bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural Care of Thai Immigrants in Uppsala: A Study of Transcultural Nursing in Sweden
Authors: Lundberg Pranee C.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to discover and describe the meanings and expressions of cultural care of a group of Thai immigrants in Sweden. Participants included 15 key informants and 24 general informants living in and around the town of Uppsala. The conceptual framework was provided by Leininger’s theory of cultural care diversity and universality. Use was made of the ethnonursing method and the Sunrise Model in the search for multiple and related dimensions that influenced the generic and professional care practices of the Thai immigrants. Four major themes were formulated. Thus, care (a) means family and kinship relationships as expressed in daily life, (b) is expressed in traditional gender roles, (c) means religious beliefs as expressed in the Buddhist worship, and (d) means support of traditional health care practices. These themes support the cultural care theory and also confirm the Sunrise Model.
Exploring Parish Nursing from an Ethnographic Perspective
Authors: Tuck Inez , Wallace Debra C.
Published: March 2007

Purpose: This study examined a parish program as an evolving nursing specialty. Design: This is an ethnographic study of a parish nursing program in a southeastern U.S. city that included interviews with key informants, participant observations, and document analysis. Data were content analyzed. Findings and results: Findings indicate positive perceptions of the parish nursing program. Cultural themes include the process of discovery, commitment to the parish nurse and program, and fit with values and missions. Taxonomies of parish nurse attributes, actions, offerings, roles, and entrance requirements were derived. Discussion and conclusion: Parish nursing offers nurses the opportunity to bridge physical, social, emotional, and spiritual lives into one caregiving experience. Implications for practice: Findings provide clinical guidance for parish nurses.
Utilizing Traditional Storytelling to Promote Wellness in American Indian Communities
Authors: Hodge Felicia Schanche , Pasqua Anna , Marquez Carol A. , Geishirt-Cantrell Betty
Published: March 2007

Utilizing storytelling to transmit educational messages is a traditional pedagogical method practiced by many American Indian tribes. American Indian stories are effective because they present essential ideas and values in a simple, entertaining form. Different story characters show positive and negative behaviors. The stories illustrate consequences of behaviors and invite listeners to come to their own conclusions after personal reflection. Because stories have been passed down through tribal communities for generations, listeners also have the opportunity to reconnect and identify with past tribal realities. This article reports on a research intervention that is unique in promoting health and wellness through the use of storytelling. The project utilized stories to help motivate tribal members to once more adopt healthy, traditional life-styles and practices. The authors present and discuss the stories selected, techniques used in their telling, the preparation and setting for the storytelling, and the involvement and interaction of the group.
Hmong Health Beliefs and Experiences in the Western Health Care System
Authors: Johnson Sharon K.
Published: March 2007

This ethnographic study was conducted to determine Hmong perspectives and beliefs that influence the Hmong experience in Western medical situations. Hmong perspectives regarding the body as well as descriptions of Hmong experiences within the American medical system were explored using participant observation and interviews over a 2-year time frame. Two focus groups were conducted to confirm findings. Data indicates that the Hmong language lacks terms that translate biomedical body physiology and anatomy. Medical terms and diagnoses lack direct translation and require extensive nondirect terms to approximate meaning. Differences between Hmong traditional beliefs and Western biomedical beliefs create a lack of understanding. Negative health care experiences result in Hmong community members’ mistrust and fear of Western medicine.
Changes in Psychiatric Caring Values in Finland
Authors: Nikkonen Merja
Published: March 2007

A shift from institutional to non-institutional caring systems took place in Finnish psychiatric care in the 1980s. This article describes the values related to caring and the changes that occurred during the time span of a decade in a ward that rehabilitates mental patients as non-institutional care in northern Finland. The changes in patient and staff values are examined by studying the changes in caring practices in the ward. The ethnonursing method developed by Leininger (1995,1991) was used to examine the rehabilitation of psychiatric patients. Data were collected by interviewing twenty patients and eleven staff members. Results demonstrated that by the 1980s individualism was increasingly valued and personal freedom and self realization were more valued than hard work and solidarity. People's values shifted from universality to greater diversity. Transcultural nursing implications are discussed.
"Integrating Experiential Learning Into Criminal Justice Education: Internships and Academics"
Authors: Almore Mary G.
Published: March 2007

*This paper is a revision of a paper titled "The Role Of The Internship In Criminal Justice Education: Problems and Promises," presented by the author at the meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, November 1979.
The Force Continuum: From Lethal to Less-than-Lethal Force
Authors: Trostle Lawrence C.
Published: March 2007

There is a plethora of social scientific literature fraught with examples of law enforcement officers' use of lethal force, most frequently illustrating the misuse of lethal force. Many suggestions have been offered as to what might be done to constrain these officers. However, little social scientific research has been done on the technological development and deployment of "less-than-lethal weapons." These devices in and of themselves are not the sole solution, but they do provide an alternative to lethal force.

There have been two major national conferences within the last two decades exploring this type of technology; albeit as a general rule the awareness of these types of devices still remains quite low among law enforcement.
Jeremy Bentham and Enoch Wines Discuss the Privatization of Corrections
Authors: Bentham
Published: March 2007

Editor's note: Jeremy Bentham wrote the letters which constitute the Panopticon Papers while in Russia in 1787. The penitentiary model described in these letters provided the basis of a proposal for which he vigorously lobbied in England. He committed significant amounts of his own effort and money to the panopticon plan, although ultimately without success in his native country. The material reproduced below comes from letters 9, 10, and 12, and addresses a number of issues that are at the heart of the modern privatization debate. Enoch Wines was appointed secretary of the New York Prison Associa tion in 1862. Although initially not as experienced as many of his co-workers in the Association, he soon became an important figure in American penal reform. His national prison tour with Theodore Dwight in the 1860s produced the most important correctional assessment since John Howard's E uropean survey in the 1770s. The observations included in this article thus derived from his wide-ranging examination of the nation's prison system.
Policing the Arctic: The North Slope of Alaska
Authors: Trostle Lawrence C. , Angell John E.
Published: March 2007

This article briefly traces the history of dealing with anti-social behavior in the arctic. Social control methods have changed over the years from a total dedication to Native traditional law and folk ways toa structure which attempts to blend western social control methods with traditional Native ways. At its inception the founders of the North Slope Borough Department of Public Safety (NSBDPS) envisioned a broadly based "community public safety" program; however, the NSBDPS has evolved into a traditional police agency focusing almost exclusively on control.
Why is there an Exceptional Sex Ratio of Spousal Homicides in the United States? A Replication and Extension of Wilson and Daly
Authors: Moore Angela M. , Tennenbaum Abraham N.
Published: March 2007

Wilson and Daly (1992) examined spousal homicide samples from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain and concluded: "For every 100 U.S. men who kill their wives, about 75 women kill their husbands; this spousal 'sex ratio of killing' (SROK) is more than twice that in other Western nations" (p.189). In this paper we examine the SROK for the United States using data obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) to determine if Wilson and Daly's conclusion can be supported. While confirming Wilson and Daly's summary findings, our results show that the SROK is an elastic measure, varying over time, race, and ethnicity. In many segments of the U.S. population, the SROK is comparable to the sex ratio of killing for other Western nations. Moreover, the differences between various racial groups in the United States are greater than the differences between the U.S. and Canada, Australia and Great Britain, respectively. We suggest that socioeconomic factors and family structure are the major reasons for the disparity in the SROK for different racial groups in the United States and abroad. The implications of our findings for future research are discussed.
Intelligent Materials for Future Electronics
Authors: Takahashi Kiyoshi
Published: March 2007

Until now, electronic devices have been made using materials with given characteristics. In the future, however, materials should be designed to give the desired characteristics to electronic devices. As may be inferred from the widespread use of semi conductors in electronic devices, semiconductors are at present indispensable to the elec tronics industry. However, if we rely exclusively upon semiconductors, we run the risk of material shortages. Consequently, there is a need for new, alternative materials. Such new materials are already being referred to by a recently coined term: "Intelligent Materials".

There is little hope for finding such intelligent materials in nature. It may, however, be possible to develop them through a kind of "genetic control in materials science".

This paper discusses "intelligent materials" from the viewpoint of an individual whose experience is in the field of electronics.
Active Structural Acoustic Control with Adaptive Structures Including Wavenumber Considerations
Authors: Clark Robert L. , Fuller C.R.
Published: March 2007

The structural acoustic control of a baffled simply supported plate was modeled analytically to determine the feasibility of using the model to design shaped sen sors. Results from the analytical study were compared to those obtained in experiments previously conducted that implemented either microphones or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) strips as error sensors. Since the experimental data was subjected to a 40 dB dynamic range (due to A/D of controller as well as noise floor of instrumentation), the theoretical control approach was modified such that the analytical model would be limited to the same dynamic range. To evaluate the success of the structural acoustic control, radiated sound pressure was measured or computed in an arc perpendicular to the plane of the plate. Analytical predictions for sound radiation before and after control correlated well with the data obtained in the experimental investigation. In an effort to explain the physical mechanism of control, the k-transform of the structural response was computed. Results from this analysis indicate that structural acoustic control is achieved when the supersonic wavenumber components are reduced. Based on this conclusion, the possibil ity of implementing a cost function in the k-domain was investigated, and results suggest that sensors shaped for observing only the supersonic wavenumber components of the 2-D k-transform would yield a minimization of the acoustic response of the structure.
Probabilistic Structural Analysis of Adaptive/Smart/Intelligent Space Structures
Authors: Pai Shantaram S. , Chamis Christos C.
Published: March 2007

A three-bay, space, cantilever truss is probabilistically evaluated for adap tive/smart/intelligent behavior. For each behavior the scatter (ranges) in buckling loads, vibration frequencies and member axial forces are probabilistically determined. Sensitivi ties associated with uncertainties in the structural, material and load variables that describe the truss are determined for different probabilities. The relative magnitude of these sensitivities is used to identify significant truss variables that control/classify its be havior to respond as an adaptive/smart/intelligent structure. Results show that the prob abilistic buckling loads and vibration frequencies increase for each truss classification, with a substantial increase for intelligent trusses. Similarly, the probabilistic member axial forces reduce for adaptive and intelligent trusses and increase for smart trusses.
Interactions between Thermosensitive Hydrogel Microspheres and Proteins
Authors: Fujimoto Keiji , Mizuhara Yoshio , Tamura Nobuko , Kawaguchi Haruma
Published: March 2007

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel microspheres show volume tran sition based on the LCST around 32°C. It is thought that the surface of the microspheres becomes hydrophobic due to association of segments induced by the hydrophobic interaction above the LCST. Protein adsorption and desorption are dependent both on surface properties of microspheres and on characteristics of protein molecules. In this study, we reported adsorption and desorption of proteins with similar molecular size and shape on poly(styrene) (PSt) and PNIPAM microspheres. Proteins used for this study were myoglobin (MG), α-lactalbumin (LA), lysozyme (LZ), and ribonuclease A (RNase). In addition, peroxidase was used to evaluate the extent of the denaturation induced by adsorption and desorption, and its residual enzyme activity was measured. PNIPAM showed the temperature dependence of protein adsorption, especially in the adsorption of flexible proteins such as LA and MG. It seemed probable that structure rearrangement resulted in the entropy gain. The desorption behavior was also related to the protein's flexibility. It was confirmed from the residual activity that peroxidase desorbed from PNIPAM microspheres remained more stable than perox idase desorbed from PSt. These hydrogel microspheres were found to be the potent thermosensitive carrier or adsorbent for proteins.
Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of a Hydrogel Fiber in the Development of a Polymeric Actuator
Authors: Solari Massimo
Published: March 2007

The ability of polymer gels to undergo reversible conformational variations when some particular environmental parameter is changed, such as temperature, pH, salt concentration, etc., can be used in the development of microactuators which are characterized by high power-to- weight ratio and built-in compliance. Such actuators could fit the requirements of some advanced bioengineering and robotics applications. Hydrogel fibers, derived from poly(acrylonitrile), show remarkable shrinking and swelling capabilities when the surrounding solution becomes acid or basic, respectively, as well as good resistance to mechanical stresses (Umemoto et al., 1991).

An experimental protocol for evaluation of the electro-mechano-chemical properties of this material has been formulated, with the aim of extensively evaluating its performance for possible use as a microactuator. Tests have been grouped into two classes: mechano-chemical tests, in order to evaluate the concentration of the charged sites on the polymeric chain which are responsible for the shrinking and swelling of the gel fiber and to estimate the response of the fiber in terms of produced force density, speed of contraction, resistance to fatigue, maximum borne stress, etc., (when work ing in solutions of different pH values); and electro-mechano-chemical tests, in order to estimate the response of the fiber when the shrinking and swelling are caused by local changes of the pH induced, applying an electric field through the solution in which the hydrogel is immersed. The results show that the hydrogel fiber can generate a force density of 15 kg/cm2 during the shrinking phase, and 60 kg/cm2 in resistance to mechanical stresses. From the rest length, the maximum force exerted can be reached in about 5 seconds. The power-to-weight ratio is found to be about 5 10 4J/kg. A major shortcoming is chemical hysteresis, which could theoretically be eliminated by modifying the initial treatment used to ionize the polymer. The methods used for the characterization of the fiber and the results are presented and discussed.
Modeling and Shape Control of Piezoelectric Actuator Embedded Elastic Plates
Authors: Agrawal Sunil Kumar , Daqun Tong  , Nagaraja K.
Published: March 2007

Future technologies in microsensing, microactuation, active changes in shapes of aerofoils and turbine blades justify and necessitate a comprehensive study of piezo actuators for shape control of structures. Piezo materials have the property to develop strain on applying voltage and voltage on applying strain, hence, these materials are useful both as sensors and actuators. If a piezo actuator is bonded to a substrate plate, on applying voltages, the resulting strain in the actuator induces a deflection in the plate. This deflection is a function of geometry, material properties of ac tuator and substrate, layout of piezo actuators, and voltage inputs to the actuators. The objectives of this paper are: (a) to develop a mathematical model for deflection of a thin plate embedded with piezo actuators using elastic plate theory, (b) to compute plate deflection by solving the mathematical model using finite difference technique, and (c) to estimate optimal actuation voltages to match the deflection of the plate to a desired deflection.
Robust Control of Flexible Structures Using Multiple Shape Memory Alloy Actuators
Authors: Lashlee Robert , Butler Robert , Rao Vittal , Kern Frank
Published: March 2007

The design and implementation of control strategies for large, flexible smart struc tures presents challenging problems. To demonstrate the capabilities of shape-memory-alloy (SMA) actuators, we have designed and fabricated a three-mass test article with multiple shape-memory- alloy, NiTiNOL, actuators. Both force and moment actuators were implemented on the structure to examine the effects of control structure interaction and to increase actuation force. These SMA actu ators exhibit nonlinear effects due to dead band and saturation. The first step in the modeling process was the experimental determination of the transfer function matrix derived from frequency response data. A minimal state space representation was determined based on this transfer function matrix. Finally, a reduced order state space model was derived from the minimal state space representation. The simplified analytical models were compared with models developed by structural identification techniques based on vibration test data.

From the reduced order model, a controller was designed to dampen vibrations in the test bed. To minimize the effects of uncertainties on the closed-loop system performance of smart structures, a linear quadratic Gaussian loop transfer recovery, LQG / LTR, control methodology was utilized. A standard LQG/LTR controller was designed; however, this controller could not achieve the desired performance robustness due to saturation effects. Therefore, a modified LQG / LTR design methodology was implemented to accommodate for the limited control force provided by the actua tors. The closed-loop system response of the multiple input multiple output (MIMO) test article with robustness verification was experimentally obtained and is presented in this paper. The modified LQG / LTR controller demonstrated performance and stability robustness to both sensor noise and parameter variations.
The Electrical Transfer Characteristics of Electro-Rheological Fluids in the Squeeze-Flow Mode
Authors: Clack J. , Stanway R. , Sproston J.L.
Published: March 2007

In this paper the authors describe an experimental investigation to determine the electrical transfer characteristics of electro-rheological fluids in the squeeze-flow mode of operation. It has been shown previously that the squeeze-flow mode provides significantly greater mechanical forces than are available from ER fluids placed in shear. However, since the electric field varies as a function of the inter-electrode gap there is an additional need to understand the complex elec trical/mechanical interactions at work in squeeze-flow. The study confirms the need to account for the dynamics of the electrical source and shows how the frequency dependence of the capacitive and resistive terms associated with the squeeze-flow cell can be quantified through the use of suitable empirical expressions. The validity of the derived coefficients is demonstrated through the ability of models to predict the complex admittance transfer function of the ER squeeze-flow cell.
To be without being Seen
Authors: Amaral Maria JoãO , Monteiro Maria Benedicta
Published: March 2007

The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) is hypothesized to create a new social identity dimension. 570 participants answered a questionnaire in order to evaluate the importance they attached to 48 group memberships. Time spent with Internet and with computer-mediated communication was also assessed. A PC factorial analysis aggregated computer-using items in a new technologies information (NTI) identity factor. A set of regression analyses showed that all identity patterns were best predicted by demographic variables except for NTI and community social identities that were best predicted by time spent in CMC and in the Internet. Although there is no ground for claiming that CMC brings some change to people’s evaluation of their group memberships, the authors can state that Internauts’ identity does not integrate self-perceptions of significant interpersonal connectedness or of orientation toward meeting different people, as most sociological and psychological literature has underlined.
Understanding Why Team Members Won’t Share
Authors: Kirkman Bradley L. , Shapiro Debra L.
Published: March 2007

Research on the effectiveness of team-based rewards (TBRs) is mixed, and empirical research regarding individual-level factors that may influence TBR receptivity is lacking. In a sample of 618 line-level employees representing 57 work teams in a Fortune 50 insurance company, the authors examined the impact of various individual-level factors such as employees’ collectivistic orientation, team-related attitudes, and justice perceptions on employee receptivity to TBRs. As predicted, the authors found that employees were generally more receptive to TBRs when they were collectivistic, preferred teams, were committed to their teams, perceived a fit between TBRs and other organizational changes, rated their teams as highly task interdependent, and perceived procedural and interactional justice. The effects of procedural and interactional justice were even stronger for employees working in teams with higher, rather than lower, levels of task interdependence. The article concludes with implications for both management scholars and managers in charge of implementing TBRs.
Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict Within Interdependent Teams
Authors: Beauchamp Mark R. , Bray Steven R.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of role ambiguity and role conflict within interdependent sport teams from a multidimensional perspective. Role ambiguity and role conflict corresponding to offensive and defensive functions were assessed in relation to role-related efficacy beliefs as well as starting status. Results of a principal components analysis supported the multidimensionality of role ambiguity but indicated that role conflict was unidimensional with regard to offensive and defensive role functions. Consistent with self-efficacy theory (discussed by Bandura in 1997), role ambiguity was negatively associated with role-related efficacy beliefs. Furthermore, consistent with theorizing by Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, and Rosenthal in 1964, a negative relationship between role conflict and role-related efficacy was mediated by role ambiguity. Nonstarters reported greater role ambiguity than starters; however, no differences were observed with regard to role conflict. The findings have implications for the future study of role ambiguity as a multidimensional construct and the relationship between role ambiguity and performance.
Situational Coaching Styles
Authors: Turman Paul D.
Published: March 2007

This investigation examines athletes’ preferences and perceptions and coaches’ perceptions of leadership styles used throughout an athletic season. The review of literature identified an existing limitation to current examinations of coaching styles. Past researchers failed to include time as a potential variable affecting athletes’ preferences and perceptions of their coaches’ use of five leadership styles: autocratic, democratic, social support, positive feedback, and training and instruction. The participants for this study included 155 varsity wrestlers and 17 coaches. Athletes and coaches completed instruments three times during the season, and repeated measures procedures computed for the two primary research questions indicated significant differences for each. When examining the impact of athlete experience level, results indicated only athletes’ perceptions of their coaches’ social support styles are affected by the athletes’ experience level across time. Also, athletes’ perceptions of their coaches’ autocratic leadership styles for successful and unsuccessful teams were significantly different at the end of the season.
The Association between Group Procedural MOPs and Group Discussion Procedure
Authors: Pavitt Charles , Johnson Kelly Kline
Published: March 2007

Although some descriptions of group discussion have characterized group process as an overall sequence of functionally organized linear stages, others have emphasized the presence of short proposal-centered “reach-testing” sequences recurring (“spiraling”) throughout the discussion. Research has indicated that people’s preconceived notions of ideal group procedure (their “group procedural memory organization packets [MOPs]”) can be classified as linear, reach-testing, or some compromise between the two. A study was performed to examine whether groups consisting solely of these three MOP types differed in group process and output. The results showed linear groups to spiral less often than reach-testing and compromising groups, but the content of these spirals did not differ among the types. Across MOP types, group process revealed aspects of both linear and reach-testing models. Group output did not differ reliably among the three types.
The Superiority Theory of Humor At Work
Authors: Duncan W. Jack
Published: March 2007

A study of six small, task-oriented groups was conducted to examine the superiority of humor as it applied to the formal and informal status structures of the focal groups. Three of the groups were units in business firms and three were units in health care organizations. Questions were raised regarding the conventional wisdom of joking be havior on the job. The relatively more professional and highly trained groups in health care displayed humor patterns different from those predicted by the superionty theory of humor. Specifically, high-status individuals were integral parts of the humor network and enjoyed no particular "joking monopoly."
Time Perspectives and Time Usage in a Basic Training Course in the Israeli Defence Forces
Authors: Cromer Gerald
Published: March 2007

This article is based on a participant observation study of a basic training course in the Israeli Defence Forces. Attention was initially paid to a wider variety of problems facing the draftees during their initiation into the army. It soon became apparent, however, that their major difficulty involved "doing time " or making it pass as quickly as possible. This therefore became the focal concern of the study. Two aspects of the problem were analyzed—the cyclical perspective that the draftees were forced to adopt in place of the linear one usually adhered to in civilian life and the various ways (seeking information, passing time, and killing time) in which they tried to overcome the difficulties that this entailed. The results of the study are compared with those found in other analyses of army life and total institutions in general.
Participants' Perception of Therapeutic Factors in Group Counseling
Authors: Kivlighan Dennis M. , Mullison Donald
Published: March 2007

Yalom (1985) hypothesizes that clients'perception of therapeutic factors depend on the stage of group development and on client individual difference variables. The hypotheses were tested using the critical incident reports obtained from 18 participants in three 11-session counseling groups. Judges classified the critical incident reports into therapeutic factor cat egories. Perceptions of the relative importance of these factors were analyzed by stage of group development (early versus late) and by client interpersonal orientation (affiliative versus nonaffiliative and dominant versus submissive). Results indicate differences in the relative importance of the therapeutic factors as seen by the group participants for stage of group development and for participants' affiliativeness. No differences were found for dom inant versus submissive clients. The results are discussed in relation to theories of group de velopment, clinical group practice, and interpersonal conceptualization of counseling and therapy.
Verbal Comments, Ideas, Feedback, and Self-Assessment During Small-Group Discussions
Authors: Hansford B.C. , Diehl B.J.
Published: March 2007

For a population of 32 subjects (trainee teachers), using Tafoya's Motivation Game (preparation of a time capsule), the effect of positive and negative feedback on a number of personal and interpersonal variables was examined using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance. The production of ideas decreased under both conditions, but more dis tinctly so under conditions ofpositive feedback. Increase in self-confidence and decrease in anxiety occurred under both conditions, but more markedly so under conditions of negative feedback.
Increasing Sensitivity in Teachers Toward Pupils' Behavior by Means of Structured Sensitivity Training
Authors: Itskowitz Rivka , Alon Moshe , Strauss Helen
Published: March 2007

This study examines the impact of structured sensitivity training on teachers' perception of their pupils. Thirty-four female teachers were exposed to one of four programs: Group 1, the main experimental group, took part in structured training in which everyday situations in school were analyzed. Case-study protocols from the Bar-Ilan Picture Test for Children, a semiprojective interview, were used as a didactic tool Group 2 participated in unstructured sensitivity training focused on group processes according to the classical model of T-training. Groups 3 and 4 were comparison groups. Group 3 discussed topics concerning school proposed by the group. Group 4 listened to lectures on the topics raised in Group 1. The results showed a significant improvement in sensitivity for Group I (experimental) The rate of improvement for Group 2 (unstructured) fell between those for Group 1 (experimen tal) and Groups 3 and 4 (comparison).
Predictors of Cooperation in Health Care Teams
Authors: Stahelski Anthony J. , Tsukuda Ruth Ann
Published: March 2007

Interdisciplinary teams are now common in many health care settings. Although there have been many studies on teams, there is no consistent empirical pattern regarding either team process or performance. It is often assumed that positive group process results from cooperation among group members. The present study investigated this assumption by analyzing the specific components of cooperation involved in teamwork and relating them to group input variables. Seventy-two members offour interdisciplinary teams at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center responded to a 13-item questionnaire measuring cooperation. Results indicated that cooperation was significantly related to two group input variables: the size of the team and whether an individual member was staff or a trainee. Cooperation increased when team size was smaller and when the member was on staff These group factors may help to explain the inconsistency demonstrated in previous team studies.
Masculinity, Femininity, and Behavior in Groups
Authors: Seibert Scott , Gruenfeld Leopold
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to use recent conceptual and methodological advances in the area of personality and group processes to reexamine the relationship between personality and individual behavior in groups. Two self-report dispositional measures, the Masculinity and Femininity scales of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, were used as predictors of interpersonal behavior as measured by the System for the Multiple Level Observation of Groups (SYMLOG). As predicted, masculinity was positively associated with dominant behavior in the group. The hypothesized relationship between femininity and positive, friendly interpersonal behavior was found using retrospective ratings of behavior but failed to reach significance using the observational method. The current findings show that personality is an important variable affecting interaction in groups. Implications for the design and performance of task groups are explored.
Two-Dimensional Sociometric Status Determination with Rating Scales
Authors: Maassen Gerard H. , Akkermans Wies , Van Der Linden Jos L.
Published: March 2007

Sociometric status is derivedfrom a concatenation ofjudgments at the individual leveL In previous articles, the authors argued that score attribution at this level (where one group member assesses another) is one-dimensional along the sympathy+-antipathy continuum. Two-dimensionality of sociometric status arises at the group level. It was shown that at this level, too, sympathy and antipathy are not two distinct dimensions but the poles ofjust one, the other being visibility (or impact). If one accepts the model of one-dimensional score attribution at the individual level, it would seem logical to base sociometric status determination on rating scales. In this article, a procedure for this is developed and a covering computer program (SSRAT) is introduced. Finally, the results of the current nomination methods and the proposed rating method applied in the same classroom groups are compared The results of the rating method appear to be more valid and more refined
Toward a Process Theory of Groupthink
Authors: Mohamed A. Amin , Wiebe Frank A.
Published: March 2007

Two decades after the introduction of groupthink, the nature of that theory remains unclear Is groupthinka variance or is ita process theory? This article depicts groupthinkas aprocess model that seeks to explain how groupthink develops. Suggestions on how to test a process theory of groupthink are advanced.
The Psychodynamics of Constructive Aggression in Small Groups
Authors: Kraus George
Published: March 2007

This article articulates the central role that conflict and aggression play in the development of the small group. In this context, the definition of aggression is expanded to include not only destructive aspects but also prosocial andfunctional manifestations of aggression that can foster the growth of the individual as well as the group as a whole. Based on the work of Melanie Klein, a theory is proposed of how projective processes operate in a small group with respect to feelings of anger and aggression; how aggression unfolds in the group as a consequence of these defensive processes; and how group members can better understand, undo, and transforn the dysfunctional hold aggression can have on the group so that the group's growth can be promoted.
Combining Physical Activity with a Behavioral Approach in the Treatment of Young Boys with Behavior Disorders
Authors: Parish-Plass Jim , Lufi Dubi
Published: March 2007

Forty-three boys with various disruptive behavior disorders participated in group therapy based on a combination of physical activity and a behavioral approach for a period of I school year Modification of the participants' behavior within the group was obtained by various behavioral techniques. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) was used to assess both participants and a no-treatment control group. The results showed that the clinical group improved significantlyfrom pre-to posttest on one psychological measure: the number of deviant signs (NDS). Significant differences between the two groups on the personal integration (PI) measure disappeared due to improvement of the clinical group. Analysis also showed significant interaction in the NDS, depicting significant pre-post reduction in the clinical group and a small increase in the control group.
Leadership and Innovation among Teams
Authors: Burpitt William J. , Bigoness William J.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated the effects of leader-empowering behavior on the level of innovation among professional project teams. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase I used extensive field-based interviews to develop measures of leader-empowering behavior and team-level innovation. Phase II applied the scales to test the relationship between the two variables. Ratings of team-level innovation were supplied by the principals of 20 firms. Ratings of leader-empowering behavior were supplied by members of 60 teams within the 20firms. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between leaders 'empowering behavior and evaluations of team innovation made by the finns' principals. The study identifies explicit behaviors managers can employ to stimulate innovation among teams.
Normative Influence on the Acceptance of Information Technology
Authors: Green Carolyn Wilson
Published: March 2007

This article draws from the behavioral research literature to explore the mechanisms of normative influence and to evaluate measurement techniques that may be applied to studies of infonnation technology (IT) acceptance. Two widely accepted models (Fishbein and Ajzen 's subjective norm and Jackson 's Return Potential model of group norms) are evaluated as potential methods of measuring normative influence. The article also outlines the results of afield study that incorporated Jackson 's technique into the TechnologyAcceptance Model. In the field study, which considered software usage in 10 intact work groups, normative influence explained a significant portion of the variance in usage. The results suggest that normative pressures nay be more influential in technology acceptance than demonstrated in earlier research findings. Results also suggest that Jackson's model may be a viable alternative to the subjective norm measure.
The Effect of Team Building on Performance
Authors: Salas Eduardo , Rozell Drew , Mullen Brian , Driskell James E.
Published: March 2007

In this article, meta-analytic integration of research examining the effects of team building on performance is reported. Overall, there was no significant effect of team building on performance. However, the effects of team building varied as a function of the type of operationalization of performance: On objective measures of performance, there was a nonsignificant tendency for team building to decrease performance, whereas on subjective measures of performance, there was a significant, albeit small, tendency for team building to increase performance. Examination of the specific components of team building revealed that interventions emphasizing role clarification were more likely to increase performance, whereas interventions that emphasized goal setting, problem solving, or interpersonal relations were no more likely to render an increase or decrease in performance. Finally, the effects of team building decreased as a function of the size of the team. The discussion considers implications of these effects of team building on performance.
Effects of Minimal Group Promotion on Cohesion and Exercise Adherence
Authors: Annesi James J.
Published: March 2007

A large fitness center was used to test a brief group warm-up/cool-down program’s effect on perceptions of cohesion, exercise attendance, and dropout. Healthy adult participants were randomly assigned to a control or treatment condition. Treatment participants differed from controls in that an exercise professional led them in small groups for 5 to 7 minutes, both before and after they completed assigned workout programs, in a separate room. Results indicated a significant rise in the Attraction to Group-Task (ATG-T) subscale of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) over the first 5 weeks of the investigation, for the treatment group only. Results also demonstrated higher attendance and less dropout in the treatment group. A significant positive relationship between attendance and the treatment group participants’ change in ATG-T over 5 weeks was found. The practicality of providing cohesion-promoting interventions is discussed, and the need to replicate this research in differing exercise settings is emphasized.
Anticipating the Unexpected (and the Expected!): Report on the 1999 ISAGA Conference
Authors: Rising Beverly
Published: March 2007

This brief article reports on the ISAGA ’99 conference in Sydney, Australia, giving a glimpse of the type of theoretical papers and practical workshops presented at the conference along with a mention of the other activities prepared by the organizers.
Using Simulations in the Design of an Anesthesia System
Authors: Sneyd J. Robert , Dong Chao , Reeve Christopher D. , Ifeachor Emmanuel C.
Published: March 2007

The authors are developing a closed-loop system for intravenous anesthesia in humans. Using published pharmacokinetic data for the intravenous anesthetic agent, propofol, they have generated a population of “virtual patients” and simulated their response to induction and maintenance of intravenous anesthesia using a feedback system based on an electroencephalogram derivative. Their simulations suggested that the proposed system would accommodate patients with widely varying pharmacokinetic characteristics. The system was subsequently tested in humans, and successfully induced and maintained anesthesia in 7 volunteers.
Using Simulation in a Dangerous-Drinking Prevention Campaign
Authors: Lederman Linda C. , Stewart Lea P. , Barr Sherry L. , Perry Danielle
Published: March 2007

The Advanced Health Communication (AHC) Simulation models a subdivision of an actual campus organization, the Communication and Health Issues Partnership for Education and Research (CHI). To address dangerous drinking at Rutgers University, CHI created a dangerous-drinking prevention campaign, RU SURE? and designed the AHC simulation for students to participate centrally in the campaign. The simulation was incorporated into an advanced course in health communication. The three major sets of activities in the AHC simulation are (a) the design and pilot testing of campaign messages and materials, (b) the implementation of the campaign, and (c) the evaluation of the campaign. The simulation provides a structure in which students learn about a set of behavioral processes regarding campaign design and organizational behavior on the macrolevel while learning about their drinking-related behaviors on the microlevel. Participants reported learning about working in a complex organization, designing and implementing a prevention campaign, and decreasing their own drinking-related perceptions and behaviors.
Is Urban Gaming Simulation Useful?
Authors: Cecchini Arnaldo , Rizzi Paola
Published: March 2007

The authors discuss epistemological, theoretical, and practical reasons for the crisis of gaming simulation in urban studies. The enormous successes obtained by hard sciences (particularly physics) in interpreting and changing the world have driven many scholars of the so-called soft sciences to believe that the methods and tools that had proved so successful at the so-called court of the queen of science might also be successful in the drawing rooms of the social and behavioral sciences. This belief has given birth to urban models. Its terminology revealed an inferiority complex toward so-called true science. It is with this set of issues that whoever deals with social sciences has to come to terms. This applies specially to urban sciences, which must take into account the social and the spatial (physical) dimensions.
Tools for Understanding the Limits to Growth: Comparing a Simulation and a Game
Authors: Meadows Dennis L.
Published: March 2007

During 30 years as a systems analyst and teacher, this author has been constructing models to understand and convey key principles related to the long-term causes and consequences of physical growth on the planet. In this article, he describes two different models that he has developed to accomplish these goals. One was employed as a computer simulation; the other functioned as an operational game. In comparing them, the author points out many differences between the two tools and indicates two important challenges for this profession.
Simulation in International Relations Education
Authors: Starkey Brigid A. , Blake Elizabeth L.
Published: March 2007

For the past 50 years, scholars and practitioners of international relations have used simulations as experimental, predictive, and educational tools to model real-world environments. This article will focus on the educational applications of simulations in international relations (IR), first reviewing the development of IR simulations and then tracing this history by examining the International Communication and Negotiation Simulations (ICONS) Project at the University of Maryland as a representative example of this genre. It will examine in particular the use of information technologies in facilitating and delivering simulations, and conclude with a brief discussion of how computer-assisted simulations have, in some cases, anticipated trends in the real world of diplomacy, and in others, attempted to respond to new trends.
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Foreign Languages with Global and Functional Simulations
Authors: Magnin Michèle Claude
Published: March 2007

This article highlights the paradigms of interdisciplinary collaboration for language teachers in the context of global or functional simulations. Examples given can be applied at the college or high school levels for intermediate to advanced French courses. The author highlights the far-reaching consequences of such initiatives that give a leadership role to foreign language departments.
Using Behavioral Simulations to Study Strategic Processes
Authors: Dutton Jane E. , Stumpf Stephen A.
Published: March 2007

Behavioral simulations are well suited for the study of the processes that underlie strategy formulation and implementation. The authors defend this claim by describing five challenges often confronted in attempts to study strategic processes: (a) measuring variables at multiple levels of analysis, (b) controlling or measuring the context, (c) dealing with history effects, (d) capturing process differences across issues, and (e) linking processes to outcomes. The article describes seven behavioral simulations that are currently available and then discusses the capacity of behavioral simulations for addressing the challenges facing strategic processes researchers. Theoretical and research choice points for selecting among behavioral simulations are identified along with the implications of using behavioral simulations in studies of strategic processes. Limitations of behavioral simulations are also discussed.