bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Designing of the Computer Anxiety and Learning Measure (Calm): Validation of Scores on a Multidimensional Measure of Anxiety and Cognitions Relating to Adult Learning of Computing Skills using Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Mcinerney Valentina , Marsh Herbert W. , Mcinerney Dennis M.
Published: July 2003

This article discusses the process through which a powerful multidimensional measure of affect and cognition in relation to adult learning of computing skills, the Computer Anxiety and Learning Measure (CALM), was derived from its early theoretical stages to validation of its scores using structural equation modeling. The discussion emphasizes the importance of ensuring a strong substantive basis from which to develop reliable items for a measure as well as the usefulness of gathering qualitative data in both the factor and item design stages. The final instrument comprises 11 first-order factors and 1 negative item factor. These can be more parsimoniously represented as 5 factors, 2 of which are second order, and a measurement-method effect. Although tests of factorial invariance across different faculties provide considerable support for the stability and generalizabilty of the model, future research would need to examine whether the CALM model is invariant across different adult populations in similar computer learning/training environments.
An Examination of the Short form of the Need for Cognition Scale Applied in an Australian Sample
Authors: Forsterlee Robert , Ho Robert
Published: July 2003

The 18-item Need for Cognition (NFC) Scale (short version) was administered to two samples of 510 and 697 Australian males and females. Consistent with the findings of other researchers, a principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis indicated one dominant factor. The scores for 17 of the items were also shown to have internal consistency. The findings indicate that the short NFC Scale is applicable for use with Australian samples.
Using Generalizability Theory to Estimate the Reliability of Writing Scores Derived from Holistic and Analytical Scoring Methods
Authors: Swartz Carl W. , Hooper Stephen R. , Montgomery James W. , Wakely Melissa B. , de Kruif Renee E. L. , Reed Martha , Brown Timothy T. , Levine Melvin D. , White Kinnard P.
Published: July 2003

Issues surrounding the psychometric properties of writing assessments have received ongoing attention. However, the reliability estimates of scores derived from various holistic and analytical scoring strategies reported in the literature have relied on classical test theory (CT), which accounts for only a single source of variance within a given analysis. Generalizability theory (GT) is a more powerful and flexible strategy that allows for the simultaneous estimation of multiple sources of error variance to estimate the reliability of test scores. Using GT, two studies were conducted to investigate the impact of the number of raters and the type of decision (relative vs. absolute) on the reliability of writing scores. The results of both studies indicated that the reliability coefficients for writing scores decline as (a) the number of raters is reduced and (b) when absolute decisions rather than relative decisions are made.
Validation of Scores/Measures from a K-2 Developmental Assessment in Mathematics
Authors: Banerji Madhabi
Published: July 2003

This study describes psychometric investigations of a developmental assessment in mathematics composed of 19 performance tasks. Techniques from classical and the many-faceted Rasch approaches were combined to analyze field test data from a mixedage sample ( n = 110). Descriptive statistics on scores from the overall scale and subdomains indicated increased proficiency with age. Convergent validity coefficients of scores with scaled scores of the Stanford Achievement Test mathematics battery ranged from .22 to .57; internal consistency reliability of the total scores on proficiency and independence were .90 and .92, respectively; and median interrater reliability was .80. Classical item statistics and Rasch logit difficulties of tasks suggested an ordered scale structure, although eight tasks did not fit Rasch criteria. The original and calibrated task orderings were consistent at the extreme ends of the scale. Findings point to directions for future improvement of the scale and rater training programs.
The Dimensions of Students’ Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness
Authors: Jackson Dennis L. , Teal Cayla R. , Raines Susan J. , Nansel Tonja R. , Force Ronald C. , Burdsal Charles A.
Published: July 2003

The use of student ratings of instructional quality is enhanced by an understanding of the nature of the underlying dimensions. In the current investigation, confirmatory factor analysis procedures were used to assess the fit of the original solution for the Student’s Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness questionnaire to a more recent sample of more than 7,000 university classes. Furthermore, a new exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the factor pattern after excluding certain items. The latter solution was crossvalidated on an additional sample. The analyses provided a clear interpretation of six first-order and two second-order dimensions of instructional quality that are useful across a broad range of university courses. The dimensions of teaching quality obtained by researchers are examined and compared to the results of the current study. Implications for the evaluation of perceived teaching quality are discussed.
Gender Differences for Constructed-Response Mathematics Items
Authors: Pomplun Mark , Capps Lee
Published: July 2003

The present study explored gender differences in answers to constructed-response mathematics items. Features relevant and irrelevant to the scoring rubric but possibly related to gender differences were identified by a content expert after a review of the literature. Raters were trained to score the identified features for approximately 500 papers evenly divided across two grade levels and between genders. The papers rated for these features had holistic scores assigned by local teachers using a state-provided rubric. The relationship between these holistic scores, studied features, objective scores, and gender differences was explored through standardized mean differences, correlations, and covariance analyses. The results indicate that rubric-relevant variables were highly predictive of holistic scores and accounted for some of the gender differences, especially at seventh grade. However, the possibly rubric-irrelevant feature of number of words written was statistically significant even when the rubric-relevant features were controlled.
School-Level Irt Assessment of Year-to-Year Performance Changes
Authors: Tate Richard , Heidorn Mark
Published: July 2003

Year-to-year changes in average writing performance for a sample of 188 schools were estimated with a group-level version of the generalized partial credit IRT model. School-level IRT-based equating adjustments were required to provide a stable scale over the 2 years and to estimate year-to-year changes in average performance for the sample of schools. The results illustrated that technical equating adjustments can be important even when there have been rigorous efforts to write new prompts comparable in difficulty to the old and to train new rating teams to implement earlier standards of writing sample grading.
Perceived Affiliation with Family Member Roles: Validity and Reliability of Scores on the Children’s Role Inventory
Authors: Kier Frederick J. , Buras Avery R.
Published: July 2003

The present study evaluated the reliability and construct validity of scores from the Children’s Role Inventory. The measure specifies four roles fulfilled by children: hero, lost child, mascot, and scapegoat. Theory and some research also suggest that adults continue to interact based on role assignments adopted in childhood. Both confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses and analyses of variance were conducted for a sample of 499 participants.
The Reliability and Validity of Scores from the Children’S Version of the Perception of Success Questionnaire
Authors: Liukkonen Jarmo , Leskinen Esko
Published: July 2003

Recent research into achievement motivation in sports has focused on goal orientation theory, according to which task and ego goal orientations manifest themselves in achievement contexts and may have different cognitive and affective outcomes. The present study analyzed the reliability and validity of scores on the children’s version of the Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ-CH). The participants were 557 14-year-old Finnish male soccer players. Because the Task Orientation and Ego Orientation subscales were found to be orthogonal, we applied confirmatory factor analysis to the task and ego orientation items separately to evaluate the reliability and validity coefficients of the item scores and the reliability coefficients of the factor scores. The internal consistency coefficients for the two subscales’ scores were high, and scores on both scales had strong construct validity.
Factor Structure of the School Function Assessment
Authors: Coster Wendy J. , Mancini Marisa C. , Ludlow Larry H.
Published: July 2003

The School Function Assessment (SFA) was developed to provide information on students’ abilities to meet functional demands of the elementary school program. This judgment-based, criterion-referenced assessment supports a comprehensive, detailed examination of the extent to which students with a variety of disabilities are performing important school-related functional tasks and activities such as moving around the school, using classroom materials, interacting with peers, and caring for personal needs. The factor structure underlying the SFA Activity Performance scales was investigated using data from two heterogeneous national samples of students with disabilities ( n = 266 and n = 341). Analysis with the principal axis technique and oblique rotation identified two factors, a Cognitive/Behavioral Function dimension and a Physical Function dimension. These factors were moderately correlated, which is congruent with definitions of the function construct that emphasize the integration of physical, cognitive, and social abilities in the performance of daily activities in the natural environment.
Development and Validation of Scores on a Measure of Six Academic Orientations in College Students
Authors: Davidson William B. , Beck Hall P. , Silver Clayton N.
Published: July 2003

This article describes the development and score validation of a 36-item measure of six academic orientations in college students: structure dependence, creative expression, reading for pleasure, academic efficacy, academic apathy, and mistrust of instructors. Results from three studies indicate that the measuring instrument, the Survey of Academic Orientations (SAO), has six factorially distinct scales (Study 1) whose scores are stable across different semesters, yielding test-retest coefficients that range from .63 to .86 (Study 2). Also, each of the six scales relates in expected ways to basic personality traits, yielding validity coefficients of .30 to .69 (Study 3). Scores on the six scales are internally consistent, yielding coefficients alpha that range from .59 to .85 (Studies 1-3). Scale scores and a summative score of all 36 items, called the Adaptiveness index, are examined for their potential in predicting a variety of important student outcomes.
Biases Induced by Coarse Measurement Scales
Authors: Krieg Edward F.
Published: July 2003

Equations for calculating the biases induced by coarse measurement scales are derived. Equations for the expected value, variance, covariance, correlation coefficient, and reliability coefficient are provided. The equations can be used to study the effects of measurement scale coarseness. Examples are given that illustrate that biases can vary depending on the mean and variance of the quantities being measured, the number of scale points, the rule for assigning quantities to scale points, and the number of items in a scale. Equations for the bias limits are also derived. Under some conditions, the biases disappear as the number of scale points increases. To avoid bias, it is recommended that graphic rating scales be used.
Autocorrelation Effects on Least-Squares Intervention Analysis of Short Time Series
Authors: Huitema Bradley E. , Mckean Joseph W. , Mcknight Scott
Published: July 2003

Several issues regarding the effects of autocorrelated errors on Type I error in ordinary least-squares models are clarified. Although autocorrelated errors have a large effect on both omnibus F tests and tests on individual intervention effect coefficients in many applications, there are exceptions that have not been pointed out previously. It is demonstrated that under certain conditions, distortion in Type I error is far less than is predicted by asymptotic theory. It is shown that these exceptions occur because the effect of autocorrelated errors is dependent on (a) the type of parameters (e.g., level change and/or slope change) required in the model, (b) the number of variables in the design matrix, and (c) the sample size. Because existing time-series methods perform poorly with small samples, this may be a useful finding in some situations; however, a better general solution is to use a recently developed small-sample method.
The Effect of a Joint Correction for the Attenuating Effect of Criterion Unreliability and Case 1 Restriction of Range on Expected Criterion Performance and the Conditional Probability of Success
Authors: Theron C. C.
Published: July 2003

This article reports the results of a portion of a more comprehensive study on the effect of corrections for random error of measurement and/or various forms of restriction of range on those estimates required to specify and justify a selection procedure. The objective of this article is to determine the effect of a joint correction for criterion unreliability and Case 1 selection on the predictor on the expected criterion performance, conditional criterion variance, and selection decision making.
The Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment: A Factorial Validity Study
Authors: Clark Roseanne
Published: July 2003

The present study attempts to determine the factorial validity of scores on the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment in a normative population of mothers and their 12-month-old infants. Parent, child, and dyadic items scored from free play interactions were analyzed as separate components of the instrument. Scores on three parent, three infant, and two dyadic subscales were examined for reliability and convergent and discriminant validity using confirmatory factor analysis. To provide confidence in the results, a factorial invariance study using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using a separate sample. All subscale scores demonstrated high levels of internal consistency, with coefficients ranging from .75 to .96. Evidence was also found for convergent and discriminant validity.
Does the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (Iceq) Measure Classroom Climate?
Authors: Wheldall Kevin , Beaman Robyn , Mok Magdalena
Published: July 2003

Data from 1,467 high school students in New South Wales schools on the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ) were analyzed using multilevel variance components models to derive intraclass correlations to determine the degree to which ICEQ scores may validly be said to measure aspects of classroom climate as against individual student attitude. The results showed that the class variable accounted for large and noteworthy proportions of overall variance in all five ICEQ scales. Subsequent analyses showed that only small and nonsignificant proportions of variance were attributable to the school variable. In these terms, the ICEQ may be considered to be a relatively good measure of classroom climate.
Convergent Evidence among Content-Specific Versions of Working Memory Tests
Authors: Perlow Richard , De Wayne Moore D. , Kyle Rebecca , Killen Thomas
Published: July 2003

The evidence pertaining to inferences derived from working memory test scores does not appear as developed as the evidence documenting the relation between working memory and performance. Gaps in the literature include documenting the relations among working memory tests of similar and different item content. The authors proposed that data from these tests would fit a correlated two-factor model best where the latent factors are based on item content. A total of 201 undergraduates completed four versions of a working memory measure. Confirmatory factor analytic results supported our hypothesis. These data suggest that some working memory measures are not interchangeable.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Chinese Version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire
Authors: Rao Nirmala , Sachs John
Published: July 2003

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure of a Chinese version of Pintrich and De Groot’s Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Data were gathered from a sample of 477 junior high and high school students, ranging in age from 12 to 19 years ( M = 15.4, SD = 1.84), in Hong Kong. Results indicated that a modified five-factor model had a better overall fit to the data than the five-factor model reported by Pintrich and De Groot in a sample of junior high school students in the United States. Although the motivational factors of the original MSLQ and its Chinese version were similar, items from the two self-regulated learning factors of the MSLQ combined to form one factor on the MSLQ—Chinese Version.
Trio: a New Measure of Visual Processing Ability
Authors: van Dusen Lani M. , Spach J. David , Brown Brendon , Hansen Monte
Published: July 2003

One of the main cognitive abilities is visual processing. Although much is known about the components of visual processing, current assessment instruments do not adequately measure these components in a manner that is useful in the applied setting. In particular, most instruments fail to isolate visual processing from other forms of processing, measure only one component of visual processing, and are inappropriate for group administration. Therefore, a new measure of visual processing is needed that overcomes these limitations. TRIO was developed specifically to fill the gap. This article presents a description of the development of this instrument and the psychometric and normative data obtained on it.
How Many Raters Should be Used for Establishing Cutoff Scores with the Angoff Method? a Generalizability Theory Study
Authors: Hurtz Gregory M. , Hertz Norman R.
Published: July 2003

Although the Angoff method is perhaps the most highly regarded and widely used judgmental method for setting criterion-referenced cutoff scores, little research has been conducted to determine the optimal number of raters to employ for obtaining stable cutoff scores. In the present study, Angoff ratings obtained from eight different occupational licensing examinations were evaluated via generalizability theory to estimate the optimal number of raters. Results indicated that approximately 10 to 15 raters is an optimal target range, although fewer raters may sometimes be sufficient. It is recommended that 10 to 15 raters be sampled as a general rule, followed by analyses to determine the optimal number of raters for examinations in a particular profession using a particular procedural variant of the Angoff method.
The Search for Ambivalent Sexism: a Comparison of Two Measures
Authors: Conn Amy Buhl , Hanges Paul J. , Sipe William P. , Salvaggio Amy Nicole
Published: July 2003

Glick and Fiske have claimed that prior sexism measures are biased because they only capture hostile sexist attitudes and fail to tap benevolent sexist attitudes. The authors of the current article believe that other measures of sexism do, in fact, capture some aspects of benevolent sexism. To examine this hypothesis, they compared Swim, Aikin, Hall, and Hunter’s old-fashioned and modern sexism scales with Glick and Fiske’s Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) scales (i.e., benevolent and hostile sexism), asserting that modern sexism directly measures ambivalent sexism and therefore indirectly captures both hostile and benevolent attitudes. Results supported the authors’ hypothesis and refuted Glick and Fiske’s argument. Implications of findings are discussed in terms of the measurement of sexist attitudes in future research.
A Comparison of Logistic Regression and Analysis of Variance Differential Item Functioning Detection Methods
Authors: Whitmore Marjorie L. , Schumacker Randall E.
Published: July 2003

Differential item functioning (DIF) detection rates were compared between logistic regression and analysis of variance for dichotomously scored items. These two DIF methods were compared using simulated binary item response data sets of varying test length (20, 40, and 60 items), sample size (200, 400, and 600 examinees), discrimination type (fixed and varying), and relative underlying ability (equal and unequal) between groups under conditions of uniform DIF, nonuniform DIF, combination DIF, and false positive errors. These test conditions were replicated 100 times. For both DIF detection methods, a test length of 20 items was sufficient for satisfactory DIF detection with detection rate increasing as sample size increased. With the exception of uniform DIF, the logistic regression method had higher mean detection rates than the analysis of variance method. Because the type of DIF present in real data is rarely known, the logistic regression method is recommended for most practical applications.
A Psychometric Investigation of Scores on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal New Form S
Authors: Loo Robert , Thorpe Karran
Published: July 2003

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is a long-established and widely used measure. Recently, Watson and Glaser developed a short version, Form S, as a quickly administered measure of critical thinking. This study used samples of management ( n = 142) and nursing ( n = 123) undergraduates to evaluate the psychometric properties and factor structure of the new Form S as well as the role of gender and social desirability. The results provide only limited support for Form S because of poor to moderate internal-consistency reliability of scores on the five subtests and poor to moderate recovery, in the confirmatory factor analysis and principal components analysis, of the five subtests underlying the critical thinking construct. Scores on Form S were independent of social desirability scores and gender. Although use of Form S can be recommended for some purposes, further psychometric refinement is warranted.
Factor Structure of the Rahim Leader Power Inventory (Rlpi) with Clinical Female Student Supervisees
Authors: Hess Carla W. , Wagner Barry T.
Published: July 2003

The purpose of the present study was to test the construct validity of scores based on the five-factor structure (i.e., the five power bases) of the Rahim Leader Power Inventory (RLPI) when administered to student clinical supervisees. A sample of 276 female graduate students enrolled in clinical practica in speech-language pathology provided perceptions of their supervisors’ use of power. Factor analytic methods were used to identify factors for comparison to those that had emerged in the RLPI standardization study of a national random sample of 476 executives. The five-factor structure of the RLPI was substantiated with these clinical supervisees.
Antarctica
Authors: Suedfeld Peter , Weiss Karine
Published: July 2003

This introduction to the special issue traces the history of psychosocial concerns related to Antarctic exploration, from the heroic age of early explorers through the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957 to 1958 to recent and current systematic research projects. The introduction discusses the organization and topics of international psychological investigations in polar stations and summarizes the articles that follow. Living in Antarctica imposes some unusual restrictions as well as opportunities, and it requires psychological adaptation to extreme environmental circumstances. The thrust of previous scientific and popular literature has been to focus on the negative effects of the situation and ignore the positive ones; however, ongoing studies are bringing about a more balanced view. Having an accurate understanding is important not only intrinsically and for appropriate application in the Antarctic itself but also in analogous extreme and unusual environments. These include extended space flight and space habitation, such as the projected voyage to Mars.
How Self-Image and Personality Influence Performance in an Isolated Environment
Authors: Rosnet Elisabeth , Le Scanff Christine , Sagal Marc-Simon
Published: July 2003

The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships between self-image and personality characteristics with cognitive impairment in an isolated group during wintering. Cognitive performance is measured with the Stres Battery (SB), self-image by Abraham’s Matrix of Intra- and Inter-Processes in Groups (MIPG), and interpersonal characteristics by the usual personality inventories. Results show that good cognitive performances are related to discordances between the real self and the ideal self and that bad performances are related to harmony between these two images. Moreover, the best cognitive performers have low scores in extroversion and assertiveness. The results are discussed in terms of specific adaptive reactions to wintering.
Perceptions of Danger, Risk Taking, and Outcomes in a Remote Community
Authors: Burns Robin , Sullivan Peter
Published: July 2003

On the surface, the severity of the Antarctic environment is sufficient to account for the injury rates that might occur there. However, it is argued that injury occurrence is the outcome of multiple factors. A number of such factors, both in the nature of work in the Antarctic and in the characteristics of the human beings who work there are reviewed. An area that has received little attention is individual risk perceptions. It is contended that risk perceptions need to be taken into account when assessing the contributing factors to individual risk taking, as measured by accidents that occur. The literature on risk perceptions is reviewed as a precursor to an empirical study of risk perceptions and injuries at an Antarctic station. The referent for expeditioner practice and home comparisons is Australia.
Preliminary Studies on the Psychological Adjustment in the Italian Antarctic Summer Campaigns
Authors: Peri Antonio , Scarlata Cristina , Barbarito Marta
Published: July 2003

Up until now, no significant emotional or cognitive modifications have been found in psychological studies performed during Italian Antarctic summer campaigns, which last from 2 to 5 months. A substantial emotional stability and a general satisfactory adjustment of the expedition participants emerged in the research. To investigate the coping strategies used to deal with the Antarctic environment, the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Ways of Coping Inventory were administered to a group of 11 Italian expeditioners before leaving and before returning from the campaign. The results confirm the emotional stability found in the previous studies and show a decrease of several ways of coping. Particularly, there was a decrease in seeking social support and in problem-focused coping. The discussion and interpretation of the findings are reported, and the hypothesis of a frozen reactivity mediated by a possible perceptual defense is suggested.
Is it Really So Bad?
Authors: Wood Joanna , Hysong Sylvia J. , Lugg Desmond J. , Harm Deborah L.
Published: July 2003

This study examined the range of positive and negative themes reported by 104 Australian Antarctic winter personnel at four stations during two austral winters. Reports from the expeditioners were subjected to a content analysis using the TextSmart software from SPSS, Inc. Results indicated that, although the list of negative experiences is lengthy, most events are relatively rare. On the other hand, although the list of positive experiences is short, the frequencies with which they are reported are much greater than for most of the problems. Possible explanations for these themes and for future directions are discussed.
Psychological Impact of the Antarctic Winter on Indian Expeditioners
Authors: Bhargava R. , Mukerji S. , Sachdeva U.
Published: July 2003

The authors studied the psychological variables of 25 men who participated in the winter-over team of an Indian expedition to Antarctica for possible associations with seasonality and isolation. It was found that increased cigarette smoking was associated with the stress of the beginning of isolation (March), sleep difficulty was associated with midwinter (June), rapport was at a minimum at the point of maximum isolation in temporal terms (September), and decreased satisfaction with work and life situations was associated with continued isolation (December, January). The study suggested that variables postulated to affect performance undergo changes during the course of wintering over in Antarctica.
Stages of Change in Mood and Behavior During a Winter in Antarctica
Authors: Palinkas Lawrence A. , Houseal Matt
Published: July 2003

Seasonal variation in mood and behavior was examined in 87 American men and women who spent the 1991 austral winter at three different research stations in Antarctica. The South Pole station (90° S) crew reported a significant decline in tension/anxiety, depression, anger, confusion, and fatigue from March to August, followed by a significant increase in tension/anxiety and fatigue and a significant decline in vigor from August to October. The McMurdo station (78°51’S) crew also reported a significant decline in tension/anxiety from March to July and a significant increase in tension/anxiety from July to August. In contrast, the Palmer station (64°46’S) crew experienced no significant changes in any mood subscale from May to October. The nonlinear pattern of change in mood suggests that adaptation to prolonged isolation and confinement in an extreme environment occurs in two or three stages.
Psychological Adjustment during Three Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions
Authors: Weiss Karine , Suedfeld Peter , Steel G. Daniel , Tanaka Masafumi
Published: July 2003

This study investigates the individual characteristics of Japanese polar team members. Four sets of measures from the Polar Psychology Project Battery have been used in Asuka Station. These measures are thought to reflect adjustment and well-being. Data have been collected during 3 consecutive years. The psychological profile of the subjects was relatively stable, and comparable to the standard means of Western sojourners. The results show the subjects were generally high in stress resistance. However, an increase in the Planning Orientation score and a decrease in the Hardiness score appear at the end of the wintering-over. These modifications correspond to psychological changes linked to the approaching end of wintering-over.
Decoding Modern Architecture
Authors: Gifford Robert , Hine Donald W. , Muller-Clemm Werner , Reynolds D’Arcy J. , Shaw Kelly T.
Published: July 2003

The physical and affective bases of the differences between architects’ and laypersons’ aesthetic evaluations of building facades were examined. Fifty-nine objective features of 42 large modern office buildings were related to ratings of the buildings’ emotional impact and global aesthetic quality made by architects and laypersons. Both groups strongly based their global assessments on elicited pleasure (and not on elicited arousal), but the two groups based their emotional assessments on almost entirely different sets of objective building features, which may help to explain why the aesthetic evaluations of architects and lay persons are virtually unrelated.
Contextual Influences on Environmental Knowledge
Authors: Pierce John C. , Lovrich Nicholas P. , Dalton Russell J.
Published: July 2003

This article examines the degree to which citizens of four Russian cities and four American cities differ in their claimed knowledge of technical terms used in policy discussions about the consequences of nuclear weapons production in the two countries. The four cities are the host city, the downwinder city, the neighboring indigenous/minority towns, and a control city. The analysis thus compares cross-national patterns and cross-context patterns within nation. Americans claim to be better informed than do their Russian counterparts. In the United States in particular, the host city respondents claim to be better informed than do the other sets of citizens. In the United States, the contextual variable of living in the host city has a large and significant impact on claimed knowledge levels even after affective, cognitive, and background variables. In Russia, living in the indigenous/minority city has a small and significant independent impact on knowledge levels. Context has a bigger impact on opinions in the American samples than in the Russian respondents.
Endangered Community, Enduring People
Authors: Adeola Francis O.
Published: July 2003

This article presents the case history and empirical analyses of specific characteristics of communities facing serious health-threatening environmental conditions in the New Orleans metropolitan area (NOMA). The attitudes and perceptions of local residents concerning environmental quality and associated health problems are assessed. A survey was conducted to determine respondents’ viewpoints about environmental risks, related health problems, and the well-being and level of community satisfaction in communities with severe environmental burdens in NOMA. The impacts of polluting industries and an abandoned toxic waste site recently placed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List (NPL) are assessed. Among the findings, people in an NPL community exhibit different attitudinal, perceptual, and adaptive behavioral tendencies concerning the environment and health relative to their counterparts in non-NPL communities with benign environmental conditions. The respondents in an NPL community reported higher illnesses, lower community life satisfaction, and associate their somatic dysfunctions with poor environmental conditions.
Cultural Theory and Individual Perceptions of Environmental Risks
Authors: Steg Linda , Sievers Inge
Published: July 2003

Understanding differences in environmental risk perception and risk judgments might facilitate the development of effective environmental risk management strategies, including risk communication. Cultural theory holds that systematic individual differences exist in the perception of environmental risks based on four different myths of nature: nature benign, nature ephemeral, nature perverse/tolerant, and nature capricious. The myths of nature represent distinct perceptions toward environmental risks, which are assumed to be closely related to preferences for appropriate risk management strategies. The authors examined to what extent myths of nature are related to beliefs associated with problems of car use and preferences for strategies to manage these problems. As hypothesized, significant variations in perceptions, preferences, and policy evaluations were found among respondents favoring different myths of nature. Nature ephemeral was associated with a higher problem awareness and a more positive evaluation of policy measures, especially in comparison to nature benign.
Living on Polluted Soil
Authors: Matthies Ellen , Höger Rainer , Guski Rainer
Published: July 2003

The study evaluated stress-related complaints of residents living on contaminated ground. Two hundred and fifteen residents of an area that was contaminated by toxics of a former coking plant (toxins were benzo(a)pyrene, dicyclopentadi-ene, benzol, toluol, and xylol) were compared to a control group composed of 200 subjects living in an uncontaminated part of the same city. Data are based on a standardized interview concerning stress-related somatic and psychological symptoms and on exposure parameters. The residents of the contaminated area were also required to report their estimation of danger and trust in the city council’s managing of the redevelopment. The results show that the residents reported significantly more stress symptoms than the control group. In a stepwise regression analysis, symptoms turned out to be best predicted by cognitive variables. Exposure parameters were excluded from the regression model because they provided a comparatively small contribution to the explanation of variance.
Culture as a Determinant of Crime
Authors: Burns Ronald
Published: July 2003

Traditional cultural theories of crime have often overlooked the effects of environmental factors and their impact on human behavior. As such, the present research observes the effects of culture on dictating a society’s vulnerability to particular types of crime. In analyzing truck theft in various regions of the United States in relation to the proportions of trucks registered in these areas, suggestions are made regarding the ability of culture to determine criminality. Data collected from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Highway Administration generally suggest that truck theft is more likely to occur in Western and Southern regions of the country, areas where trucks are recognized as ingrained artifacts of their respective cultures.
The Role of Culture in Designing Environments for People with Dementia
Authors: Day Kristen , Cohen Uriel
Published: July 2003

Cultural heritage is an essential enduring aspect of self-identity for older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Culture may serve as a therapeutic barrier or as a therapeutic resource in caring for this population. Cultural heritage is currently underused as a therapeutic resource in environments for people with dementia and for other older adults. Accommodation of cultural heritage in these settings requires sensitive spatial organization and appointment of the physical environment to support culturally based activities and rituals. This article outlines key aspects of culture to be considered in designing for people with dementia including cultural group history and life experiences, assets, beliefs and values, caregiving practices, and activities and preferences. This frame-work for considering culture is applied to the design of hypothetical environments for older Russian Jewish immigrants in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in West Hollywood, California.
Place Attachment and Social Support at Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Authors: Sugihara Shiho , Evans Gary W.
Published: July 2003

Among the major prerequisites for successful transition to a retirement community are the development of attachment to place and the formation of strong social ties. The authors examined the role of physical features in a retirement community in fostering place attachment and socially supportive networks among a group of new residents. Elderly residents who lived in closer walking distance to the central activity building, who had smaller functional distances from their neighbors, and who shared nearby, enclosed, outdoor garden spaces felt more attached. Social support was positively associated with smaller functional distances and proximity to the central building.
Is Trust a Realistic Goal of Environmental Risk Communication?
Authors: Trettin Lillian , Musham Catherine
Published: July 2003

Environmental risk communication often fails in its efforts to overcome prevalent public distrust of government and industrial agencies. But, is achieving trust a realistic goal? The authors begin by reexamining definitions of the terms trust and credibility and summarizing recent assessments of the role trust plays in risk communication. On the basis of research conducted among people living near major nuclear power and hazardous waste storage facilities in rural South Carolina, they address whether trust, defined as uncritical emotional acceptance, is necessary for adequate risk communication. The authors propose that strategies of risk communication should focus not on building trust but on establishing procedures and standards that the public understands and accepts.
Mental Representation and the Spatial Structure of Virtual Environments
Authors: Belingard Loïc , Péruch Patrick
Published: July 2003

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the spatial structure of virtual environments on the mental representation that people form. Three groups of participants visited the locations of several objects in simulated environments that differed in aspects of their structure. After learning, the objects were removed, and participants were required to estimate their former positions in terms of angle of orientation and straight-line distances. Results indicated that the structure of the environment influences performance and suggested the use of different underlying mental representations: If the spatial structure does not obscure direct perception between locations, a procedural type of spatial representation may be sufficient; however, if the spatial structure prevents direct perception between locations, it is likely that people need to elaborate a configurational type of spatial representation. These results stress the importance of spatial structure in the acquisition and use of mental representations.
Homesickness among Foreign Employees of a Multinational High-Tech Company in the Netherlands
Authors: Eurelings-Bontekoe Elisabeth H. M. , Brouwers Evelien P. M. , Verschuur Margot J.
Published: July 2003

The relationship between homesickness, age, nationality, marital status, the amount of time spent in the Netherlands, and the amount of time spent abroad was studied in a group of employees ( N = 171) working for the Dutch division of a multinational high-tech company in the Netherlands. Variables found to be significantly related to homesickness were age, nationality, and the number of years spent abroad and in the Netherlands. The latter variable appeared to be the only independent predictor of homesickness. Results suggest it is not so much the newcomers who are at risk for developing homesickness but those employees in their late 30s living 6 to 8 years in a foreign country. Also, those coming from a culture and environment that differs considerably from the culture they actually have to work and live in are definitely far more at risk for developing homesickness than those coming from rather similar cultures.
Household Adjustment to Earthquake Hazard
Authors: Lindell Michael K. , Perry Ronald W.
Published: July 2003

Data from 23 studies confirm theoretical predictions that households’ adoption of earthquake hazard adjustments is correlated with their perceptions of the hazard and alternative adjustments, demographic characteristics, and social influences. However, some findings require modification of existing theories of hazard adjustment. Examination of the methods used in previous investigations underscores a need for better theories, more complete testing of existing theories, and improved data analytic and data reporting procedures in future tests of those theories.
The Relation between Being Away and Privacy in Urban Forest Recreation Environments
Authors: Hammitt William E.
Published: July 2003

There are many reasons for visiting nearby natural environments, including the opportunity to get away from everyday places and to go away to nearby natural places for moments of privacy in our lives. This study surveyed 422 visitors to four metroparks in Cleveland, Ohio, to investigate the construct of being away and its association with the desire, achievement, and functions of privacy during on-site visits. Results indicated that being away-from and being away-to are distinct concepts in the minds of visitors and that attributes of being away-to are more important than attributes of being away-from. The importance of the being away phenomenon had a significant association with visitors’ desire for privacy, the level of privacy achieved, and the functions that privacy served. It was concluded that when researching the privacy benefits (functions) of urban forest visitors, one also should investigate the role of being away on privacy desired and achieved and on functions served.
Tall Buildings and the Urban Skyline
Authors: Heath Tom , Smith Sandy G. , Lim Bill
Published: July 2003

Tall buildings are a significant feature of many urban skylines. The visual complexity of the tall buildings that make up the urban skyline can vary according to the degree of silhouette complexity and the extent to which the façade is articulated. This article reports a study in which 60 undergraduate psychology students ranked a set of 9 synthetic skylines according to either the perceived complexity of the skyline or their preference. The pleasure and arousal associated with each skyline was also measured using the Affect Grid. The strongest influence on preference, arousal, and pleasure was the degree of silhouette complexity, with higher silhouette complexity associated with higher levels of perceived complexity and preference and higher arousal and pleasure. Façade articulation only influenced the evaluations of skyline complexity, although this isolated finding may be due to the pretask training.
A Multinational Perspective on the Relation between Judeo-Christian Religious Beliefs and Attitudes of Environmental Concern
Authors: Schultz P. Wesley , Zelezny Lynnette , Dalrymple Nancy J.
Published: July 2003

Drawing on a recent multinational survey of environmental attitudes and behaviors, we examined the relation between religious beliefs and environmental concern. Measures included the revised New Environmental Paradigm (NEP), Thompson and Barton’s ecocentrism and anthropocentrism scales, a 12-item proenvironmental behavior scale, a measure of biblical literalism, and a measure of religious importance. Data are reported from 2,160 university students from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, the United States, and Venezuela. The data revealed a consistent pattern across countries. Respondents who expressed more literal beliefs in the Bible scored significantly lower on the NEP, lower on ecocentric environmental concerns, and higher on anthropocentric environmental concerns. No significant relation was found between biblical literalism and self-reported proenvironmental behavior.
An Exploration of Sense of Community and Fear of Crime in Gated Communities
Authors: Wilson-Doenges Georjeanna
Published: July 2003

As communities become more urbanized, there is concern about a decline in sense of community and an increase in fear of crime. Developers are creating gated communities to reverse this trend, but their success remains unknown. This research empirically addresses the issues of sense of community, crime, and fear of crime in a comparative study of two gated and two nongated communities with similar attributes. Mail surveys were conducted in both a gated and a nongated community in two contexts: public housing and high-income suburban communities. Results showed that high-income gated community residents reported a significantly lower sense of community, significantly higher perceived personal safety and comparative community safety, and no significant difference in actual crime rate as compared to their nongated counterparts. In the low-income communities, there were no significant differences between the gated and nongated communities on any of the measures. Implications of creating gated communities in different economic contexts are discussed.