bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the Reliability of Kolb's Revised Learning Style Inventory
Authors: Veres John G. , Sims Ronald R. , Locklear Toni S.
Published: March 2007

The format of Kolb's Revised Learning Style Inventory (LSI II) was modified to eliminate a probable response bias and to investigate the inventory's subsequent reliability and stability. While internal-consistency estimates for the modified instrument dropped as expected in an initial study, test-retest reliabilities and kappa coefficients increased dramatically. A second study replicated the results of the initial research. The increased stability of the modified version argues against dismissal of the LSI as an instrument for the study of learning styles.
Evidence of Convergent and Discriminant Validity in Three Measures of College Outcomes
Authors: Hendel Darwin D.
Published: March 2007

The present study examined the correlations among three measures of college outcomes: The College Outcome Measures Program, the Academic Profile, and the Defining Issues Test. Results indicated statistically significant ( p <.001) correlations among the three measures that ranged from r = .41 to r = .62. All three tests correlated more highly with admission test data (e.g., ACT- Composite, PSAT-M, and PSAT-V) than they did with indicators of experiences in college (e.g., college grade point average and student satisfaction). Evidence of convergent validity suggests that commonly used measures tap similar outcome dimensions, al- though support for discriminant validity is less clear.
Reliability and Validity of the Speed of Thinking Test
Authors: Carver Ronald P.
Published: March 2007

The Speed of Thinking Test (STT) has been developed as a measure of cognitive speed. Individuals must decide quickly whether pairs of letters, such as Ab or aA, have the same name. A group of 129 college students were administered this measure plus the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), the Accuracy Level Test (ALT), and the Rate Level Test (RLT). The reliability coefficient for the STT was .80, which was higher than the reliability coefficient for the Comprehension score on the Nelson Denny Reading Test, .68. The SPT correlated .26 with the Rate score on the NDRT, and .60 with the RLT. The STT appears to provide a reasonably reliable and valid method for measuring cognitive speed that may be used to diagnose whether individuals are reading at a rate commensurate with their thinking rate.
Construct and Criterion-Related Validity of the Adult-Attitudes toward Computers Survey for a Sample of Professional Nurses
Authors: Coover Dee , Delcourt Marcia A.B.
Published: March 2007

While the literature indicates that attitudes towards computers and associated technologies needs further investigation in health care environments, there is a lack of formal research directed towards determining how professional nurses view the impact of computers in their work setting. The purposes of this study were to locate a valid instrument for assessing nurses' attitudes toward computers and to examine nurses' attitudes in relation to selected variables. The Adult-Attitudes Toward Computers Survey (Adult-ATC Survey) was administered to a sample of 210 practicing nurses who also responded to questions regarding their background experiences, work setting, use of computers, and attitudes toward this technology. A principal factor analysis using oblique and varimax rotations produced a conceptually meaningful 2-factor solution with high alpha reliabilities. Correlations are reported between each of the demographic variables and the subscales of the Adult-ATC Survey. The results of this study support the use of this instrument with practicing nurses and corroborate the reported high reliability of the instrument.
A Combined Method of Indscal and Cognitive Mapping for Describing Changes in Students' Cognitive Structure
Authors: Roth Wolff-Michael , Gabel Dorothy , Brown Larry , Rice Diana
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative and quantitative technique for describing changes in the cognitive organization of science concepts. An individual difference model in multidimensional scaling and cognitive mapping were jointly used to describe temporal changes in students' conceptual framework and to describe changes in individual students' frameworks with respect to their peers and their instructor. The results from three studies show that the method (a) is sensitive to changes in student cognitive frameworks; (b) indicates no changes in either amount of knowledge or in their content organization for uninstructed students; (c) indicates shifts in students' cognitive frame works toward those of their instructor; and (d) distinguishes between individuals of varying expertise both quantitatively and qualitatively. The paper discusses the advantages of the technique and its application to the study of longitudinal changes in cognitive structure.
A Comparison of Personality Characteristics for Entering Freshmen, Persistors, and Norm Groups in Engineering
Authors: Brown Nina W. , Cross Ernest J.
Published: March 2007

A total of 129 entering freshmen in engineering and 85 persistors in engineering were administered the Adjective Checklist (ACL). Five scales on the ACL showed significant differences between freshmen and persistors and there were no significant differences between gender and black subgroups. The personality profiles of engineering freshmen and persistors in the study showed descriptions that were different from existing norm group descriptions of engineers and engineering students.
Cultural Literacy: A Concurrent Validation
Authors: Pentony Joseph F.
Published: March 2007

E. D. Hirsch's (1987) book Cultural Literacy has raised much interest and controversy over the construct of cultural literacy. It is the purpose of this investigation to evaluate the reliability and the validity of the Cultural Literacy Test. The test was administered to 150 college students. A split-half reliability coefficient of .93 was obtained. The test scores yielded a correlation of .59 with the Verbal SAT and .31 with grades in freshman English. No statistically significant correlation was obtained between scores and GPA. The Cultural Literacy Test did differentiate between the ability levels of freshman English. It was concluded that the reliability and validity of the construct and test of cultural literacy is supported.
The Academic Motivation Scale: A Measure of Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Amotivation in Education
Authors: Vallerand Robert J. , Pelletier Luc G. , Blais Marc R. , Briere Nathalie M. , Senecal Caroline , Vallieres Evelyne F.
Published: March 2007

A new measure of motivation toward education has been developed in French, namely the Echelle de Motivation en Education (EME). The EME is based on the tenets of self-determination theory and is composed of 28 items subdivided into seven sub-scales assessing three types of intrinsic motivation (intrinsic motivation to know, to accomplish things, and to experience stimulation), three types of extrinsic motivation (external, introjected, and identified regulation), and a motivation. The purpose of this investigation was to cross-culturally validate in English the EME. The EME was translated in English through appropriate methodological procedures and completed by university students. Results revealed that the English version of the scale renamed the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), has satisfactory levels of internal consistency (mean alpha value = .81) and temporal stability over a one-month period (mean test-retest correlation = .79). In addition, results of a confirmatory factor analysis (LISREL) confirmed the seven-factor structure of the AMS. Finally, gender differences obtained with the EME were basically replicated with the AMS. In sum, the present findings provide adequate support for the factorial validity and reliability of the AMS and support its use in educational research on motivation.
Orthogonal Polynomials for the Analysis of Trend
Authors: Berry Kenneth J.
Published: March 2007

A FORTRAN program for generating orthogonal polynomials for the analysis of trend is presented. The program computes orthogonal polynomials when sample sizes are unequal and/or treatment intervals are unequal.
A Facet Analysis Approach to Content and Construct Validity
Authors: Edmundson Elizabeth W. , Koch William R. , Silverman Stephen
Published: March 2007

The major purpose of the study was to demonstrate the utility of Guttman's facet analysis in serving as a methodological approach for instrument development and validation. A Likert-type survey for measuring college students' attitudes toward alcohol was the vehicle for the demonstration. Guttman's facet analysis was used to construct items according to a carefully designed mapping sentence which specified the basic attitude components of interest to the study. Namely, four basic facets were hypothesized to underlie students' attitudes toward alcohol use. Likert-type survey items were written to match all combinations of the elements of the hypothesized facets in an attempt to sample the content domain representatively. These efforts, as well as an interjudge agreement process, were undertaken to address issues of content and construct validity during instrument construction. The survey was administered to a sample of college students (n = 1049). The coefficient alpha reliability estimate was found to be .91. Subsequent multidimensional scaling analyses provided evidence in support of the four hypothesized facets measured by the instrument and thus its construct validity. The substantive findings related to students' attitudes toward alcohol are also discussed.
A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Study Examining the Dimensionality of the Raven'S Advanced Progressive Matrices
Authors: Arthur Winfred , Woehr David J.
Published: March 2007

The objective of the current study was to provide a direct comparison of two competing views of the underlying structure of the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM), a widely used test designed as a nonverbal measure of general cognitive ability (g). The first view postulates a two-factor model to explain the structure of the APM; and the second view, a single-factor model. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis suggest that a single-factor solution seems to be the best representation of the APM's structure. These findings are also consistent with the original development and intended use of the APM as a measure of a unidimensional construct.
Reliability of Comparably Wriften Two-Option Multiple-Choice and True-False Test Items
Authors: Hancock Gregory R. , Thiede Keith W. , Sax Gilbert , Michael William B.
Published: March 2007

This study compares two-option multiple-choice vocabulary test items with comparably written true-false test items. Results indicate that the multiple-choice format provides a significantly more reliable measure than the true-false format. Results further indicate that the true and false items do not appear to be measuring the same abilities. Potential strategies are discussed that an examinee may use for solving two-option multiple-choice and true-false test items in an effort to explain these results.
Job Applicant Similarity on Cognitive Ability, Vocational Interests, And Personality Characteristics: Do Similar Persons Choose Similar Jobs?
Authors: Lancaster Sandra J. , Colarelli Stephen M. , King Daniel W. , Beehr Terry A.
Published: March 2007

This study examines whether people who have similar cognitive ability, vocational interests, and personality characteristics choose similar jobs. Subjects were 139 job applicants at a private employment agency: 49 individuals applied for general laborer positions, 48 for bookkeeping positions, and 42 for secretarial positions. As expected, people who had similar cognitive ability and vocational interests chose similar jobs. Contrary to expectations, however, persons who shared similar personality characteristics did not choose similar jobs. The results suggest implications for personnel selection, attraction-selection theory, and applications of human resource management technologies.
Correction to a Correction Factor and Identification of Hypotheses for One-Way Anova from Summary Statistics
Authors: Finstuen Kenn , Nichols Steve , Hoffman Paul
Published: March 2007

Computation of a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) F ratio from descriptive statistics in the absence of raw data is corrected from two sources. Means associated with inferential statistical hypotheses are identified as estimable population parameters.
Testing the Underlying Structure of a Store Image Scale
Authors: Manolis Chris , Keep William W. , Joyce Mary L. , Lambert David R.
Published: March 2007

This research verified the underlying structure of retail store image. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test a store image scale based on the work of Zimmer and Golden and others. Findings revealed that the responses of subjects to three different retail image exemplars, comprising three between-subjects experimental conditions, were satisfactorily explained by a model specifying three image dimensions: (a) general (store) attributes, (b) appearance, and (c) salesperson/service. The three-factor measurement model is theoretically meaningful and demonstrated a high degree of invariance across the three samples.
A Sas/Iml Program for Applying the James Second-Order Test in Two-Factor Fixed-Effect Anova Models
Authors: Hsiung Tung-Hsing , Olejnik Stephen , Oshima T. C.
Published: March 2007

The SAS/IML computer program package performs the James second-order procedure in two-factor fixed-effect ANOVA models. Researchers can conveniently test main effects and interaction effects by applying the James second-order test, which can be applied regardless of the homogeneity restriction.
Modified Phi Correlation Coefficients for the Multivariate Analysis of Ordinally Scaled Variables
Authors: Hammond Sean M. , Lienert Gustav A.
Published: March 2007

The Pearson-Bravais correlation coefficient is the most widely used intervariable association index with multivariate analysis of underlying structure. However, it is a suboptimal coefficient when assumptions of multivariate normality are violated because of its tendency to become attenuated. A nonparametric class of intervariable association indexes is presented that follows the logic of point symmetry adjustment of the Pearsonian phi. This approach is extended to multipoint scales. These indexes may be shown to have useful Euclidean properties and to be attractive alternatives to the Pearson correlation coefficient for multivariate analyses.
Group Differences in Aptitude Factor Structure on the ASVAB
Authors: Ree Malcolm James , Carretta Thomas R.
Published: March 2007

Comparisons of aptitude factor structures were made in large, nationally representative samples of young Black, White, and Hispanic men and women who took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Confirmatory factor techniques imposing statistical constraints tested if the loadings of the tests were the same for sex and ethnic groups on a hierarchical general cognitive ability (g) factor and three residualized lower order factors, which included Verbal/Math, Technical Knowledge, and Speed. Tests that reflected content common in high school curricula, such as verbal and math, showed little sex or ethnic differences. The most outstanding difference was found between men and women on the loading of the Electronics Information test on g and on the lower order Technical Knowledge factor. In both cases, the loading was almost zero for females and moderate for males. Patterns in high school course enrollment by sex suggested the reason for the differences. Women are much less likely to enroll in courses emphasizing technical knowledge.
Validity Evidence for the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire in the Japanese Corporate Culture
Authors: White Marion M. , Parks Judi McLean , Gallagher Daniel G. , Tetrault Linda A. , Wakabayashi Mitsuru
Published: March 2007

This study examined the validity of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) as a measure of organizational commitment in the Japanese culture. Results of the LISREL analyses indicated that the 3-factor model was a better fit to the data than either the 1-factor or the 2-factor model. Overall, the results provide support for the cross-cultural applicability of the OCQ to Japanese workers.
Mathematics Anxiety and Achievement among Japanese Elementary School Students
Authors: Satake Eiki , Amato Philip P.
Published: March 2007

This study focused on the incidence, correlates, and effects of mathematics anxiety among Japanese children. A translation of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale for Elementary School Students (MARS-E) was completed by 154 fifth- and sixth-grade students. Factor analysis identified four dimensions of math anxiety, and factor scores were computed. Measures of correlation revealed a number of significant relationships between MARS-E scores and classroom achievement grades, gender, and class. Comparison of mean factor scores for each dimension and the three independent variables revealed significant differences among low, middle, and high achievers. Findings are compared with those of a study of American children, and methodological issues are discussed.
New Test Statistics for MANOVA/Descriptive Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Coombs William T. , Algina James
Published: March 2007

The univariate Brown-Forsythe test of 1974 and the multivariate two-sample Nel-van der Merwe test of 1986 are generalized to form five new multivariate alternatives to one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for use when dispersion matrices are heteroscedastic. Type I error rates for the Johansen test of 1980 and four of the five new test statistics were estimated using simulated data. Only conditions in which dispersion matrices were heterogeneous and sample sizes were unequal were included.In controlling Type I error rates, the four new multivariate generalizations gready outperformed the Johansen test.
Exploring the Effective Use of the Vocabulary/Block Design Short form with a Special School Population
Authors: Herrera-Graf Mercedes , Dipert Z. Jayne , Hinton Richard N.
Published: March 2007

The effectiveness of the Vocabulary/Block Design subtest combination (V/BD) as an estimate of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) full scale IQ with special education students in public school settings was explored. Students with academic and/or behavior problems were administered the standard WISC-III. Satisfactory correlations (.55-.90) were found between the resulting short form IQs and the full scale IQs. However, approximately one out of two of the students showed changes in intelligence classification level when the short form was used. The short form did not allow for precise estimation of full scale IQ. This study found that the V/BD dyad should not be used, even as a screening device, when placement for special education is at stake.
An Empirical Test of Roskam's Conjecture about the Interpretation of an ICC Parameter in Personality Inventories
Authors: Zumbo Bruno D. , Pope Gregory A. , Watson Jackie E. , Hubley Anita M.
Published: March 2007

Roskam conjectured in 1985 that a general interpretation can be made for the a-parameter (slope) in an item response theory (IRT) analysis of personality inventories. That is, Roskam suggested that steeper slopes (and hence higher item-total correlations in classical test theory) will be found with more concretely worded items, whereas lower slopes will be found with more abstractly worded items. The authors tested this conjecture using item-total correlations and both two- and three-parameter IRT models with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and were unable to support Roskam's proposed interpretation.
Reliability and Validity of Scores on Scales to Measure Managerlal Aspirations
Authors: Tharenou Phyllis , Terry Deborah J.
Published: March 2007

The present investigation assessed the reliability and validity of the scores of a subjective measure of desired aspirations and a behavioral measure of enacted aspirations. A sample of 5,655 employees was randomly split into two halves. Principal components analysis on Sample 1, followed by confirmatory factor analysis on Sample 2, confirmed the desired and enacted scales as distinct but related measures of managerial aspirations. The desired and enacted scales had satisfactory levels of internal consistency and temporal stability over a 1-year period. Relationships between the measures of desired and enacted managerial aspirations and both attitudinal and behavioral criteria, measured concurrently and I year later, provided preliminary support for convergent and discriminant validity for our sample. Desired aspirations demonstrated stronger validity than enacted aspirations. Although further examination of the psychometric properties of the scales is warranted, the present findings provide promising support for their validity and reliability for our sample.
Is there a Relationship between Class Size and Student Ratings of Teaching Quality?
Authors: Fernández Juan , Mateo Miguel A. , Muniz Jose
Published: March 2007

The relationship between class size and student evaluation of university teaching quality was analyzed. Data from 2,915 university classrooms were collected in classes ranging from 1 to 234 students. Results strongly support conclusions that (a) there is a weak relationship between class size and student ratings of teaching quality, when both statistical significance and effect size are taken into account; and (b) the relationship is a nonlinear one, whose shape is basically determined by the range of class size and the number of different values selected. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.
Reliability and Validity of Scores on the Personal Preferences Self-Description Questionnaire (PPSDQ)
Authors: Kier Frederick J. , Melancon Janet G. , Thompson Bruce
Published: March 2007

The present study was conducted to investigate the reliability and the construct validity of scores on the Personal Preferences Self-Description Questionnaire (PPSDQ), a measure of Jungian types developed by the last author. Classical psychometric analyses of data from 641 participants were supportive of a view that the instrument has reasonable properties; these analyses included item and alpha analyses and both oblique and orthogonal exploratory factor analyses. The divergent validity of PPSDQ scale scores was also investigated.
A Piagetian Scale for the Measurement of Ethical Competence in Politics
Authors: Kavathatzopoulos Iordanis , Rigas Georgios
Published: March 2007

Politicians' ethical competence is defined as the use of a cognitive ability, independent of particular political, ideological, or moral values. Accordingly, an assessment instrument-the Ethical Competence Questionnaire-Political (ECQ-P)-measuring ethical autonomy was constructed, based on Piaget's theory of moral development. The administration of ECQ-P to politicians with a high degree of political engagement, and on ordinary citizens and simple party members, demonstrated satisfying psychometric properties. The former group obtained a higher score on ECQ-P. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that the measurement model is compatible with the data. These findings indicate the adequacy of ECQ-P as an instrument measuring ethical competence.
Development and Score Validation of a Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Instrument (Clai) for College Chemistry Students
Authors: Bowen Craig W.
Published: March 2007

The present study reports the development and score validation of an instrument for measuring anxieties students experience in college chemistry laboratories. Factor analytic evidence from an initial sample ( n = 361) of college chemistry students shows the Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Instrument (CLAI) measures five constructs: working with chemicals, using equipment and procedures, collecting data, working with other students, and having adequate time. Additional analyses with a second sample ( n = 598) show that scores on these anxiety constructs are internally consistent, with Cronbach’s alphas ranging from 0.73 to 0.88. The study also provides suggestions for uses of the instrument in instructional experiments to enhance learning.
Convenience and Frequency of Recycling
Authors: Domina Tanya , Koch Kathryn
Published: March 2007

This research investigated the effect of convenience on recycling frequency and variables that could be used as indicators in the prediction of recycling behavior as a basis for including textiles in curbside recycling programs. Results clearly indicated that access to curbside recycling significantly affected the amount and variety of materials recycled. Logistic regression results pointed to the variables of access, shopping behaviors, age, family size, and income as significant predictors of recycling activity, regardless of how recycling activity was defined. Despite reduced access to textile recycling opportunities, textile recycling overall was still high. The authors concluded that households with high recycling activity could be identified and targeted for extending curbside recycling programs to include textiles. To continue to reduce the amount of solid waste that is diverted to landfills, curbside recycling programs must be extended to include a greater diversity of postconsumer waste products such as textiles and apparel.
The Effects of a Social Learning Experiment on Attitudes and Behavior toward Environmental Conservation
Authors: Horsley A. Doyne
Published: March 2007

This investigation studied the general relationship of expressed attitude and overt behavior by applying an attitude and behavior change model, social learning theory, to issues and activities of environmental conservation. The research question tested was: will a "change-agent role-playing" social learning treatment have a significant positive effect on college geography students' attitude and/or behavior toward a sample of environmental conservation issues? With the experimental design and controls applied in this study, it was concluded that behavior over a ten-week period was changed positively. Social learning theory has postulated that once a new behavior has been established it was translatable to other issues. For affectively oriented instruction this postulation would be very useful if new positive behavior toward the environment would also enhance behavioral patterns toward other social issues learned and discussed in the public school classroom.
Environmental Concern
Authors: Weigel Russell , Weigel Joan
Published: March 2007

This paper reports the results of several independent investigations of the reliability and validity of the Environmental Concern Scale, a 16-item Likert scale assessing respondents' concerns about conservation and pollution issues. The scale exhibited both satisfactory internal consistency on samples drawn from a Western city and a New England town (Cronbach's alpha?.85, Scott's Homogeneity Ratio >.26) and satisfactory stability over a six-week test-retest interval (r = .83, p <.001). Validity data was collected in two separate studies. A known-groups comparison indicated that Sierra Club members exhibited greater concern (p < .001) and were more homogeneous (p <.02) in their environmental attitudes than a random sample of adults. The second study involved an elaborate behavioral follow-up of 44 subjects who had previously completed the attitude measure. Scores reflecting the degree of participation in a variety of ecologically relevant projects over an eight-month period were combined to form a reasonably comprehensive environmental behavior index. The correlation between scores on this index and scores on the attitude scale was quite strong (r = .62, p <.001). The potential utility of the Environmental Concern Scale for future research is discussed.
Newspaper Recycling
Authors: Luyben Paul D. , Bailey Jon S.
Published: March 2007

Newspaper recycling, if widely practiced, could contribute to the conservation of natural resources and energy. Two experiments using multiple baseline designs with reversals were conducted to investigate the effects of two procedures-rewards and the proximity of recycling containers-on the amount of newspaper recycled. Baseline consisted of placing recycling container in each of four mobile home parks. In the reward condition, children earned toys for recycling newspaper in two parks; in the proximity condition, six additional recycling containers were made available in the other two parks. The reward condition produced a 92% average increase over baseline while the proximity condition produced a 52% average increase in newspaper recycled.
Environmental Evaluation Research
Authors: Knight R. Christopher , Campbell David E.
Published: March 2007

Evaluation research in general, and the evaluation of built environments in particular, is fundamentally a political activity. Political issues are engaged largely within the context of selecting the criteria of success by which a built environment or social program will be judged. It is further argued that the standard evaluator roles and procedures in establishing criteria are inherently conservative. As professionals, we regularly endorse and support the power and position of the status quo. An alternative role for evaluators is suggested, one that offers the possibility of a progressive or radical perspective on social relationships. Some of the difficult requirements of a more radical or instigative evaluator role are outlined.
Changing Evaluations of Flood Plain Hazard
Authors: Payne Robert J. , Pigram John J.
Published: March 2007

Floods can never be eliminated completely and so long as flood plains are used for economic activities and residential purposes, property damage will ensue. Occupants and other active agencies on the flood plain of the Hunter River Valley, Australia, exhibit a high degree of awareness of the dangers associated with floods. However, changing assessment of the hazard and reevaluation of social and environmental circumstances in the valley have led to a greater dependence on large-scale engineering works for flood protection.
Natural Versus Urban Scenes
Authors: Ulrich Roger S.
Published: March 2007

Subjects viewed sixty color slides of either (1) nature with water, (2) nature dominated by vegetation, or (3) urban environments without water or vegetation. The information rates of the three slide samples were equivalent. Measurements were taken of the effects of the slide presentations on alpha amplitude, heart rate, and emotional states. Results revealed several significant differences as a function of environment, which together indicate that the two categories of nature views had more positive influences on psychophysiological states than the urban scenes. Alpha was significantly higher during the vegetation as opposed to urban slides; similarly, alpha was higher on the average when subjects viewed water rather than urban content. There was also a consistent pattern for nature, especially water, to have more positive influences on emotional states. A salient finding was that water, and to a lesser extent vegetation views, held attention and interest more effectively than the urban scenes. Implications of the findings for theory development in environmental aesthetics are discussed.
Understanding School Behavior Disruption
Authors: Wiatrowski Michael D. , Gottfredson Gary , Roberts Mary
Published: March 2007

In this article the relationship of school environments to school disruption is examined. An environmental typology developed by Moos and Insel is adapted to measure how school environments vary and those dimensions are found to contribute to the amount of disruption in junior and senior high schools.
Effects of Reduced Stimulation on Divergent and Convergent Thinking
Authors: Suedfeld Peter , Landon P. Bruce , Ballard Elizabeth J.
Published: March 2007

Drastic stimulus reduction has been shown to improve performance on easy, simple, cognitive tasks. Its effects on tasks that are higher in either difficulty or complexity are less well known. In the current study, ten volunteers spent 24 hours in a dark, silent chamber while ten others were confined without stimulus reduction. At the end of 24 hours, the subjects were given five of Guilford's Tests of Divergent Thinking, and two measures of performance on convergent but difficult problems. Compared to the control group, the restricted subjects showed some performance deterioration on the divergent tasks, although the impairment did not reach the dramatic levels reported in the early sensory deprivation literature. The pattern of results indicated that the effects of stimulus reduction on cognitive processes are mediated by task complexity rather than task difficulty.
Seeing Is Behaving
Authors: Baker Paul Morgan
Published: March 2007

The "Steinzor effect" has been studied for 30 years, but the effect of visibility on interaction has escaped precise theoretical and empirical analysis. The purpose of this article is to present more precise measures of visibility, and to test some hypotheses about its effect on participation in small groups. The role of visibility in small group interaction is discussed, and then some operational definitions of various dimensions of visibility are made. Several hypotheses are tested, and data from an earlier study reanalyzed. In all cases, behavioral data on interaction were obtained by systematic observation of the groups. The results give clear support for the basic hypothesis that visibility has a direct impact on participation: overall, correlations were above .40 in the settings studied.
Effects of School Architectural Design on Student and Teacher Anxiety
Authors: Cotterell John L.
Published: March 2007

This study used student diaries of events at the point of entry into junior high school to identify three categories of anxiety, which were analyzed in terms of the differences in student personality (conceptual level) and in school design (open plan or conventional). In addition, follow-up observations were made of student and teacher behavior in class. The study found that students in open plan schools had lower levels of normlessness, and higher levels of schoolwork anxiety, than their counterparts in conventional design schools. For the anxiety category, threat from others, low conceptual level (CL) students experienced greater anxiety than high CL students. Results of the observations of teachers suggested that those in open plan schools experienced more tension and anxiety than those in conventional schools. In the open plan classrooms, transitions to new activities were more frequently needed and were more prolonged, and student off-task behavior was greater. Results were interpreted in terms of the effects of environmental load on information processing.
Environmental Perception Rating Scales
Authors: Schroeder Herbert W.
Published: March 2007

Environmental perception researchers frequently use rating scales to measure perceptions of environments. Using data from diverse environmental rating tasks, this study compares the scale values and the intergroup reliability obtained by several different scaling methods. The particular method used to combine ratings influenced neither the scale values nor the reliability of the scale-a simple mean rating produced results almost identical to more complicated scaling methods. We also found that for a wide range of subjective rating tasks, acceptable intergroup reliability can be achieved with small groups. These results may help researchers design more cost effective studies of environmental perception.
Assignment of Responsibility and Flood Hazard in Catahoula County, Louisiana
Authors: De Man Anton , Simpson-Housley Paul , Curtis Fred
Published: March 2007

This exploratory study tested the proposition that the worse the consequences of a geophysical event, the greater the tendency of observers to assign responsibility for the disaster to some appropriate person. More specifically, the investigation tested the hypothesis that a fictitious official in charge of levee maintenance would be assigned increasing responsibility for a riverine flooding as its severity increased. Results were in line with the hypothesis, but for women only. Subsequent analyses of alternative variables suggested that in men assignment of responsibility is related to the degree to which the subjects were certain that the official had performed his job, rather than to severity of consequences.
Social Cohesiveness, Territoriality, and Holiday Decorations
Authors: Brown Barbara B. , Werner Carol M.
Published: March 2007

Altman's territoriality theory was used as a framework for examining neighborhood attachment. We hypothesized that attachment would be manifested in interrelated patterns of neighboring behaviors, attitudes indicating that the block was a secondary territory, and individual and communal displays of holiday decorations. Design features of cul-de-sacs were hypothesized to contribute to greater degrees of block attachment on cul-de-sacs than on through streets. Attachment was assessed through interviews with female residents and observations of holiday decorations on the target home and its block at Halloween and Christmas. Analyses indicated that attitudes and behaviors did combine to reflect degrees of neighborhood attachment, and neighborhood ties were stronger on cul-de-sacs than on through streets. Decorating at both Halloween and Christmas tended to be a block phenomenon (if the target home was decorated, so were the neighbors' homes); decorating at each time was related to aspects of neighborhood attachment. The results indicated that attachment can be a multilevel phenomenon that is related to the street's environmental design. The influence of street form is discussed as a facilitator rather than a cause of attachment.
The Defensible Space Concept
Authors: Moran Rosalyn , Dolphin Ciaran
Published: March 2007

This study develops a comprehensive operationalization of the defensible space concept (Newman, 1972). A total of 11 indicators of defensible space were developed that take the contextual reality of the person-environment relationship into account. Then 23 telephone kiosks in Dublin city, Ireland, were rated on these indicators. A SSA-1 analysis of the structure of these indicators defined two distinct environmental contexts in which kiosks were located-public and semipublic environments. Subsequent analyses of the structure of the indicators within these environments demonstrated that the meaning of indicators is inextricably bound to the environmental context of which they are part. These findings helped to clarify contradictory findings in the literature regarding the defensive role of some indicators and suggest that definition of environmental contexts is a prerequisite to prediction of crime or vandalism occurrence.
Remembering Changes in Direction
Authors: Sadalla Edward K. , Montello Daniel R.
Published: March 2007

Memory forturns of varying angularity encountered during pathway traversal was examined in a within-subjects design. Subjects walked eleven 8.3 m pathways, each containing one turn ranging in size from 150 to 1650 from the direction of forward motion. After each pathway traversalubjects were required to estimate the angle traversed, point to the original direction of travel, and point to the start of the pathway. Results indicated that paths containing angles near 00, 900, and 1800 from the direction of forward motion were the least disorienting and were most accurately remembered. Errors increased as angles diverged from these orthogonal coordinates. The data also revealed a pervasive tendency to estimate all angles as more like 900 than they actually were. Results were discussed in terms of hypothesized orthogonal reference axes that move through space with the observer.
Inside Windows
Authors: Biner Paul M. , Butler Darrell L. , Winsted Donald E.
Published: March 2007

People prefer to have windows in many spaces. However, there are spaces such as the interior of large buildings where it is not possible to have windows. In some of these situations, people could have `inside windows," that is, windows to another inside space rather than to the outside. Two studies investigated the desirability of inside windows. In the first study, 35 full-time secretaries and 205 students completed a questionnaire about both the desirability of inside windows in a number of situations and the effects of inside windows. Results indicated that inside windows were generally desirable. Secretaries rated inside windows as slightly less desirable than did students. Judgments concerning the effects of inside windows suggested that secretaries may have lower preferences because they tend to focus on the negative effects of inside windows relative to students. There were two settings for which secretaries and students were similar: the office and the library. In the second study, preferred sizes of inside windows were obtained using a model of an office. The 36 subjects indicated that inside windows were generally preferred, but were smaller than conventional windows for comparable spaces. The desire for inside windows, and their size, was greater if the space being viewed had a conventional window.
Fear of Crime in Relation to Three Exterior Site Features
Authors: Fisher Bonnie S. , Nasar Jack L.
Published: March 2007

This article examines fear of crime in relation to exterior site features on a college campus. The authors propose and test a theoretical model that posits that places that afford offenders refuge, and victims limited prospect and escape, will be seen as unsafe. In three studies, the authors observed behavior, obtained responses to site plans and on-site responses to perceptions of safety in relation to exterior campus areas that varied in prospect, refuge, and escape. The findings confirmed that fear of crime was highest in areas with refuge for potential offenders and low prospect and escape for potential victims. In places such as campuses, which have pronounced fear of crime, designs that manipulate prospect, refuge, and escape could reduce the fear of crime, as well as opportunities for crime.
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Preferences for Landscape Styles and Landscape Elements
Authors: Yang Byoung-E , Brown Terry J.
Published: March 2007

Visual preferences for various landscapes have been of long-standing interest to researchers. However, the direct relationship of landscape style with preference as well as cross-cultural comparison of preferences between Western and non-Western groups has received little attention. Three aspects of this problem are addressed in this study. First, the characteristics of preferences for three landscape styles, namely, Korean, Japanese, and Western are presented. Second, characteristics of preferences for three landscape elements-water, vegetation, and rock-are analyzed. Finally, a photo-questionnaire was used to make cross-cultural comparisons of preferences between a Korean group and a Western tourist group. It was found that regardless of cultural differences, both Japanese landscape style and the landscape element water were most preferred by both Koreans and Western tourists. For the Koreans, Western landscape style was more preferred than their own Korean landscape style whereas Korean landscape style is more preferred by Western tourists. The results point to both landscape style and landscape elements as the influencing factors on landscape preference, regardless of cultural differences, and there are both differences and similarities in preferences between Korean and Western groups.
Symbolism in Building Materials
Authors: Sadalla Edward K. , Sheets Virgil L.
Published: March 2007

The symbolic significance of building materials was used as a vehicle to explore theoretical issues pertaining to environmental symbolism. Four studies assessed the meaning and social symbolism inherent in six construction materials: brick, concrete block, weathered wood, stucco, flagstone, and wooden shingles. Data from the first two studies supported a symbolic interactionist analysis of material symbolism. The presence of different materials on the exterior of homes conveyed information about the social identity of the homeowner on three orthogonal dimensions: creative expression, interpersonal style, and social class. The final two studies explored cognitive mechanisms underpinning such symbolism. Results indicated that each building material was associated with a unique character or "personality" that became attributed to the homeowner only when the homeowner actively chose the material. Building materials may be regarded as having both intrinsic meanings and culturally relative meanings that homeowners employ in the process of defining social identity.
Critical Review of Behavioral Interventions to Preserve the Environment
Authors: Dwyer Wiluam O. , Leeming Frank C. , Cobern Melissa K , Porter Bryan E. , Jackson John Mark
Published: March 2007

This review integrates and evaluates the environmental-preservation research published during the 1980s. The focus is environmental behavior change as targeted by behavior analysts and others designing interventions to encourage environmental-preservation behavior. A modified taxonomy of behavioral interventions, based on a taxonomy presented by Geller et al., categorizes these reported interventions by antecedent and consequence conditions. Fifty-four studies were categorized and evaluated according to which of these taxonomic interventions were reported. The conclusions were that (a) antecedent conditions using commitment, demonstration, and goal-setting strategies were generally most effective in encouraging environmentally responsible behavior, and (b) consequence conditions were effective in producing behavior change during the experiment's duration. However, some other important findings were that (a) much of the research in this field during the 1980s did not directly compare interventions, (b) few meaningful follow-up measures were reported, and those evaluations that included follow-up assessment showed little maintenance of the behavior changes, and (c) many potentially effective intervention strategies have been ignored (i.e., group interventions and penalties). Suggestions for future directions of research to produce and maintain environmental-preservation behaviors are offered.
The Spotted Owl Controversy and the Sustainability of Rural Communities in the Pacific Northwest
Authors: Levi Daniel , Kocher Sara
Published: March 2007

The viability of rural logging communities in the Northwest is threatened. Even with sustainable forest management, financial and technological changes are decreasing the employment opportunities in rural communities. The contribution of the logging industry to local economies has been decreasing due to timber competition from other regions, technological change, and the spotted owl controversy. This study reports on the attitudes of people involved in the economic development of the rural Northwest who attended regional economic development conferences held in 1991 and 1992. The participants at each conference rated the economic situation of the region as poor, and primarily blamed federal regulations for their current economic problems. They recognized the need to develop a diversified rural economy and believed the region's greatest economic assets were its environmental quality and quality of life. Attendance at the first regional economic development conference resulted in short-term improvement in attitudes about the future of the rural areas.