bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Giftedness and Underachievement: At the Edge of Possibility
Authors: Schultz Robert Arthur
Published: January 2007

Although many ways of doing research exist in education, mulch of the research conducted has focused on identifying or defining strategies to fit learners to existing theories of education and schooling. This article examines historical styles of research Conducted around the construct of gifted underachievement. It then explores possibilities of implementing alternative approaches and theoretical arguments in practical applications in this area. Goals include providing an overview of research focused on gifted underachievement, examining research positions (paradigms) that more vividly represent complexity inherent in educating gifted individuals, and providing precepts that guide practitioners and scholars to alternative views of the research process and use of research outcomes.
In Search of an Elegant Solution: Reanalysis of Plucker, Callahan, and Tomchin, With Respects to Pyryt and Plucker
Authors: Gridley Betty E.
Published: January 2007

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to explicate constructs underlying performance assessment tasks based on Garder's (1983) theory of multiple intelligences. Data from Plucker, Callahan, and Tomchin (1996) were reanalyzed using CFA. I analyzed several models based on the theoretical conceptualization of the authors, their exploratory factor analysis, and the Subsequent reanalysis of the data by Pyryt (2000). Models that allowed for intercorrelations among factors fit better than those without such correlations. Although the performance tasks appeared to measure their constructs as predicted, a model with three factors that combined Linguistic and Iiterpersonal Intelligence, rather than the four original factors, was supported. Higher order models indicated the presence of a general factor underlying the multiple inelteligences. Although not conforming exactly to the original theory, it appears that this set of performance tasks is a step in the right direction in terns of measuring multiple intelligences. Pyryt's concern for the influence g was confirmed to some extent, but it appears that both factors and individual tasks retain sufficient varianice to allow for the interpretation that they measure separate abilities.
Diagnosis of ADHD Among Gifted Children in Relation to KEDI-WISC and T.O.V.A. Performance
Authors: Chae Paul Kyuman , Kim Ji-Hye , Noh Kyung-Sun
Published: January 2007

The following study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between intelligence and a Continuous Performance Test (CPT) that assesses Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Characteristics of attention in gifted children with ADHD were also investigated. A sample of 177 elementary school students was studied, and their attention was measured With the Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.). About 9.4%Y of the gifted children were identified with ADHD using the T.O.V.A., Child Behavior Check List (CBCL), and Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Significant positive correlations were found between intelligence (KEDI-WISC) and omission error, commission error, and response time (RT) variability on the T.O.V.A. That is, children with a high level of intelligence made fewer omission and commission errors and responded more consistently on the T.O.V.A. than children with lower intelligence. No significant correlation was found between intelligence and response time. Overall, gifted children performed better on the T.O.V.A. than nongifted children. Specifically, with the exception of response time and response time variability, gifted children with ADHD performed better on tasks of omission error, commission error, and response sensitivity than nongifted children with ADHD. Further discussions are suggested based on the results mentioned above.
Gender Differences in Gifted Achievement in Britain and the U.S.
Authors: Freeman Joan
Published: January 2007

In Britain, the academic achievements of gifted girls in grade school are surpassing those of gifted boys in almost all areas of study and at all ages, whereas this does not appear to be the case in the U.S. The evidence suggests 2 major reasons for this difference. Emotionally, British girls are now showing greater confidence in their abilities. Educationally, changes in the style and content of British curriculum and assessment may favor female study patterns, along with a national system of inspection that checks for equal gender opportunities in the classroom. Although this managed change in gender equality of opportunity in schools is seen to be highly effective, female school advantage has yet to make a significant difference in the workplace.
Social Self-Concept, Social Attributions, and Peer Relationships in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders Who Are Gifted Compared to High Achievers
Authors: Bain Sherry K. , Bell Sherry Mee
Published: January 2007

Socially related self-concept, attributions for social success and failure, and peer relationships were investigated for fourth through sixth graders identified as intellectually gifted and a comparison group of high achievers not identified as gifted. The group identified as gifted scored significantly higher on 3 of 4 socially related self-concept subscales ( p < .01) and on the general self-concept scale ( p < .05) of the Self-Description Questionnaire-I (Marsh, 1988). On the Student Social Attribution Scale (Bell & McCallum, 1995), an interaction effect was noted, with the group identified as gifted scoring higher than the comparison group on attributions for social success due to ability and effort and lower on attributions for social failure due to ability, effort, and task difficulty. Though teachers‘ ratings of peer relationships yielded no differences between the 2 groups, boys across groups were rated significantly higher than girls ( p < .05).
A Comparative Study of Creativity and Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategies of High-IQ and Average Students
Authors: Russo Christine Fiorella
Published: January 2007

This study assessed the creative thinking abilities of high-IQ and average students on fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Seventeen high-IQ fifth and sixth graders and 20 average fifth and sixth graders were given 4 batteries of Torrance’s Verbal and Figural Tests (A and B) as pretests and posttests and three Future Problem Solving tasks to assess their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. A significant interaction between performance and IQ over time was demonstrated for verbal fluency. The high-IQ students scored low and finished higher over time. The average students scored high on the pretest, but dropped over time. The interaction for figural elaboration indicated little difference between the groups at pretest, but there was an increase for the average students and a decrease for the high-IQ students at posttest. Variability in performances of both high-IQ and average students suggests the need for training in creative thinking skills.
Predictors of Learned Helplessness Among Average and Mildly Gifted Girls and Boys Attending Initial High School Physics Instruction in Germany
Authors: Ziegler Albert , Finsterwald Monika , Grassinger Robert
Published: January 2007

In mathematics, physics, and chemistry, women are still considered to be at a disadvantage. In the present study, the development of the symptoms of learned helplessness was of particular interest. A study involving average and mildly gifted 8th-grade boys and girls (top 6%) investigated whether girls, regardless of ability level, experience helplessness in introductory physics courses more intensely than their male counterparts. Contrary to current research findings, no particular disadvantages for gifted girls could be isolated. In total, 7 explanatory approaches to helplessness were examined by regression analysis: the talent deficit hypothesis, the prior physics knowledge deficit hypothesis, the self-confidence deficit hypothesis, the modification deficit hypothesis, the interest deficit hypothesis, the anxiety hypothesis, and the control deficit hypothesis. On the basis of these findings, approaches to assist in the development of interventions are suggested.
Recruitment Is Not Enough: Retaining African American Students in Gifted Education
Authors: Moore James L. , Ford Donna Y. , Milner H. Richard
Published: January 2007

In public school systems all around the country, educators—teachers, counselors, and administrators—have made significant progress in identifying and recruiting diverse populations in gifted and enrichment programs. Despite the efforts, too many African American students and other students of color (e.g., Hispanic Americans and Native Americans) are not faring well in gifted education. The social and cultural obstacles (e.g., racial and ethnic prejudice, negative peer pressure, poor parental involvement, negative teacher and counselor expectations, etc.) that students of color, particularly African Americans, face in gifted education are well known. In order to improve African American student retention, it is clear that public school systems must do more. Recruitment is an important component for increasing the number of African American students in gifted education, but retention is equally important. Using multiple frameworks, this article examines the notion of retention and its many challenges and offers recommendations for improving the retention of African American students in gifted education.
The Role of Nonverbal Ability Tests in Identifying Academically Gifted Students: An Aptitude Perspective
Authors: Lohman David F.
Published: January 2007

The first goal of this article is to discuss the role of nonverbal ability tests in the identification of academically gifted children. I note that most nonverbal tests measure verbally mediated cognitive processes, that they are neither “culture free” nor “culture fair,” and that we have known these facts for a very long time. I show that selecting students for gifted and talented programs on the basis of such tests would exclude the majority of the most academically accomplished students in all ethnic groups. The second goal is to propose a better method for identifying gifted students. I argue that the critical issue is readiness for a particular type of educational opportunity. The cognitive aspects of readiness are evidenced first in students’ levels of knowledge and skill in particular domains and secondarily in their abilities to reason in the symbol systems used to communicate new knowledge in these domains. This applies to both minority and majority students. Therefore, the most academically talented minority students are those who show the strongest current achievement in particular domains and the best ability to reason in the symbol systems required for the acquisition of new knowledge in those domains. I also argue that, although current accomplishment can be measured on a common scale, judgments about potential must always be made relative to circumstances.
Radical Acceleration and Early Entry to College: A Review of the Research
Authors: Gross Miraca U. M. , van Vliet Helen E.
Published: January 2007

Radical acceleration is a successful, yet rarely utilized educational practice that assists educators in meeting the cognitive and affective needs of highly gifted students. Individual case studies and cohort studies of students who have radically accelerated are reviewed regarding combinations of procedures that result in successful acceleration, variables that appear to predict success and cognitive and affective outcomes. While research supports the use of radical acceleration for the positive cognitive and affective gains that result for highly gifted students, some concerns about the process have been identified. An outline is presented of procedures that have been shown to lessen the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes. These procedures include counseling support, study skills programs, and opportunities to foster social interaction with other students. The literature concerning radical acceleration strongly supports the wider adoption of this most successful intervention.
An Evaluation of the Elementary Student Talent Search by Families and Schools
Authors: Swiatek Mary Ann , Lupkowski-Shoplik Ann
Published: January 2007

Talent searches for seventh and eighth graders have extensive empirical support, and the model has been successfully extended to elementary students. Research has focused on participants earning high scores on above-level tests, however, not typical participants. Here, 597 families and 93 schools that participated in the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students (C-MITES) Elementary Student Talent Search (ESTS) completed follow-up surveys designed to measure the typical participant’s satisfaction with the program and use of test scores. Families were very satisfied with their ESTS experience, but above-level test scores were not often used by schools. The most common use of the scores was to qualify students for extracurricular programs. School personnel appear to lack understanding of the information to be gained from above-level test scores despite literature provided to them by the talent searches. Talent search organizations need to find creative ways of educating schools about their services so that benefits to all participants can be maximized.
Do Gifted Student Writers and Creative Writing Experts Rate Creativity the Same Way?
Authors: Kaufman James C. , Gentile Claudia A. , Baer John
Published: January 2007

Little research has been conducted on how gifted novices compare to experts in their judgments of creative writing. If novices and experts assign similar ratings, it could be argued that gifted novices are able to offer their peers feedback of a similar quality to that provided by experts. Such a finding would support the use of collaborative feedback in gifted classrooms. We asked gifted high school creative writers and three groups of experts (cognitive psychologists, creative writers, and teachers) to rate a set of 27 short stories and 28 poems for creativity using a scale of 1 to 6. The interrater agreement among the novices was within acceptable standards, and the agreement among the experts was very strong. When the ratings of novices were compared to the ratings of experts, a strong degree of correlation was found, supporting the use of peer feedback among gifted novice creative writers.
Creative Problem Solving With Marginalized Populations: Reclaiming Lost Prizes Through In-the-Trenches Interventions
Authors: McCluskey Ken W. , Baker Philip A. , McCluskey Andrea L. A.
Published: January 2007

This article describes several initiatives in which Creative Problem Solving, in combination with career exploration and mentoring, has been used successfully to identify and develop the talents of “at-risk” populations. During the past decade, the Lost Prizes project helped turn around the lives of talented but troubled high-school dropouts, Northern Lights encouraged productivity in disenfranchised Aboriginal teens, and Second Chance reduced recidivism among Native Canadian inmates. Currently, various mentoring programs are providing support to vulnerable inner-city young people at risk for alienation, school failure, and gang involvement.
Counseling Needs of Gifted Students: An Analysis of Intake Forms at a University-Based Counseling Center
Authors: Yoo Jin Eun , Moon Sidney M.
Published: January 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of the counseling needs of gifted children from the perspective of parents who sought help from a fee-based counseling center for gifted students. The counseling center provided assessment and educational and career guidance, as well as family social/emotional counseling, all of which were differentiated to meet the needs of gifted children ages 4-18. Participating parents completed intake forms that included a 47-item client problem inventory and were designed to assist the counseling process. One hundred and twenty of these problem inventories were analyzed to determine which counseling needs led parents to bring their children for counseling services and whether there were any differences in perceived needs among three different developmental levels of children (preschool, preadolescent, and adolescent). Results suggested that age had a statistically and practically significant effect on parent perceptions of career and child (psychosocial) concerns and a practically significant effect on school, family, and peer concerns. For all age groups, parents perceived their child’s greatest counseling need to be educational planning, followed closely by school concerns. Psychosocial concerns were also salient for parents of children older than 6. Career planning was important for parents of children older than 12. Peer and family concerns were less salient than the other categories of concern. The study suggests that gifted children do have unique needs for differentiated counseling services and that counseling services for gifted children should emphasize educational planning and be targeted to the needs of specific developmental levels.
Instructional Practices of Teachers in General Education Classrooms and Gifted Resource Rooms: Development and Validation of the Instructional Practice Questionnaire
Authors: Hong Eunsook , Greene Mary T. , Higgins Kyle
Published: January 2007

An instrument to measure teachers’ instructional practices, the Instructional Practice Questionnaire, was developed and validated in three phases. The questionnaires focused on three domains of instructional practices: cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. First, an initial questionnaire was developed for a pilot study, and data were gathered to analyze questionnaire items with 97 general education teachers. Second, the questionnaire was revised based on the findings of the first-phase data analysis. Third, the revised questionnaire was distributed to two new samples (144 general education teachers and 67 GATE resource room teachers) in an effort to provide reliability and validity evidence of the scores from the revised questionnaire. The questionnaire would be useful for educators and researchers who are interested in understanding instructional practices of classroom teachers and in improving classroom instruction for gifted and talented students.
Five Readers Browsing: The Reading Interests of Talented Middle School Boys
Authors: Cavazos-Kottke Sean
Published: January 2007

Researchers concerned with curriculum differentiation for gifted and talented students have long promoted the benefits of providing opportunities for students to explore their personal interests within the regular curriculum. Many literacy researchers have also concluded that teachers can improve students’ (especially boys’) attitudes toward reading by offering opportunities within the literacy curriculum for students to choose reading materials based on their own personal interests. However, there are few empirical investigations into the particular interests of talented boy readers to guide teachers who wish to provide students with a rich selection of texts from which to choose. In this multicase study, 5 boys who are talented readers were observed while they browsed for reading materials in a large bookstore. Interviews with each boy and analysis of the texts that they identified as personally interesting revealed 4 major themes that together characterize the complexity of these boys’ reading preferences.
Perfectionism in High-Ability Students: Relational Precursors and Influences on Achievement Motivation
Authors: Neumeister Kristie L. Speirs , Finch Holmes
Published: January 2007

The purpose of the present study was to create and test a model that (a) illustrated variables influencing the development of perfectionism, and (b) demonstrated how different types of perfectionism may influence the achievement goals of high-ability students. Using a multiple-groups path analysis, the researchers found that parenting style was related to attachment, with authoritative and permissive parenting associated with secure attachment and authoritarian and uninvolved parenting associated with insecure attachment. Attachment, in turn, was related to perfectionism, with insecure attachment associated with either self-oriented or socially prescribed perfectionism. In addition, the model then illustrated that perfectionism would influence achievement goals, with self-oriented perfectionists more likely to set mastery or performance-approach goals, and socially prescribed perfectionists more likely to set performance-approach or performance-avoidance goals. The findings of this study are interpreted in the context of the existing literature, and implications for working with high-ability perfectionistic students are discussed.
Patterns of Overexcitabilities in Identified Gifted Students and Their Parents
Authors: Tieso Carol L.
Published: January 2007

The purpose of this study is to examine the underlying construct of overexcitabilities (OEs) and to identify individual and family-level factors that may explain gifted students' patterns of OEs. Data are collected from a convenience sample of identified gifted students ( N = 143) and their parents ( N = 161) using a Likert-type questionnaire, the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire II, developed to measure levels of the five intensities of the OEs. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance and hierarchical linear modeling are used to differentiate between gender and age groups and to explain between and within-group variance on the five subscales of the OEs: Psychomotor, Intellectual, Imaginational, Sensual, and Emotional. Results suggest that there were significant differences between gender and age groups and that most of the variance among students on the OEs was explained by family membership. This study represents an important step in our understanding of affective characteristics of giftedness and creativity.
Resource Consultation Model in Gifted Education to Support Talent Development in Today's Inclusive Schools
Authors: Kirschenbaum Robert J. , Armstrong Dorothy Ciner , Landrum Mary S.
Published: January 2007

This article discusses the advantages and challenges that educators of gifted, talented, and creative students may encounter when taking on the new role of classroom consultant rather than, as they have typically done previously, directly providing programming and services to the students themselves. A discussion of the use of the consultation model within a gifted education program concludes the article.
Integrating Gifted Children Into Kindergarten by Improving Educational Processes
Authors: Mooij Ton
Published: January 2007

At the beginning of kindergarten, it often happens that a gifted child is not doing well because he or she may be forced to underachieve. A longitudinal case study clarifies this process. The analysis and discussion of the problems reveal clues for prevention in kindergarten and subsequent forms of education. Each child entering kindergarten could be included in a screening procedure in which parents and teacher inform each other about the behavior of the child. Relevant differences in development between students could be basic to part of the pedagogical, play, and didactic characteristics provided for in kindergarten. The curricular and instructional aspects of this “student-based instruction” effect changes in teachers' pedagogical focus and helps them in realizing challenging adjustments in the play and learning activities offered. Two cases in which suggested strategies are utilized illustrate what this means for gifted children and their teachers. Positive effects may become greatest for students whose level of development is either clearly higher or lower than that of their age mates in one or more aspects.
To Thine Own Self Be True: A New Model of Female Talent Development
Authors: Noble Kathleen D. , Subotnik Rena F. , Arnold Karen D.
Published: January 2007

This article describes an innovative model of female talent development based upon the life experiences of gifted women from a wide variety of backgrounds and talent domains. The model was synthesized from original studies contributed by more than 20 scholars, psychologists, and educators, known collectively as Remarkable Women: Perspectives on Female Talent Development (Arnold, Noble, & Subotnik, 1996). Key issues addressed by this model are the personal, professional, and cultural challenges common to gifted females as well as strategies for coping with then, spheres of influence and achievement to which gifted women aspire, and ways to help gifted women and girls identify and actualize their talents and gifts.
DISCOVER: A Promising Alternative Assessment for the Identification of Gifted Minorities
Authors: Sarouphim Ketty M.
Published: January 2007

Based on the general framework of Gardner's (1983) theory of multiple intelligence and Maker's (1996) definition of giftedness, the DISCOVER process is a performance-based assessment designed to identify gifted students from culturally diverse groups. The process consists of five activities through which linguistic, logical-mathematical, and spatial intelligences are appraised. In this review, I describe the assessment and review preliminary studies on its reliability and validity. The DISCOVER assessment seems to be a promising alternative technique through which the problem of underrepresentation of gifted minorities in programs for the gifted might be reduced. However, educators using the DISCOVER assessment for identification purposes must make sure that a good match exists between the assessment and the type of gifted program in which students will be placed.
Comparison of Traditional and Problem Solving Assessment Criteria
Authors: Reid Carol , Udall Ann , Romanoff Brenda , Algozzine Bob
Published: January 2007

Identifying students who are gifted has been grounded traditionally in criteria emphasizing unitary measures of intellectual ability, which has caused great concern for educators interested in identifying academic talent and potential in culturally and linguistically diverse students. Recently, multiple intelligences (MI) theory has been examined as an alternative perspective with promise for addressing concerns evident in groups identified using traditional methods. To date, research on the effectiveness of assessment practices grounded in MI theory has been sparse. The purpose of this research was to describe the performance of elementary school children on an alternative screening measure designed for use in identifying students who are gifted. The Problem Solving Assessment procedure represented an application of MI theory, and decisions made using it were compared to those that would be made using a more traditional, unitary approach to identification. Positive relations were evident among scores for different types of intelligences and between them and the traditional measure. More importantly, different groups of students were identified using each approach, with a more diverse population generated with the Problem Solving Assessment procedure. The results are discussed with regard to ongoing practices and future directions in gifted education.
Intraosseous Innervation of the Human Patella
Authors: Barton R. Shane , Ostrowski Mary L. , Anderson Terrence D. , Ilahi Omer A. , Heggeness Michael H.
Published: January 2007

Background

The soft tissue structures surrounding the human knee joint have been the subject of extensive anatomic study. The detailed histologic findings within the bone of the human patella, however, have not been systematically studied. While the nerves supplied to the periarticular soft tissues have been very well documented, the nerves supplied to the interior of the bony patella have never been described.

Hypothesis

This study tests the hypothesis that the patella contains an intraosseous nerve network. Further, the authors investigate the anatomic location of these intraosseous nerves to better understand their possible clinical relevance.

Study Design

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods

Ten matched pairs of cadaveric patellae (left and right patellae from the same individual; 20 total) were prepared for evaluation by hematoxylin and eosin staining using a technique that allows the creation of complete, large histologic sections of individual patellae. The matched specimens were dissected free of soft tissue and then sectioned using a diamond-wafering saw into 3-mm sagittal (left patella) and transverse (right patella) sections. Sections were then decalcified and whole-mounted into paraffin blocks for further sectioning using a large-format microtome. All 20 specimens were prepared for evaluation. Age at death averaged 80 years (range, 64-91). All specimens demonstrated at least grade II chondromalacia.

Results

Nineteen of 20 (95%) specimens demonstrated intraosseous nerves. Of 248 sections studied, 116 (47%) demonstrated intraosseous nerves, with 227 individual nerves identified. The density of intraosseous nerves was greatest in the medial and central portions of the patella, with a significant paucity identified laterally.

Conclusion

The primary intraosseous innervation of the patella derives from a medially based neurovascular bundle.

Clinical Relevance

A better understanding of the nerves within the human bony patella may improve understanding the patho-physiology of anterior knee pain syndromes.
Slantwise
Authors: Campbell Howard , Heyman Josiah
Published: January 2007

Drawing on extensive participant observation and interviews concerned with barriers to census enumeration in colonias (irregular migrant settlements along the United States-Mexico border) and Mexican migration to the United States, we argue that recent ethnography has overemphasized the role of domination and resistance. While power is fundamental to cultural analysis, we also need to examine behavior we call slantwise, that is, actions that are obliquely or only indirectly related to power relations. Ethnographic fieldwork from both sides of the United States-Mexico border uncovered a range of behaviors (including unorthodox building techniques in colonias, hybrid language practices, complex and fluid household structures, nonlinear mobility patterns, and unpredictable political loyalties of migrants) that do not fit neatly into the domination-resistance axis. We argue for the relevance of the slant-wise concept for understanding such behaviors, not as a replacement for studies of naturalized domination and resistance, but as a complement to them.
Extending Cultural Competence Through Systems Change: Academic, Hospital, and Community Partnerships
Authors: Chrisman Noel J.
Published: January 2007

Work on cultural competence has a long history in nursing, yet we have not successfully institutionalized these attitudes and skills throughout education and practice. An effective approach to promoting widespread cultural competence is to work at the system level in which coalitions of community agencies partner with academic and health care organizations. A systems approach includes all health practitioners, reducing current discrepancies across disciplines, and establishes cultural competence as the standard. Work in and with communities places students and practitioners more consistently in cross-cultural circumstances. Implementing this vision will require national as well as local leadership across public and private sectors.
Nursing Home Error and Level of Staff Credentials
Authors: Scott-Cawiezell Jill , Pepper Ginette A. , Madsen Richard W. , Petroski Greg , Vogelsmeier Amy , Zellmer Dave
Published: January 2007

Providing safe nursing home care is both a clinical and fiscal challenge in many countries. The fiscal realities result in the addition of other workers, such as medication technicians or aides (CMT/A), to the health care team. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of various levels of credentialing among nursing home staff who deliver medications (RN, LPN, or CMT/A) on medication error. In addition, the impact of distractions and interruptions was explored. Using naïve observation, 39 medication administrators representing various levels of credentialing were unobtrusively observed to determine the number of medication errors, distractions, and interruptions in five nursing homes. There were no differences in medication error rates by level of credential. However, RNs had more interruptions during their medication administration, and these increased interruptions were associated with increased medication error rates when wrong time errors were excluded ( p = .0348).
Left Turn in Europe? Reactions to Austerity and the EMU
Authors: Bohrer Robert E. , Tan Alexander C.
Published: January 2007

Several important changes have occurred in the European Union (EU) over the course of the last decade. In particular, the Maastricht Treaty criteria for entry into the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) brought economic austerity across the member states, in spite of high levels of unemployment in the region. At the same time an electoral shift resulted in parties of the left holding government positions in 13 of 15 member states, a marked contrast to the recent past. We examine if recent electoral fluctuations can be attributed to the traditional explanations of economic voting and anti-incumbency or if there is evidence of a fundamental shift in the electoral arena following the passage of the Maastricht Treaty Using pooled cross-sectional data for the years 1983-1998, we find that for both EMU members and non-members traditional forces help explain electoral outcomes, however an indicator for the squeeze of the post-Maastricht time period also plays a significant role. While left parties have fared well in the post-Maastricht period, the strong, negative effect of incumbency, persistent unemployment, and an overall increase in electoral volatility make any conclusions of a left tum in the member states of the EU premature. Rather, it is likely left parties will find themselves faced with the difficult task of maintaining support while abiding by the constraints imposed by the Maastricht Treaty.
Women's Movements and the State: Job-Training Policy in France and the U.S.
Authors: Stetson Dorothy Mcbride , Mazur Amy G.
Published: January 2007

The goal of this article is to propose a model of state feminism to analyze the impact of women's movements on state activities in post-industrial democracies. It builds on conventional theories of social movement impact, specifically addressing problems of longitudinal and comparative analyses, and introduces an intervening variable-the role of women's policy machineries. This study examines the role of these machineries in France and the United States in injecting feminist stances into the content and processes of six job-training policy debates and assesses the explanatory usefulness of two clusters of independent variables. The findings challenge the conventional wisdom about women's movement successes in the U.S. and France by showing that a strong movement does not necessarily lead to a full state response in the absence of intervention of women's policy machineries. In turn they point to the importance of left-wing govemments and the relation of the women's movement to them. The conclusion includes plans for further testing of the state feminism framework by means of comparative studies in other countries and other policy areas.
The Dimensional Structure of Policy Outputs: Distributive Policy and Roll Call Voting
Authors: Potoski Matthew , Talbert Jeffery
Published: January 2007

Policy proposals begin life in the legislative arena as high-dimensional ideas that are reduced to a single evaluative dimension by the time they are decided on the legislative floor. While roll-call decisions in Congress are largely unidimensional, little is known about the dimensional structure of policy outputs. Do policy outputs reflect a high-dimensional environment or a low-dimensional structure similar to the legislative floor? This article proposes. a theory of policy outputs and investigates this question by examining the dimensional structure of policy outputs. The results indicate that outputs are fundamentally multidimensional.
The Multi-Layered Impact of Public Opinion on Capital Punishment Implementation in the American States
Authors: Norrander Barbara
Published: January 2007

Four traditional models linking public opinion with government policies are found to form one combined, historical chain with opinion and policies intertwined over time. The traditional simple majority rule model takes a short-term approach to representation. A reverse linkage, with policies shaping opinion, extends the causal model backwards in time, as does an incrementalism and institutional lag model. The importance of this historical chain model is demonstrated in explaining crossstate differences in death penalty sentencing rates in the 1990s. Current public opinion does influence death penalty sentencing rates, but so does political culture. Past public opinion has an indirect influence on current punishment rates through the influence of past opinion on past policies. The presence of a prior capital punishment law provides a legitimization effect, resulting in greater support for the death penalty among a state's population. Without an extended causal chain approach, the interrelationships between public opinion and government policies cannot be fully appreciated.
Tearns Without Uniforms: The Nonpartisan Ballot in State and Local Elections
Authors: Schaffner Brian F , Streb Matthew , Wright Gerald
Published: January 2007

The use of a nonpartisan ballot was one of the many Progressive reforms introduced around the turn of the century that is still heavily used today. The intent of the change to a nonpartisan format was, and still is, to remove party cues from a voter's decision, thereby causing the voter to seek out other information about a candidate. This study seeks to examine the effects of nonpartisan elections on patterns of voter decisionmaking. We examine the structure of electoral choice in partisan and nonpartisan elections at the state and local levels using paired comparisons and interrupted time series. Using precinct and district level voting data, we compare mayoral races in the sister cities of Champaign and Urbana (IL) and state legislative elections in Nebraska and Kansas. In addition, we examine the city of Asheville (NC) during its change from partisan to nonpartisan elections in the early 1990s and state legislative elections in Minnesota during its change from nonpartisan to partisan contests in the early 1970s. The analysis of these cases helps us to understand the effects of removing party identification from the ballot. We find that nonpartisanship depresses turnout and that in nonpartisan contests voters rely less on party and more on incumbency in their voting decisions. The nonpartisan ballot “works,” but how one evaluates the results depends on one's view of the electorate and the purpose of elections.
Race, Roll Calls, and Redistricting: The Impact of Race-Based Redistricting on Congressional Roll-Call
Authors: Sharpe Christine Leveaux , Garand James C.
Published: January 2007

The congressional redistricting following the 1990 Census resulted in the creation of a number of majority-minority congressional districts. While the descriptive representation of various minority groups in the U.S. House was increased as a result, there is some question about how these changes affected the roll-call behavior of incumbent House members whose districts underwent a change in racial composition following redistricting. We explore the effect of changes in district racial composition associated with the creation of majority-minority districts on the roll-call behavior of members of the U.S. House. Our findings indicate that, as the black population in a district changes following redistricting, House incumbents respond with changes in their roll-call behavior. The strongest effects are found among House incumbents representing districts that underwent large changes (i.e., 10 percent or greater) in black constituency composition; these members exhibit substantial changes in their roll-call liberalism in response to changes in the racial composition of their districts brought on by redistricting. Overall, our findings point to the importance of considering both the dynamic element of representation and possible nonlinear effects in reaching an understanding of the effects of race-based redistricting.
Modeling Regional Effects on State Policy Diffusion
Authors: Mooney Christopher Z.
Published: January 2007

Generations of state politics scholars have believed that a U.S. state is more likely to adopt a law if its neighboring states have already done so, that is, that there is a positive regional effect on policy diffusion. But rarely has the social learning process, the theoretical underpinning of this effect, been examined critically Furthermore, the statistical models used to assess this effect have been fundamentally flawed. In this article, I consider more fully the potential impacts of social learning on policy diffusion, and develop a simple approach to modeling these impacts more flexibly. Using this approach, I take a fresh look at data from two classic studies of state policy diffusion and demonstrate that the regional effect is more complex than previously believed.
Building Institutional Legitiimacy: The Role of Procedural Justice
Authors: Baird Vanessa A.
Published: January 2007

Hibbing and Theiss-Morse (1995: 158, 161) present legislatures as ‘easily the most vulnerable institution[s]’ because of the public's ‘lack of appreciation for the messiness inherent in democratic processes.’ Their finding, along with the evidence of the popularity of national high courts, implies that one possible source of support for courts might emanate from something particular about judicial procedures. However, empirical support for the idea that procedural justice leads to judicial legitimacy has been mixed. This article tests two alternative hypotheses: (1) the perception that judicial procedures are fair leads to support for courts, and (2) the perception that judicial procedures should be legalistic leads to support for courts. Findings hint that judiciaries might be more popular than legislatures because over time, those who support legalistic processes do not expect to be satisfied with the substance of judicial rulings, and therefore, their support does not diminish in the face of disappointment.
State Annexation ‘Constraints’ and the Frequency of Nunicipal Annexation
Authors: Carr Jered B. , Feiock Richard C.
Published: January 2007

Municipal annexations of unincorporated areas is frequently the option followed by local governments to expand their boundaries. State rules influence annexations by determining the range of powers available to local governments and by shaping the incentives of local actors to pursue this option. To date, empirical analysis has not provided strong evidence that state rules significantly affect local annexation pattens. The impact of state rules on local boundary expansions is estimated through a Poisson regression of the number of annexations occurring within the 50 states from 1990 through 1999. The results provide strong confirmation that state rules designed to constrain annexation do significantly influence local boundary patterns, although in unexpected ways. Procedural constraints expected to reduce annexation activity are instead shown to stimulate greater numbers of annexations.
Globalization and Government Policy Independence: The Issue of Taxation
Authors: Gelleny Ronald D. , Mccoy Matthew
Published: January 2007

This study examines the relationship between national corporate tax policies and globalization. Specifically, we empirically focus on whether the internationalization of markets has led to lower corporate taxes across OECD countries. In contrast to other studies, we consider whether government education and research programs provide policymakers additional capacity to deal with the pressures of globalization. Such government programs may enhance tax policy independence in an era of globalization. Additionally, we consider whether the interaction of government education and research programs with global capital flows permits governments to modify the demand to lower corporate taxes. Using Ordinary Least Square analysis on a cross-sectional time series data set comprised of 17 OECD countries for the years 1982-1991, we find evidence of an association between government education and higher corporate taxes. Moreover, we demonstrate that the interaction between education policies and capital flow dampens the need for national governments to lower corporate taxes.
Explaining State Legislators' Casework and Public Resource Allocations
Authors: Ellickson Mark C. , Whistler Donald E.
Published: January 2007

Using survey data from more than 2400 members of the lower houses of 49 state legislatures, this article examines the influence of a set of variables on the amount of time that state legislators spent on the service activities of casework and public resource allocations (“pork”). This research finds that state legislators distinguish between casework and pork activities, rank casework ahead of pork, and that the only common variable predicting both types of service activities is members' perceptions of their constituents' preferences; otherwise, a different set of variables predicts each type of service activity
Dealing with Diversity: Racial/Ethnic Context and Social Policy Change
Authors: Tolbert Caroline J. , Hero Rodney E.
Published: January 2007

We propose and provide an explanation of voting behavior that argues it is a convergence of a social context (high racial/ethnic diversity) and institutional context (frequent use of direct democracy) that is associated with the adoption of public policies targeted at minority groups. We examine this argument in the state of California, the most racially diverse state in the nation, and one that has historically high usage of ballot initiatives. We analyze white voting for four social policy ballot initiatives that directly targeted minority groups over a twelve-year period. Using King's method of ecological inference (1997), the study demonstrates that white support for the initiatives varied systematically by racial and ethnic environments across policy issues and over time. The white votes was consistently higher in “bifurcated” environments, as might be expected given Key's (1949) research on a racial threat; but is was also notably higher in “homogeneous” contexts, even after accounting for economic conditions and partisanship. Social heterogeneity, particularly white ethnic diversity, is associated with lower support for the ballot propositions. The research expands the social diversity interpretation (Hero 1998) by taking into consideration institutional context, contributes to our understanding of minorities and direct democracy, and raises broader questions about procedural democracy and the appropriate scope of conflict for direct democracy elections in the U.S.