive classroom instruction facilities. The use of inter-active distance learning did have an impact on student evaluations of the course. Most of the differences dealt with the instructor’s teaching methodology and style and his or her interaction with students. Because most of the differences were found with undergraduate courses rather than with graduate courses, it appears that the distance learning technology is better suited for graduate programs than for under-graduate programs.
Introducing Quality Function Deployment in the Marketing Classroom
Authors: Morris Linda J. , Morris John S.
Published: March 2007

Today, product-oriented businesses focus on shortening the time to market, reducing costs and increasing product quality in the design and manufacture of new products. Quality function deployment (QFD) is one means to achieving these product development objectives. Central to the QFD process is the voice of the customer to drive design. Cross-functional product teams consisting of design engineers, operations management experts, and marketing researchers work closely to ensure that the customers’ needs are included in the design process. The House of Quality exercise described in this article represents the initial step in the QFD process and emphasizes marketing’s role in the voice of the customer research.
Faculty Perceptions and Experiences of Student Behavior: Does Gender Matter?
Authors: Kelly Kathleen J. , Stanley Linda R.
Published: March 2007

The authors explore gender differences in faculty perceptions and experiences of student behavior as well as in class workload and policies. Overall, more similarities were found between males and females than differences. Both genders report experiencing the same number of classroom disruptions, requests for exceptions to due dates, and similar levels of respect, and students seek advice on personal matters from them in equal numbers. However, some gender differences do exist. Females are more likely to report being addressed as fiMs.fl or fiMrs.fl rather than fiDr.,fl and they believe that students see them as setting high standards and assigning a challenging workload more than males. Conversely, males are more likely to think that their students see them as experts, perceive them to have a lot of business experience, and consider them humorous. The information reported is an important start in assessing the academic climate in marketing departments for both genders.
Performance and Accountability: The Challenge of Government by Proxy for Public Administration
Authors: Kettl Donald F.
Published: March 2007

Conventional approaches to public administration are subtly being undermined by the steady expansion of "government by proxy": the provision of government goods and services through proxies such as contractors, grantees, and recipients of government tax breaks and guaranteed loans. Privatization advocates claim that such government by proxy improves the effectiveness and responsiveness of public programs, but a closer look reveals that the issue is far more complicated. The expansion of government by proxy is producing important changes in the government's work force and is multiplying administrative pathologies. New approaches to the theory and practice of public administration offer promise in better managing these emerging policy strategies.
A Citizen-Sensitive Approach to Retrenching Services in the Public Sector
Authors: Crompton John L.
Published: March 2007

The prevailing approaches to retrenchment are across-the-board-cuts, voluntary attrition, and expenditure deferment. Frequently these are adopted because they are expedient, but they do not represent a sensitive response to citizen priorities. The paper presents a procedure for allocating resources during periods of retrenchment, so they reflect citizens' wants and needs. The procedure consists of four sequential stages: (1) identifying those services that should be considered as possible candidates for retrenchment; (2) evaluating each of these services to determine if retrenchment is appropriate; (3) retrenchment implementation; and (4) facilitating the implementation decision.
Culture, Technical Rationality, and Organizational Culture
Authors: Adams Guy B. , Ingersoll Virginia Hill
Published: March 2007

The authors suggest that the importance of the culture at large has not been adequately addressed in the literature on organizational culture. Technical rationality represents a central part of the culture at large in the modern age. The roots of technical rationality are traced to the beginning of this century, and it is suggested that technical rationality constitutes a powerful set of beliefs in the organizational world, called here the managerial metamyth. The Washington State Ferry System provides a case example in which the managerial metamyth became the overt content of the imposition of cultural elements on that organization. The authors argue the importance of attention to the culture at large for the study of organizations.
Supermarkets and Culture Clash: The Epistemological Role of Metaphors in Administrative Practice
Authors: Yanow Dvora
Published: March 2007

Metaphor analysis traditionally treats its subject as a figure of speech, that is, a purely literary device that can be replaced by literal language. However, recent work suggests that metaphors should be thought of as figures of thought strongly based in cognition; they thus imply action. This article examines a particular organizational metaphor that founders created and members used to form an organization. Tacitly known, the metaphor shaped building design; program offerings; management, staff, and client behaviors; and evaluation criteria. But it also fueled conflict with one subdivision of the organization whose professional practice was not in keeping with the actions the metaphor suggested. The case example, then, illustrates a metaphor that was both a help and a hindrence in shaping organizational action.

Although metaphors may clarify and confuse at the same time, it is not clear that we can eliminate this pitfall by substituting literal language or other metaphors. This article argues that organizational metaphors are not merely decorations or unclear thought, but are cognitively grounded and cannot be replaced without changing the way people think about and understand the nature and mission of their organization. The article addresses the argument that metaphors should be explicit and suggests some concerns this position raises.
Sector Alignments of Regional Councils: Implications for Intergovernmental Relations in the 1990s
Authors: Gage Robert W.
Published: March 2007

A resurgence of interest in substate regionalism today has implications for intergovernmental relations in the 1990s. This research analyzes changes in the sector alignments of regional councils as assessed by their executive directors for a 10-year period from 1985 to 1995. It explores the alignments of regional councils to five institutional sectors: the national government, state governments, the regional sector, local governments, and the private sector. The priorities the council directors expect to place on relationships with their state governments and with the private sector increase dramatically. Finally, the lowest sector priorities are placed on relationships with the national government, even though the latter remains the councils' single largest source of fiscal support.
The State Safety Participation Program
Authors: Nice David C.
Published: March 2007

State involvement in the State Safety Participation Program, a project grant to finance rail safety inspections, varies greatly from state to state. Participation tends to be higher among states with a greater need for the program, as indicated by the number of railroad accidents and fatalities, and in more metropolitan states, which tend to be more involved in nonhighway transportation programs. Contrary to expectations, however, participation tends to be lower in states where more of the economy is likely to depend on rail transportation.
Problems and Opportunities for Cooperation among Public Managers on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Authors: Saint-Germain Michelle A.
Published: March 2007

With the approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes the possibility of an infusion of billions of dollars into the U.S.-Mexico border regions; yet, we know little about whether local public managers are prepared to undertake joint projects. This study explores existing linkages between U.S. and Mexican mid-level public managers, how these managers perceive their counterparts, and the barriers to increased cooperation that they must overcome. Existing arrangements are few and informal, mostly among transportation, public safety, and health officials. Mid-level managers are rarely in touch with their counterparts due to differences in language, culture, government, and public administration systems. Because of this lack of contact, some negative stereotypes about counterparts persist. Currently, cross-border cooperation is sporadic, unrewarding, and subject to reversals. We must do more to create the conditions for successful, lasting bi-national public-sector projects.
The Supreme Court and the "Integrity of the Public Service"
Authors: Richman Roger
Published: March 2007

In a series of public employment cases over the past decade the Supreme Court has routinely defined the government's interest in public employment as maintaining the "integrity of the public service" and the "efficiency of the public service." These phrases are powerful metaphors articulating fundamental expectations about the public service, yet they have no accepted meaning in statute or judicial construction. A review of the Court's use of these phrases suggests that since the 1880s, they have been employed to represent varying and occasionally inconsistent visions of the public service. The analysis presented suggests that the Supreme Court's vision of the "integrity of the public service" guides its determination of public employees' constitutional rights and that, with a few notable exceptions, the Court in the late 20th century has been much more solicitous of the government's assertion of its efficiency interests than of public employees' assertions of constitutional rights in the employment context.
Measuring Temporal Complexity in the External Environment
Authors: Kiel L. Douglas , Seldon Barry J.
Published: March 2007

Forty years ago, Herbert Simon reminded public managers of the limits of rationality, or the bounded rationality, of the individual decision maker. New analytical techniques from the sciences of complexity now provide a means to measure the complexity in the environment of public managers using actual organizational data. Time series analysis is used to examine data from the external environment of two urban police divisions. Results of the analysis reveal that the complexities of the environment of public organizations may serve as an inhibition to rational decision making that extends beyond the limits of the individual proposed by Simon.
Conspicuous Consumption versus the Protestant Ethic: The View from Pepys’s Diary
Authors: Dixon Donald F.
Published: March 2007

There is an inherent contradiction between Veblen’s “conspicuous consumption” and the belief in thrift, discipline, and hard work that Weber associates with the Protestant ethic. The period encompassed by Samuel Pepys’s remarkable diary, 1660 to 1669, immediately follows the time of the greatest Puritan influence in England. When the diary begins, Pepys is young, nearly penniless, and has a new wife to support. When the diary ends, he is highly respected and has a substantial fortune. The extraordinary increases in Pepys’s wealth during his rapid rise in status provide an opportunity to investigate the interplay between contemporary religious teachings on which Weber’s theory is based and the consumption patterns characteristic of London life after the Civil War.
Legal Remedies for Deceptive and Unfair Practices in Franchising
Authors: Nevin John R. , Hunt Shelby D. , Levas Michael G.
Published: March 2007

This article examines two major legal problem areas in franchising: deceptive practices in the selling of a franchise and unfair practices in the operation of a franchise system. Legal remedies for these deceptive and unfair practices are examined based on findings from an empirical study among state attorneys general.
Judging Marketing in the 1980's
Authors: Andreasen Alan R.
Published: March 2007

Society continues to challenge marketing to justify its process and outcomes. This article offers a forecast of the environmental pressures and discontinuities that will face marketing in the 1980's. Normative and measurement implications of this forecast are offered as the beginnings of an agenda for marketing researchers and theorists in the coming decade.
Trade Flows in Australia, 1974-75: An Assessment of Structural Change
Authors: Layton Roger A.
Published: March 2007

This article provides an estimate of the 1974-75 trade flows table for Australia and compares this with the 1968-69 table and with the Cox et aL table for the United States in 1947. Comparisons are made both directly from the three tables, and indirectly, in terms of an underlying set of structural coefficients. Significant changes are noted in Australian flows, reflecting the changing market power of the retail sector.
Varangian-Rus Warrior-Merchants and the Origin of the Russian State
Authors: Dixon Donald F.
Published: March 2007

Kievan Russia, the "mother" of present-day Russia, was an agricultural and commercial state centered in present-day Ukraine. The emergence of the Kievan state was linked to the Varangian-Rus warrior-merchants who exploited the Dnieper and Volga trade routes between the Baltic and the Caspian and Black Seas in the tenth and eleventh centuries. This Norse military aristocracy played an important role in the integration of disparate Slav tribes into a powerful political unit ruled by the Slavicized descendants of the original Norse rulers.
Basic Solid Mechanics for Tactile Sensing
Authors: Fearing Ronald S. , Hollerbach John M.
Published: March 2007

In order for a robot hand to grasp objects stably without using object models, tactile feedback from the fingers is sometimes necessary. This feedback can be used to adjust grasping forces to prevent a part from slipping from a hand. If the angle of force at the object-finger contact can be deter mined, slip can be prevented by the proper adjustment of finger forces. Another important tactile sensing task is finding the edges and corners of an object since they are usually feasible grasping locations.

This paper describes how this information can be extracted from the finger-object contact using strain sensors beneath a compliant skin. For determining contact forces, strain mea surements are easier to use than the surface deformation profile. The finger is modeled as an infinite linear elastic half-plane to predict the measured strain for several contact types and forces. The number of sensors required is less than has been proposed for other tactile recognition tasks.

A rough upper bound on sensor density requirements for a specific depth is presented that is based on the frequency response of the elastic medium. The effects of different sensor stiffnesses on sensor performance are discussed.
Real-Time Pathfinding in Multirobot Systems Including Obstacle Avoidance
Authors: Freund E. , Hoyer H.
Published: March 2007

The paper describes an approach to the solution of the find path problem, including obstacle avoidance in multirobot systems. The design of multirobot systems requires an overall approach where not only parts of the structure, including the hierarchy are considered, but a complete concept, including the dynamics of the robots, has to be developed. In this paper the structure of these systems is based on the nonlinear con trol approach. The method for real-time pathfinding itself uses a systematic design procedure for multirobot systems, which includes the hierarchical coordinator. This hierarchical coordinator is designed for real-time collision avoidance, where the collision avoidance strategy is based on an analyti cally described avoidance trajectory that serves for collision detection as well as avoidance. The efficiency of the new approach for real-time pathfinding is demonstrated by several cases of practical interest, such as collision avoidance between three robots, interaction of three stationary robots and a stationary obstacle, as well as interaction of mobile robots and moving obstacles, including obstacles of variable size and different shapes.
A Generalized Practical Method for Analytic Solution of the Constrained Inverse Kinematics Problem of Redundant Manipulators
Authors: Abdel-Rahman Tarek M.
Published: March 2007

This article addresses four important issues relating to practical solutions of the inverse kinematics problem of redundant manipulators. First, a generalized recursive method for systematic derivation of analytic expressions for all possible solutions of any redundant manipulator is presented. The method possesses the advantage of identi fying the linear dependence among joint axes and hence allows all singular configurations to be determined. Sec ond, a joint constraint mapping approach for the inte grated consideration of all joint constraints in the solution procedure of the inverse kinematics problem is presented. The result leads to practical real-time procedures. Map ping of the joint position and actuation constraints onto joint rate space is described. Third, simplification of end- effector velocity equations is shown to be possible for most practical manipulator structures by decomposing the end-effector work space into two orthogonal complement sub-work spaces. The decomposed velocity equations have smaller dimensions and, hence, are easier to solve. In manipulator design, structures can be selected for effi cient kinematics manipulation and simplified end-effector velocity equations. To achieve this purpose, type-synthesis design guidelines are given for efficient decomposition or decoupling of the work space. Fourth, two general approaches are described for optimally resolving the kine matics redundancy. The first approach maximizes the end- effector speed in a prescribed direction, while the second approach minimizes a quadratic objective function defined by the user. Examples on work space decomposition and optimal solution of kinematic redundancy are given. In both cases, expressions for the general analytic solution are derived.
Series-Parallel Dualities in Actively Coordinated Mechanisms
Authors: Waldron Kenneth J. , Hunt Kenneth H.
Published: March 2007

A deep symmetry between serial chain manipulators and fully parallel systems such as the Stewart platform is dem onstrated. This symmetry is shown to be a result of the well-known duality of motion screw axes and wrenches. The appearance of the inverse of the Jacobian matrix in force decomposition in the same role as the Jacobian in rate decomposition is also a consequence of this same duality and of the reciprocity relationship between the motion screw system and the wrench system of a kine matic joint. A geometric meaning of the columns of the Jacobian is demonstrated. A simple example of the appli cation of the ideas presented here to the understanding of the complex combinations of serial and parallel chains found in vehicle and multifingered hand problems is also presented.
Experimental Comparison of Nonlinear Controllers for Flexible Joint Manipulators
Authors: Brogliato B. , Rey D. , Pastore A. , Barnier J.
Published: March 2007

In this paper, the authors present an experimental comparison of several nonlinear controllers for flexible joint manipulators. The experimental setup is a 2-DOF manipulator with an elasticity at the second joint. This work follows and confirms a previous com parative study based on theoretical and numerical investigations. The main conclusions of the study are as follows. (1) Some non linear controllers may behave quite differently when applied to a particular device, despite their apparent theoretical resemblance. (2) The compensation of nonlinearities (Coriolis and centrifugal torques), as well as joint flexibilities, may improve the closed-loop performance for certain desired trajectories, despite a rather high joint stiffness. (3) However, when the joint stiffness is sufficiently large, the controllers that do not take into account the joint flexi bility in the design can, in certain cases, behave as well as those that incorporate it. Thus, future experimental work with a smaller joint stiffness is needed. (4) Finally, the complex structure of cer tain nonlinear controllers for flexible joint robots (backstepping and energy-shaping schemes) may be an obstacle to their closed-loop behavior enhancement. The experimental results clearly show that the inputs of such schemes chatter and have a magnitude larger than those of simpler controllers (like singular perturbation-based or Slotine and Li controllers).
A New Method for Analysing and Representing Singing
Authors: Elmer Stefanie Stadler , Elmer Franz-Josef
Published: March 2007

In psychological and cross-cultural (e.g. ethnomusicological) research the analysis of song-singing had always been an intricate and serious obstacle. Singing is a transient and mostly unstable patterning of vocal sounds that is organised by applying more or less linguistic and musical rules. Traditionally, a sung performance has been analysed by mere listening and by using the western musical notation for representing its structure. Since this method neglects any in-between categories with respect to pitch and time, it proves to be culturally biased. However, acoustic measures as used in speech analysis have had limited application and were primarily used to quantify isolated parameters of sung performances.

For analysing and representing the organisation of pitch in relation to the syllables of the lyrics, and its temporal structure, we devised a computer-aided method in combination with a new symbolic representation. The computer program provides detailed acoustic measures on pitch and time. We reduce the redundancy of the detailed information by a notation system that shows pitch and time each on a continuous scale, including glissandi, breathing, joint singing, and instructional help. By combining acoustic with auditory analyses, this method allows to describe reliably sung performance's structures with respect to the organisation of pitches, together with syllables, and their timing. The resulting configuration of data includes qualitative aspects such as stable and unstable pitches. Such microanalytic descriptions are very useful for studying the nature of sung performances, their structures, and processes of change due to learning and development.
Effects of Active versus Passive Listening on the Quality of Children's Invented Notations and Preferences for Two Pieces from an Unfamiliar Culture
Authors: Fung C. Victor , GROMKO JOYCE EASTLUND
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of active versus passive listening on the quality of 35 American children's invented notations of two Korean pieces, as a way to investigate the effect of listening conditions on children's perception of music and their music preference. Participants ranged in age from 7 5 years to 12 8 years. Active listeners moved spontaneously while listening, first with props, and second in sand, before drawing the way the music goes with coloured pens. Passive listeners sat quietly during two listenings before "drawing the way the music goes" (adapted from Bamberger, 1982, p. 210). The results of the study showed that the active group's invented notations referenced significantly more of the music's rhythm or beat and its groupings of notes into patterns. Interestingly, 94-4% of the active listeners preferred the piece that featured rhythmic and percussive sounds, changing tempo and dynamic contrasts compared to 52-9% of the passive listeners. Our results lend credence to the idea that the natural locomotor rhythms of the body may be the source of children's perception of the movement, nuance and patterns in music.
Melodic Structure and Note Transition Probabilities: A Content Analysis of 15,618 Classical Themes
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: March 2007

A content analytical scheme is described that can assess aspects of melodic structure in large samples of themes. This objective, computerised system was applied to 15,618 themes drawn from the classical repertoire. Tables result that give the probabilities of twoand three-note transitions, and, in the former case, the probabilities are presented both transition-by-transition and averaged across all transitions. Despite the simplicity of the coding system, it has been shown in past research to be powerful enough to distinguish the musical style of a composer and to yield a measure of melodic originality that relates in significant ways with other aesthetic, biographical and historical variables. To illustrate this utility, the table of two-note transition probabilities is employed both to gauge the melodic originality of a sample set of composed themes and to generate contrived themes with known originality scores for use in laboratory experiments on musical aesthetics.
Developmental Psychology and Music Education
Authors: Hargreaves David J.
Published: March 2007

The gulf between research in music psychology and practice in music education presents a perennial and pressing problem, and Psychology of Music provides an appropriate forum in which to tackle it but a brief analysis of the contents of the first ten years of the journal suggests that we still face an uphill task. Viewing this problem from a developmental perspective may enable researchers to organise their knowledge such that it is more readily amenable to practical application, and this article sets out the potential scope and aims of a developmental psychology of music. Some growing areas of research are described in each of the three main theoretical perspectives within the subject, namely cognitive psychology (development of melodic processing, singing, and children's representations of music); cognitive-developmental psychology ("music conservation", and the development of aesthetic sensitivity); and behavioural psychology (motiv- ation, affect, and classroom music learning). The developmental perspective should be able to make a direct contribution to issues in music education such as the relationship between formal and intuitive musical understanding, the place of composition, improvisation and non-traditional musics in the curriculum, and the role of assessment and evaluation.
Age Changes in the Ability to Interpret Affect in Sung and Instrumentally-Presented Melodies
Authors: Dolgin Kim G. , Adelson Edward H.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the age at which children begin to recognise the affective qualities in sung and instrumentally-presented melodies. Four, seven, and nine-year-old children who had been pretested for comprehension of emotional concepts listened to melodies that had been rated by adults as either (1) happy, (2) sad, (3) angry, or (4) frightened- sounding. The melodies were presented in two modalities: soprano voice singing nonsense syllables, and viola. Overall volume levels were held constant, although many other features were varied. The data indicated that thete are age changes in this ability, that modality does in some instances play a role in emotional comprehension, and that some of the emotions are easier to interpret than others. There are also interaction effects among the factors.
Key-finding, Fingering, and Timing in Piano Performance of Children
Authors: Brotz Thomas
Published: March 2007

This study was an investigation of timing accuracy and tempo of performance in entry-level piano performance of children. Female and male subjects, 7, 9 and 11 years of age, using the right or left hand, performed three tasks. They performed the durational rhythm of a folksong by playing (1) with one finger on one key; (2) with one finger on five keys; and (3) with five fingers on five keys. Significant main effects for motor task, age, and gender were found for timing accuracy and tempo. Some significant interaction effects also resulted, especially for tempo. In general, performance was more inaccurate and slower for more complex tasks, for younger subjects, and for male subjects. Left-handed performance of the most complex task was more inaccurate and slower. Implications for piano pedagogy and theory of motor learning were considered.
Dynamic Accents and the Categorical Perception of Metre
Authors: WINDSOR W. LUKE
Published: March 2007

Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983) have suggested that local accentuation of the musical surface and the mental representation of metre are interdependent. Three experiments are reported that examine the relationship between systematically varied patterns of dynamic accents and musically trained subjects' performance in identification and discrimination tasks. The results of these experiments suggest that dynamic information is interpreted according to its ability to generate an unambiguous metrical framework, and that this framework facilitates discrimination between patterns of dynamic accents in a categorical fashion. This is shown to provide support for the interdependence of dynamic accents and the perception of metrical structure. Dynamic accents both generate metrical structure and are perceived as metrical or non-metrical relative to this structure.
Teaching Practice Strategies in the Music Studio: A Survey of Applied Music Teachers
Authors: Barry Nancy H. , Mcarthur Victoria
Published: March 2007

Practice is of interest to music teachers and students since it is an essential aspect of motor skill acquisition and performance. The Music Practice In- struction Inventory (MPII) was designed to ascertain the extent to which studio music teachers teach certain practice strategies. The MPII consists of two sections. The first section requests information about the age level of students and. the type of studio setting. The second section contains 26 statements about teaching students to practice, each with a response scale ranging from 5 (Always) to 1 (Never). The MPII was administered to 94 members of the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) in the USA. Frequencies were tabulated for all data, and means and standard deviations were calculated for responses to the 26 statements. Differences between college teachers' and pre-college teachers' responses were compared via Pearson Chi Square. Most teachers reported that they always or almost always discuss the importance of practice and specific practice techniques with students, but responses to other items varied among different teachers. Results indicate that teachers' approaches to practice are not always consistent with the literature and that practice strategies endorsed by college teachers often differ from those used by teachers of pre-college students.