bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumerism and U.S. Study Abroad
Authors: Bolen Mell
Published: March 2007

This article combines U.S. higher education history, consumer theories, and study abroad practices and policies to explore the effects of consumerism on American study abroad. Consumer theory states that in consumerist ideology, identity formation and the meaning of life are to be found in the buying of prepackaged experiences. Higher education became one of these experiences in the 1970s with increased federal funding and the accompanying growth to a mass market. This mass market helped change the ideology of higher education. Study abroad commercialization in the 1990s has paralleled U.S. higher education commodification; therefore, this history provides insights into the implications of this process for study abroad. The implications include changes in student attitudes, governmental policies, international education practices, and advertising methods. This article describes the potential advantages and disadvantages of these changes to study abroad.
Substantive Positivism and the Idea of Crime
Authors: HIRSCHI TRAVIS , GOTTFREDSON MICHAEL
Published: March 2007

Efforts to construct theories of crime consistent with a priori principles typically prove unsatisfactory. Awareness of this fact led the early positivists to reject choice theories in favor of discipline-specific theories tested by examination of correlations among directly measurable variables. Today, disciplinary theories of crime rely more on a priori principles than those theories they were designed to replace. This article critiques these principles and contrasts them with principles derived from a substantive theory of crime based on the idea of restraint. The contrast between positivistic and restraint theories is illustrated by comparing their positions on the following issues: (1) whether to begin with the presuppositions of one or another of the established disciplines; (2) whether to assume that the causes of a phenomenon require that it occur; (3) whether to assume that the characteristics of acts or events are relevant to or implicated in their causation; (4) whether behaviorally different acts and events may be homogeneous with respect to causation; and (5) whether causes or explanations common to all acts or events must enter the explanation of particular acts or events. These questions are examined in light of their consequences for criminological theory and research. In all cases, restraint or choice theory is more likely to produce conclusions consistent with the evidence.
Processes of Collective Political Action
Authors: OPP KARL-DIETER
Published: March 2007

This article presents a new model that explains how collective political action develops over time under different structural conditions and given institutional settings. Two kinds of actors are distinguished: (a) The representatives of the state are endowed with the power to provide a certain public good and to impose costs on citizens by means of repressive action. The state's representatives aim at gaining a certain amount of support from the citizens and regard collective political action as a disturbance of their activities. (b) Citizens use collective political action to pressure the state to provide a public good. Each citizen is faced with specific incentives for collective political action. Proceeding from certain distributions of the incentives in a collective, processes of collective political action are evoked by a critical event (e.g., a nuclear reactor incident). Computer simulations are used to explore the implications of the model for three generated data sets. In a normal and a rectangular distribution, initial collective political action decreases so that the public good is not provided. Only in a u-shaped distribution does a large extent of collective political action emerge so that a partial provision of the public good ensues.
Explaining Gender Stratification and Inequality in the Workplace and the Household
Authors: BIELBY DENISE D.
Published: March 2007

Dissatisfied by existing theoretical explanations of gender inequality in the labor market, Fiorentine and Brines argue for incorporating gender-based symbolic-normative structures as consequential for gender stratification. Fiorentine incorporates norm-based gender differences in occupational choice as determinants of gender stratification but largely fails in his effort to incorporate the concepts of agency and equity as the means by which inequality persists. Brines challenges the logic of a gender-neutral exchange in the division of household labor and succeeds in distilling evidence of how beliefs about gender are the currency of symbolic exchange between domestic partners. Although differentially successful in their efforts, both works recognize the importance of seeking gender-based cultural explanations of gender stratification.
INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR AND COLLECTIVE ACTION TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT:
Authors: Hess Samuel
Published: March 2007

Environmental policy-making is often based on simple neoclassical economic models where human beings are treated in isolation from each other. In these models of atomized individual behaviour, the explicit consideration of social norms is ruled out. As a contribution to bridging the gap between simple economic theory and empirical evidence this paper re-interprets the `social customs' approach, which was developed in the context of the labour market, and examines whether it is an adequate framework for explaining recycling behaviour of households. It assumes the existence of a particular social norm, plus a sensitivity of actors to their relative social standing dependent on perceived conformity to that norm. These assumptions are shown to partly offset purely economic parameters, which, by themselves, could prevent voluntary collective action towards the provision of a public good, such as environmental quality. The approach helps explain why individuals contribute to the provision of such a good and thus offers a partial escape from the free-rider problem. Nevertheless, this paper stresses that purely economic motives are important and should be addressed by policy-makers together with social motives.
EVOLUTIONARY STABILITY OF INEQUALITY STRUCTURES
Authors: Ponti Giovanni , Seymour Robert M.
Published: March 2007

This paper studies the evolution of a population whose members compare their relative income to coordinate actions in a simple bargaining game. Two alternative customs are considered: one in which difference in income (i.e. difference in social class) is large enough to justify difference in behavior, and another in which difference in income is perceived as not sufficient to justify a difference in behavior. Although we constrain agents to these bargaining strategies, reference class boundaries are subjectively determined. Our model yields the following conclusions. If individuals form fixed, unambiguous images of their position in the social structure, then social inequality will eventually disappear, as the income of each individual converges to a uniform level. On the other hand, if social images vary from individual to individual (and evolve through some learning process), then social inequality may persist, with class consciousness (i.e. narrower subjective class boundaries) being most pronounced in those who occupy the extreme positions (either very rich or very poor) of the social ranking.
FORMAL MODELS OF AUTHORITY
Authors: Zambrano Eduardo
Published: March 2007

Talcot Parsons suggested in 1963 that there are basically three kinds of authority: utilitarian authority, coercive authority, and persuasive authority. In this paper, I show that the models developed by Gibbons and Rutten (1997), Hirshleifer (1991), Skaperdas (1992), Akerlof (1976) and Basu (1986) can be viewed as models where issues such as authority, power, influence and ideology, in the sense of Parsons, can be formally discussed. I also show the existence of an interesting difficulty in providing a contractarian interpretation of the State under the Parsonian view of governmental authority discussed in this paper.
Using Focus Groups to Evaluate and Strengthen Public Health Nursing Population-Focused Interventions
Authors: Kaiser Margaret M. , Barry Teresa L. , Kaiser Katherine Laux
Published: March 2007

Nebraska Health Connection Access Medicaid’s(NHC AM) public health nursing (PHN) population-focused practice model is designed to provide enrollment, education, and PHN case management interventions for the Medicaid Managed Care population. Evaluation and continuous improvement of these interventions are, in part, completed through a collaborative effort between NHC AM and a quality management team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing. Focus group methodology was used to access non-English-speaking populations to evaluate and strengthen population-focused PHN interventions.
Big Changes in the Indian Health Service: Are Nurses Aware?
Authors: Holkup Patricia A.
Published: March 2007

Unparalleled challenges currently face the Native American health care system. These challenges are a result of several factors, including (a) external pressures to reduce the overall cost of health care in the United States, (b) increased assumption of responsibility for delivery of health care by tribal governments, (c) decreased direct supervision by the Indian Health Service (IHS), (d) insufficient funding for Indian health care, and (e) increased interest of managed care to contract with tribal service units for health care. This article explores the opportunities and challenges facing Native American health care delivery and examines nursing policy issues pertinent to the current state of the IHS.
The Cummins Model: A Framework for Teaching Nursing Students for Whom English is a Second Language
Authors: Abriam-Yago Katherine , Yoder Marian , Kataoka-Yahiro Merle
Published: March 2007

The health care system requires nurses with the language ability and the cultural knowledge to meet the health care needs of ethnic minority immigrants. The recruitment, admission, retention, and graduation of English as a Second Language (ESL) students are essential to provide the workforce to meet the demands of the multicultural community. Yet, ESL students possess language difficulties that affect their academic achievement in nursing programs. The application of the Cummins Model of language proficiency is discussed. The Cummins Model provides a framework for nursing faculty to develop educational support that meets the learning needs of ESL students.
Criminology and the Eye of the Spirit
Authors: GIBBS JOHN J. , GIEVER DENNIS , POBER KENNETH A.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to introduce the thoughts of Ken Wilber to the disciplines of criminology and criminal justice. There are two central messages from the work of Wilber that are emphasized in this article. The first message is that the current view of most phenomena, including crime and justice, is imbalanced or skewed toward focusing on exterior aspects. Interior components like awareness, intention, and meaning get the short shrift in contemporary descriptive and explanatory models. The second message is that there are levels of understanding beyond those reflected in our contemporary models and that there are methods that make these advanced levels accessible.
The Impact of a Juvenile Residential Treatment Center on Minority Offenders
Authors: GORDON JILL A. , MORIARTY LAURA J. , GRANT PATRICIA H.
Published: March 2007

This study compares postrelease behavior of youth released from a residential treatment center to a similar group of youth discharged from traditional juvenile institutions. The hypotheses tested are (a) non-White youth are more likely to be reconvicted of a new offense and recommitted than are White youth regardless of the type of facility, (b) non-White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than are non-White comparison youth, and (c) White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than a comparison group of White youth. Regardless of race, the residential treatment group has a lower percentage of reconvictions and recommitments than the comparison group. Minority offenders in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted or recommitted than minority offenders in the comparison group. These findings have implications for future correctional endeavors.
Crime, Punishment, and Social Structures of Accumulation
Authors: MICHALOWSKI RAYMOND J. , CARLSON SUSAN M.
Published: March 2007

The political-economic processes subsumed under the term globalization are remaking nearly every facet of social life, including patterns of crime and justice. Nevertheless, most criminological theory focuses on the etiology of individual crime causation or on failures in local-level institutions, giving little attention to the role of larger-scale sociological forces. The authors propose that there is a need to develop theoretical and methodological strategies that can capture the impact of structural change on patterns of crime and justice. The authors suggest that social structure of accumulation theory offers a useful model for incorporating current macro-social changes into theory and research in criminology. To substantiate this argument, the authors offer a detailed exploration of how changes in labor regimes and related shifts in the balance of placative versus repressive control strategies played key roles in shaping crime problems and patterns of justice in the 20th century.
The Drug Court as a Sentencing Model
Authors: KASSEBAUM GENE , OKAMOTO DUANE K.
Published: March 2007

The sentencing model of the drug court puts a single judge into repeated contact with defendants under supervision. The drug court sentencing model, first, provides court monitoring and immediate, tangible punitive consequences for noncompliance with program requirements and, second, offers a strongly supportive group that provides a range of treatment options with which the defendant must be involved. Data in this article are from (a) a database developed on cases accepted or rejected by the drug court, (b) interviews with treatment providers, and (c) interviews with judges and administrators and attendance at court hearings and drug court graduation ceremonies. The article presents data on the conduct of the drug court judge and completion and attrition rates in the program, and it concludes that the activist judge role is the pivotal feature of the drug court.
Organizing the Underground NAFTA
Authors: O'DAY PATRICK , LÓPEZ ANGELINA
Published: March 2007

Much has been written about the traffic in illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants from Mexico to the United States. This article deals with the other side of the coin: the traffic in contraband merchandise from the United States to Mexico. Its similarity to the drug trade is explored: It satisfies a short-term need in a part of Mexican society while at the same time being detrimental to the society as a whole. One difference between the drug trade and la industria fayuquera is the fact that whereas Mexico is rather discreet in terms of its role as a provider of drugs for the U.S. market, the role of the United States in providing contraband merchandise for the Mexican market is as open and aboveboard as the Chamber of Commerce itself. Finally, the role of the arreglo1 in terms of rationalizing the industry is discussed by analyzing what happens when the arreglo, at least partially, breaks down.
Rural Courts in Alaska : Keeping Peace- The Melding of Western and Native Values and Procedures
Authors: Rieger Lisa
Published: March 2007

This article explores the melding of traditional Native and western values in rural state magistrate courts and village tribal courts. Whether Native personnel function in the state system or in tribal courts based on western models, "peacekeeping" techniques consonant with Native values manage disputes in small community settings.
Active Control of a Flexible Structure Using a Modal Positive Position Feedback Controller
Authors: Poh S. , Baz A.
Published: March 2007

This study demonstrates the feasibility of a new Modal Positive Position Feedback (MPPF) strategy in controlling the vibration of a complex flexible structure us ing a single piezo-electric active structural member. The new control strategy generates its control forces by manipulating only the modal position signals of the structure to provide a damping action to undamped modes. This is in contrast to conventional modal con trollers that rely in their operation on negative feedback of both the modal position and velocity. The proposed strategy is very simple to design and implement as it designs the controller at the uncoupled modal level and utilizes simple first order filters to achieve the Positive Position Feedback effect. The performance of the new strategy is enhanced by augmenting it with a "time sharing" strategy to share a small number of actuators between larger number of modes.
Structural Monitoring, Sensor Technology and Performance Assessment
Authors: Lu Le-Wu , Askar Gulay
Published: March 2007

Brief descriptions of several recent programs of monitoring in-service re sponse of bridges, buildings and offshore structures and the associated research in sensor technology are presented. For bridge structures, new technologies have been developed for monitoring atmospheric corrosion, fatigue crack growth, progressive failure and local structural defects. The work on buildings is related to earthquake ground motion measure ment and dynamic response monitoring. The information obtained allows direct evaluation of seismic performance of the structures, including damage assessment. For offshore plat forms, the monitoring programs involve both environmental and structural data gathering and their correlation with design predictions.
Kinematics of Adaptive Truss Permitting Nodal Offset (Configuration and Workspace Reach
Authors: Tanaka Masao , Seguchi Yasuyuki , Hanahara Kazuyuki
Published: March 2007

The adaptive truss structure of statically determinate topology has a capa bility to perform the required task and to meet the environment by adapting its geometrical configuration and mechanical properties. This article discusses the configuration and workspace reach of the practical model of the geometry adaptive truss of helical mast. At the preliminary stage, the kinematics of the ideal truss model is described. Then, the prac tical structure is investigated for the adaptive truss permitting the offsets at the truss nodes. The kinematics are formulated in the context of incremental analysis. The procedures to analyze the configuration and workspace reach are described in the context of the in cremental kinematics. Some illustrative case studies are also conducted.
Application of Recursive Adaptive Algorithms for System Identification and Vibration Control
Authors: Wimmel R. , Melcher J.
Published: March 2007

This paper describes advances in the identification and control of flexible structures by consequent application of recursive adaptive algorithms on controllers with load path-considering design. Control of large structures requires powerful algorithms that are able to influence certain modes of a system with high modal densities. The stabil ity of the adaptation process must be maintained. This paper describes theoretical and simulational investigations within the framework of the DLR program ARES (Actively Reacting Flexible Structures), showing the performance of the modal controllers that are based on recursive digital filters.
Vibration Measurement in Composite Members Using Embedded Constantan Wire
Authors: Salzano T.B. , Calder C.A.
Published: March 2007

Constantan wire has been effectively and accurately used to measure strain and vibration in structures for several decades. This paper investigates the use of constan tan wire as an embedded sensor. The attractiveness of embedding sensors has led to much investigation in this area.
Effect of Flow Rate, Excitation Level and Solids Content on the Time Response in an Electro-Rheological Valve
Authors: Peel D.J. , Bullough W.A.
Published: March 2007

Diverse regimes of the fast time response of an electro-rheological fluid are iden tified in a presentation of experimental results which show the effects of the application of step and DC biased sine wave excitations to a series of set flows in one valve. The form of pressure response is complex and depends to some extent on the rate of flow and applied electric field magnitude. Some frequency domain behaviour is related to the step wave performance. Apart from their value as a foundation study for a new area of rheology, the results are important to the rapidly developing sub ject of flexibly operated smart machines and as an aid in target setting to developers of the hydraulic semi-conductors on which some of them are based.
Electrorheological Material under Oscillatory Shear
Authors: Spurk J.H. , Zhen Hu Ang
Published: March 2007

Two typical electrorheological materials, which are anhydrous dispersions of silica particles in silicone oil with surface active additives, are sheared in oscillatory motion in a gap, formed by an outer fixed cylinder and an inner, axially movable cylinder. The rheometer is operated at tuneable resonance frequencies, such that only the reaction of the material is measured. Long time oscillatory shear measurements show that the electroviscous stress deteriorates under d.c. elec tric field, while electroviscous stress is stable when a.c. fields are used. Electroviscous stress is found to depend on field frequency through the dependence of the dielectric constant of the disperse phase on field frequency. A dimensionless quantity, which relates the electroviscous shear stress to the electric field strength, serves to correlate all the experimental data for different shear amplitudes and shear frequencies for each fluid. The phenomenological theory of Huang and Spurk predicts this efficiency with satisfactory accuracy.
Crystallization of Water in the Xanthan-Water System
Authors: Yoshida Hirohisa , Hatakeyama Tatsuko , Hatakeyama Hyoe
Published: March 2007

Isothermal crystallization of water in polysaccharide hydrogels was measured by dif ferential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The melting temperature ( Tm1) of ice depended on the crystal lization temperature (Tc) for freezing bound water, which was restrained by hydrogels. However, the Tm1 of free water and pure water were constant regardless of Tc. These facts suggested that freezing bound water formed metastable ice. The nucleation rates of pure water, free water and freezing bound water were almost the same in the temperature range examined. Pure water showed the high est rate of crystal growth. The crystal growth rate decreased in the following order: pure water > free water > freezing bound water. The average surface free energy of ice was estimated from the rate of crystal growth. The estimated values of surface free energy of ice from freezing bound water were lower than that of ice from pure water. The results suggested that not only water molecules, but also polysaccharide molecules and ions existed on the surface of ice formed in the hydrogels.
Local Strain Sensing Using Piezoelectric Polymer
Authors: Egashira Mitsuru , Shinya Norio
Published: March 2007

Local strain sensing methods are developed for damage detection in structural materials, and their validities are demonstrated. As strain sensors, piezoelectric polymers were coated on the surfaces of aluminum sheets. Local strains in the ten sile tested aluminum sheets were measured by an operational amplifier circuit with a scanning probe, and then observed using the voltage contrast technique in a scanning electron microscope.

The preliminary results indicate that these methods using piezoelectric polymers are sensitive and useful for detection and measurement of local static strains in structural materials.
Phenomenological Analysis on Subloops in Shape Memory Alloys Due to Incomplete Transformations
Authors: Tanaka Kikuaki , Nishimura F. , Tobushi H.
Published: March 2007

The subloops in the shape memory alloys, the stress-strain-temperature hysteresis loops due to the incomplete transformation, are analyzed from the phenomenological point of view. The transformation kinetics formulated by the same authors is generalized by introducing the transformation start conditions, both martensitic and reverse, which are assumed to be dependent on the extent of prior transformation and be determined from the isothermal or isostatic experiment. The theory developed is successfully applied to the simulations on the subloop behavior in the alloys under the various mechanical and/or thermal loads.
Cognitive Structure and Transformation
Authors: Haskell Robert E.
Published: March 2007

An empirical model of an atypical mode of cognition generated in a small group laboratory is presented. The model is derived from ostensibly anomalous cognitive and verbal data usually associated with speech errors and "pathological" mental states such as those found in dream processes. The model demonstrates that these ostensibly pathological phenomena occur regularly in so-called normal, rational states of cognitive functioning. Pieces of a verbal protocol are analyzed, demonstrating transformational structures of cognition and language as they pertain to numbers occurring in verbal productions. The data suggest a matrix structure. Implications of the model indicate that current information processing models of cognition preclude the recognition of data presented.
A Multidimensional Model for Group Process Research
Authors: Dies Robert R.
Published: March 2007

This elaboration and critique is the final article in a four-part series that presents the empirical foundation, parameters, and application of a multidimensional model for organizing research on group psychotherapeutic process.
The Social Support Function in Epilepsy Self-Help Groups
Authors: Droge David , Arntson Paul , Norton Robert
Published: March 2007

The nature of self-help groups is discussed and considered with special reference to those composed of epileptics. Results of a preliminary survey of epilepsy self-help group members are presented, and effects relating to stigmatization, reasons for participation, asserted curative factors, and formal-only versus informal participation in the self-help group process are examined. Societal reaction to people with epilepsy is viewed as a major contributor to problems associated with this disability.
Training Group Development and Outcomes
Authors: Kuypers Bart C. , Davies Don , van der VEGT Rein
Published: March 2007

This study develops and tests hypotheses relating individual development to group development. The general hypothesis holds that changes in social constructs used by participants after training to describe themselves and others, as measured by a version of Kelly's Repertory Grid test, are a function of the specific developmental pattern of the training group in which they participated. In all, 13 training groups, using a modified Tavistock approach, for which the developmental patterns were previously established are examined. The hypotheses are generally supported. Participant changes cannot be ascribed to individual characteristics before training, but are explained by the specific experienced group developmental patterns.
Group Leader and Member Characteristics and Attraction To Initial and Final Group Sessions and To the Group and Group Leader
Authors: McWhirter J. Jeffries , Frey Robert E.C.
Published: March 2007

This study was designed to determine whether specific personality characteristics of group leaders and group members predict group members' evaluations of the group leader and of the group experience in self-exploration groups. Group leader and group member state anxiety, trait anxiety, and cognitive style were assessed prior to or at the beginning of the firstgroup session. At the end of the initial session and again at the end of the final session, the group members rated the specific session. At the end of the final session the group members also rated the overall group experience and the group leader. Forward multiple regressions yielded significant effects concerning initial group rating and leader evaluation. No effects were found for the final group session or the global group evaluation. Implications for group theory and research are presented.
Effects of Team Composition On Ranked Team Effectiveness
Authors: Tziner Aharon E.
Published: March 2007

The composition of 3-man military teams was varied experimentally by assigning members according to team composition in terms of all possible combinations of levels of ability and motivation. The teams (64 in all) performed real military tasks in a military field setting and unit commanders ranked the effectiveness of their performance at the end of 2 months of military activity. It was found that both ability and motivation had an additive effect on crew performance, thus leading to the conclusion that when teams perform highly interdependent tasks, performance is apparently unlikely to be affected in a nonadditive manner by team composition. The data were analyzed with a new statistical procedure developed to substitute for the Friedman two-way analysis of variance, argued to be inappropriate for testing the significance of main effects and interactions in a blocked fractional factorial design.
Personalized and Depersonalized Conflict in Small Group Discussions
Authors: Pace Roger C.
Published: March 2007

The present study tested the relationship between a group's ability to differentiate characteristics of conflict and consensus/cohesion formation. A total of 141 subjects participated in 32 problem-solving discussions. Subjects responded to a post-discussion questionnaire that assessed their ability to discriminate characteristics of four types of conflict: personalized/positive, personalized/negative, depersonalized/positive, and depersonalized/negative. The results indicated that high consensus groups had significantly higher differentiation scores on personalized/positive, depersonalized/negative, and depersonalized/positive conflicts than did low consensus groups. Also, high cohesion groups had significantly higher differentiation scores on depersonalized/positive and depersonalized/negative conflict than did low cohesion groups. Low cohesion groups, however, had significantly higher scores on personalized/negative conflict than did high cohesion groups. The results affirmed the importance of the differentiation process to group decision making and suggested additional approaches for investigating the phenomenon.
Group Development Phases as Working Through Six Fundamental Human Problems
Authors: Burnand Gordon
Published: March 2007

Following Bennis and Shepard's work, groups are thought to become preoccupied with problems of gaining reassurance about six basic human tasks in turn. One can show that these problems, called focal problems, have two forms, inclusive and narrowed, and that progressing through the problems requires three subphases, inclusive problem, narrowed problem, and inclusive problem again, before going on to the next problem. The fit with extended reports of group development is good and that with members'perceptions, observed by Dunphy, remarkably comprehensive. A description of one of the phases by Cohen and Smith closely parallels a list of strategies for the related focal problem that reflects anthropological data for the Navaho.
Group Size and Anonymity Effects on Computer-Mediated Idea Generation
Authors: Valacich Joseph S. , Dennis Alan R. , Nunamaker J. F.
Published: March 2007

Some for,ns of computer-mediated communication enable groups to engage simultaneously in multiple electronic conversations. One interesting aspect of this technology, in addition to this parallelism, is that the channel is configurable to support forms of group interaction that were previously difficult, if not impossible. This article reports a laboratory experiment that examined the effects of group size (3 and 9 members) and group member anonymity on the performance of groups using a computer-mediated idea-generation system. Although group members in all conditions made, on average, the same number of comments, larger groups generated significantly more ideas (and higher-quality ideas as rated by judges) than did smaller groups. Anzonymity had no effect on ideational performance. Members of small-idenitified groups made the fewest critical remarks, were the most satisfied, and rated themselves more effective than group members from the other experimental conditions.
Competition between Individuals and Groups: Do Incentives Matter?
Authors: Lodewijkx Hein F. M. , Wildschut Tim , Syroit Jef E.E.M. , Visser Lieuwe , Rabbie Jaap M.
Published: March 2007

In their research on individual-group discontinuity using Prisoner’s Dilemma Game (PDG), Schopler, Insko, and associates observed that groups were more competitive than individuals. Alternatively, we propose that this effect can be interpreted as a group-adaptiveness phenomenon. In a 2 (individuals vs. groups)× 2 (low vs. high incentives to cooperate) PDG study, individuals groups played against a cooperative opponent. Individual-group discontiunity was found when incentives to cooperate were low, but not when incentives were high. Results further suggest that the stronger intergroup competition observed in past discontinuity research may have been triggered and perpetuated by between-group violations of cooperative proposals. These findings are consistent with our group adaptiveness perspective, which proposes that groups are not invariably more competitive than individuals, but that they are more likely to adapt their behaviors to variations in the task and/or social environment in an attempt to attain important group goals.
Experimenting with a Nonlinear Dynamic Model of Juvenile Criminal Behavior
Authors: van Dijkum Cor , Landsheer Hans
Published: March 2007

A simple dynamic model describing the age development of juvenile criminal behavior is extracted from such criminological theories as career theory, learning theory, and rational choice theory. The resulting nonlinear model appears to be as good as, or in some aspect better than, a static correlational model in explaining data from the longitudinal Utrecht Study of Adolescent Development. The model provides the basis for a more systematic study of nonlinear dynamic models for the description of the development of learning of criminal juveniles.
Integrating a Conference Simulation into an ESL Class
Authors: Halleck Gene B. , Moder Carol Lynn , Damron Rebecca
Published: March 2007

This article describes how the authors integrated a semester-long simulation of an academic conference into a composition class for international graduate students at Oklahoma State University. It outlines the various phases of the simulation and shows how each phase was incorporated into the regular activities of the class. It describes the committees that were formed to accomplish the tasks necessary to carry out the simulation and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating this type of activity into the curriculum. After attending the conference and examining responses of students who participated in the simulation, the authors conclude that it was a worthwhile activity and one that is consistent with the goals of the course.
Simulation Review
Authors: Humphrey Doris J.
Published: March 2007

STARPOWER (Western Behavioral Sciences Institute, 1150 Silverado, La Jolla, California 92037; 1969) was played by 36 people in a two-hour review session at the University of Michigan, Tuesday, July 28, 1970, and was discussed by the players, the director, and observers for another hour after the end of play. The participants ranged in age from about twelve to about fifty; roughly half of them had had some experience with social simulations. None of them had any previous knowledge of Starpower. The director, who has designed instructional games in logic and mathematics, had neither played nor directed Starpower before. The reviewer, who observed this session, is engaged in instructional gaming. He has had considerable exposure to the literature on simulations, but little firsthand experience with them; he had never played, directed, or observed Starpower before.
A Complex Simulation and Community Involvement Yield an Award-Winning Capstone Experience
Authors: Wheatley Walter J. , Roberts Ralph M. , Einbecker Richard C.
Published: March 2007

Simulations afford students opportunities to apply newly acquired skills to actual "real world" situations, and experiential activities involving community executives can enhance these "real world" experiences to an even greater degree. This article suggests such experiential activities, including labor negotiating, banking and financial bargaining, Security and Exchange Commission reporting, and Board of Directors' briefings. This combination of complex simulation and experiential activities involving local community executives received the 1988 SME Manufacturing Engineering Award for unusually significant and innovative coursework.
A Simulation on the Design of Simulations
Authors: Thatcher Donald C. , Robinson M. June
Published: March 2007

This article briefly describes a game design process developed by the authors. This process is then used as the basis of a simulation focusing on the design of simulations. The specification of materials related to the first three stages in the design process are given to the participants who then develop, in groups, an outline design for a simulation fulfilling the specification. The discussion/debriefing at the end of the exercise is reported.
Promoting Learning through Games and Simulations
Authors: Thatcher Donald C.
Published: March 2007

In this article, the nature of learning is considered and the significance of promoting learning rather than teaching is explored. The notion of learning system is introduced and the active nature of learning from experience is considered. The importance of reflection in the process of learning is discussed. The role of simulations and games in promoting learning is then examined, followed by an exploration of the process of debriefing and its relationship to reflection. Finally, the role of the teacher is briefly considered.
Happy Birthday
Authors: Lee James
Published: March 2007

This article is an autobiographical retrospective on the career of the last surviving contributor to the famous 25th anniversary edition of Simulation & Gaming. The article traces the career of one gamer, and through it, shows major trends in simulation and gaming since 1969. It therefore discusses the rise and decline, rise and decline, and rise of the field over the past century. Some special attention is paid to the author's involvement in the World Gaming Scandal and the release of previously unknown information about the people involved in it.
Some Random Recollections from a Retired Gamer
Authors: Twelker Paul A.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the vintage years of simulation-gaming: 1964-1980. Four factors are examined that contributed to the innovation's success: diversity of the talent pool, the emerging technology of information dissemination, the systems approach to instructional development, and the emergence of humanistic psychology. The author's retirement from research and development in simulation-gaming and new role of college teacher provided the time to reflect on the difficulty of integrating experiential learning in the classroom.
Problem Framing through Gaming: Learning to Manage Complexity, Uncertainty, and Value Adjustment
Authors: Klabbers Jan H. G.
Published: March 2007

In social systems, an almost limitless number of social issues exist that cannot be dealt with in isolation. Traditional professional knowledge is not well suited to coping with complex and unique situations. Problem solving as encountered in mathematics and physics brings forward a narrow, technical rationality, emphasizing a rationalist framework for interpreting knowledge. The related problem-solving strategies are too limited in scope. They disregard competing frameworks based on multiple perceptions. It is against this background of multiple realities that gaming will be discussed. Gaming, in the historicist tradition, provides a suitable approach for dealing with competing frameworks. It has proven to be a powerful combination of methods that can deal with complex, uncertain, and unique issues, and with value adjustments. Gaming provides a language for combining the social-human with the physical, technological, and economic knowledge domains. To connect these knowledge domains, three types of learning environments are distinguished.
Measuring MARCO POLIS Management Game's Influence on Market Orientations
Authors: Rouwette Etienne A.J.A. , Fokkema Eppie , van Kuppevelt Hans H.J.J. , Peters Vincent A. M.
Published: March 2007

The MARCO POLIS management game was developed to introduce employees of housing associations to new market conditions. After the game was developed in 1991, it has been used more than 15 times. On most occasions, the game was judged to be highly successful in making the demands of the new situations clear This article examines in depth the results of a game run with 49 participants.
Using Bug-in-the-Ear Feedback in Clinical Supervision: Preliminary Evaluations
Authors: Gallant J. Paul , Thyer Bruce A. , Bailey Jon S.
Published: March 2007

Three single-system studies are described that evaluated the efficacy of "bug-in-the-ear" (BITE) feedback in promoting selected therapist behaviors during the course of actual treatment sessions conducted at a marriage and family therapy clinic. Using multiple-baseline designs, it was shown that BITE feedback can produce specific and immediate improvements in therapists' clinical skills. A social validation of the skills conducted by independent clinical supervisors pre- and postintervention found substantial improvements in therapist performance.
A Task-Centered Preventive Group Approach to Create Cohesion in the New Stepfamily: A Preliminary Evaluation
Authors: Bielenberg Lynn Turner
Published: March 2007

This exploratory study attempted to provide newly formed stepfamilies the tools with which to build a cohesive stepfamily environment by engaging the parents in a task-centered group. Fifteen middle-class couples committed to remarriage were self-referred from a suburban setting. A preliminary investigation showed that the intervention created significant improvement in distress, social support, and coping skills. Results suggest that using preventive groups may be an important component of social work practice with stepfamilies. The article also discusses the need for psychometrically sound stepfamily assessment methods.
Family Preservation Workers: Sources of Job Satisfaction and Job Stress
Authors: Tracy Elizabeth M. , Bean Nadine , Gwatkin Selma , Hill Barbara
Published: March 2007

This article reports the results of a pilot survey to examine staff burnout and sources of job satisfaction and job stress among intensive family preservation workers. Participants in this study were found to be moderately to highly emotionally exhausted as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The intense time-limited nature of the work was perceived as a stressor. Opportunities for improving skills and professional growth were viewed as major sources of satisfaction. Implications are drawn for social work in-service training and worker supervision.
Teaching Adolescents About Alcohol and Driving: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Wodarski John S. , Bordnick Patrick S.
Published: March 2007

Previously reported data have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Teams, Games, Tournaments (TGT) alcohol education program. This article presents a 2-year follow-up of the effects of the TGT program as compared to the traditional instruction and no-instruction control groups. Follow-up data indicate that the TGT students maintained previous positive changes. Applications of this primary prevention program to social work practice are discussed.
The Social Work Research Centre at the University of Stirling: A Profile
Authors: Cheetham Juliet
Published: March 2007

Research on the processes and outcomes of social work is much demanded and at a critical stage in its development. Research centers can provide a fruitful context for the conduct and dissemination of studies relevant to policy and practice and for the development of appropriate methodologies. The Social Work Research Centre at the University of Stirling in Scotland, jointly sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Office, provides one model for such centers. Its purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of social work; it is methodologically pluralistic, and it encourages collaboration between social worker practitioners and researchers. The advantages, tensions, and contributions of its approach are discussed in the context of social work and social policy research in Britain and the United States.
Evaluation of Telephone Support Groups for Persons With HIV Disease
Authors: Rounds Kathleen A. , Galinsky Maeda J. , Despard Mathieu R.
Published: March 2007

In this article we describe the development and field testing of a telephone support group project for persons with HIV disease using the Thomas and Rothman integrative framework for intervention research. We report results from the evaluation of the field test examining data from the 18 participants' pre- and postquestionnaires related to five outcomes: (a) self-efficacy, (b) social isolation, (c) social support, (d) coping with living with HIV disease, and (e) evaluation of the group experience. Field test results in accomplishing these aims were mixed. We found significant positive changes in some aspects of self-efficacy and in social isolation, but not in social support and coping. Results from the posttest indicated that participants rated the group experience as beneficial and that they were very satisfied with their participation in the groups.
The Community Identification (CID) Process: A Discovery Model
Authors: Tashima Nathaniel , Crain Cathleen , O'Reilly Kevin , Elifson Claire Sterk
Published: March 2007

This article depicts a structured qualitative research strategy that may be characterized as a rapid assessment method. The community identification (CID) process facilitates the collection of public health risk-related behaviors and values that are prevalent in particular communities or populations and the development of education and intervention programs that positively affect those behaviors and values. The process includes the following: (a) defining the population, creating taxonomies, and acquiring materials; (b) surveying internal knowledge; (c) summarizing internal knowledge; (d) developing an external knowledge base; (e) integrating information and refining segments; (P) interviewing gatekeepers/opinion makers and observing the community; (g) interviewing key participants; and (h) interpreting the data. It is suggested that the CID process helps researchers to confront and actively control preconceived notions, biases, and stereotypes that may affect the development of appropriate and responsive interventions and programs.
Conceptualizing Women's Health: Discovering the Dimensions
Authors: Stern Phyllis Noerager
Published: March 2007

Once neatly compartmentalized to variables surrounding reproduction, women's health research has been broadened to include life-span dimensions such as caretaking, chronic illness, the impact of relationships, career opportunities, social status, cultural beliefs about health, and sexual orientation. In conceptualizing the complex interrelationships of women, their beliefs, their status, and the symbolic meaning of their health to their nexus and to society in general within social psychological and social structural contexts leaves us with as yet undiscovered limits of the variables. Whereas quantitative researchers give us endless detail, qualitative researchers tend to strive for broader vistas. From a qualitative analysis of selected literature, I have fashioned a conceptual framework of women's health.