bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Experience of Empathy in Everyday Relationships: Cognitive and Affective Elements
Authors: Kerem Efrat , Fishman Nurit , Josselson Ruthellen
Published: March 2007

In the psychological literature, empathy has been regarded as either a cognitive, an affective, or a multidimensional phenomenon and there has been much controversy about its nature. This phenomenological study focuses on how the theoretical discussion of the cognitive-affective nature of empathy finds expression in the experiential realm. Findings in this study point to the conclusion that empathy has different meanings for different people, either when they are empathizing with another or when being empathized with. In examining the way people experience empathy in their every-day lives, in the context of real, meaningful, present relationships, it seems that both cognitive and affective aspects of this experience play a significant role and may appear either together or separately. While it is rare for empathy to exist without any cognitive understanding, we also found that the experiences of empathy that contain emotional components reflect a fuller and more meaningful relational experience. As for the meaning of the affective and the cognitive aspects, the experience of these elements is more complex and divergent than the way it is usually portrayed in the literature. Implications for future research are discussed.
Social Support and Social Networks as Determinants of Individual and Marital Outcomes
Authors: Julien Danielle , Markman Howard J.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the effects of social support, within and outside marriage, on the individual and marital adjustment of eighty-seven married couples. Stress, functional and structural measures of spouses' supportive networks, and outcome variables were included in two models that were represented as path diagrams and tested for husbands and wives, respectively. As predicted, marital distress was associated with higher mobilization of outsiders for support, but outsiders mediated rather than counteracted the negative effects of marital distress on spouses' health. Contrary to expectations, husbands' mobilization of their wives' support was positively associated with their levels of symptoms, and compared to wives, husbands' mobilization of their partners' help was more weakly associated with their marital adjustment. Results are discussed with respect to models of the interaction between spouses' and outsiders' support.
Routine Maintenance Behaviors: A Comparison of Relationship Type, Partner Similarity and Sex Differences
Authors: Dainton Marianne , Stafford Laura
Published: March 2007

This study replicates and extends previous research by probing for routine behaviors that maintain relationships. In addition, maintenance behaviors of married vs dating partners are compared, and similarity of relational partners' reports of maintenance behaviors is assessed. Finally, the differences in the use of maintenance behaviors by men and women are examined. Results indicate that many of the behaviors identified in this study are similar to behaviors found in past research on relational maintenance strategies. However, sharing tasks, a behavior only infrequently mentioned in previous research, was the most frequently reported maintenance behavior, indicating that sharing tasks is characteristic of routine, rather than strategic, maintenance behavior. Results also indicate that there is little difference in maintenance behaviors according to relationship type; that relational partners' reports of maintenance behaviors are quite similar; but that there are significant differences in the behaviors listed by men and women.
The Effects of Marital Disagreement Style, Frequency, and Outcome on Marital Disruption
Authors: McGonagle Katherine A. , Kessler Ronald C. , Gotlib Ian H.
Published: March 2007

Studies of the relationship between marital conflict behaviors and marital functioning have focused almost exclusively on conflict resolution styles to the neglect of other components of marital conflict. The present study takes a first step toward addressing this limitation by examining the comparative and interactive effects of marital disagreement style, frequency and outcome on the occurrence of marital disruption (separation or divorce) over a 3-year period. The study is based on a general population sample of 691 married couples. Results of exploratory factor analysis show that self-reports of frequency, style and outcome of marital disagreements share a common underlying structure best described as negativity. Logistic regression analysis documents that while each of the components of negativity is a significant predictor of marital disruption, frequency and negativity are more powerful than either style or outcome. Multivariate analyses reveal that disruption is most powerfully predicted by self-reported negativity among the recently married and by self-reported disagreement frequency among the longer married. The report closes with a discussion of the implications of these results for future research on marital functioning.
The Emergence of Jealousy in Children 4 Months to 7 Years of Age
Authors: Masciuch Sonia , Kienapple Kim
Published: March 2007

Children's expression of jealousy was studied in a cross-sectional sample of children. In the first study, 56 females and 56 males, ages 4.5 months to 4.5 years, were videotaped while their mother paid exclusive attention to another child in a social situation thought to evoke jealousy. In the second study, 10 girls and 10 boys, ages 4.9-7.3 years, were videotaped while their mother praised another child's drawing. We present indications that the emotional state of jealousy can be reliably and validly inferred from the children's behavior in these social settings. Jealousy emerged most intensely in the majority of children between approximately 1.1 and 2.3 years and at 3.5 years children distinguished between social situations which elicit jealousy. These findings are related to the cognitive developmental theories of Case et al. (1988) and Fischer et al. (1989).
Reciprocity Reconsidered: Gouldner's `Moral Norm of Reciprocity' and Social Support
Authors: Uehara Edwina S.
Published: March 2007

In a classic statement three decades ago, Gouldner (1960) made an important analytic distinction between reciprocity as a pattern of social exchange and reciprocity as a general moral belief. Gouldner argued that the moral norm of reciprocity constitutes an important `causal force' in social life. The reciprocity norm dictates that Ego should not end up gaining at the expense of Alter's beneficial acts towards him or her. In contrast to equity theory, which suggests that people will react equally negatively to under- and overbenefiting, the reciprocity norm suggests that people will, above all, attempt to avoid overbenefiting from their socially supportive interactions. While many studies of social support have incorporated the concepts of reciprocity and exchange, virtually none has examined the validity of Gouldner's distinction nor its potential implications for the dynamics of social support. This paper explores the evidence for Gouldner's claims from studies on support and reciprocity. Evidence is found suggesting that people feel obligated to return benefits they receive from others, appear to be more psychologically and emotionally averse to overbenefiting than underbenefiting from social support interactions, and tend to avoid placing themselves in the position of `overbenefitors'. Alternative explanations for avoidance of overbenefiting are considered, and implications for the study of social support are explored.
Legitimate Interest in Couple Conflict
Authors: Klein Renate C.A. , Lamm Helmut
Published: March 2007

The present study examined legitimate interest in couples' conflict-management. Based on observations of intergroup and organizational conflict we expected that partners who perceive each other's interests as legitimate are more likely to report cooperative conflict-management behaviors. Partners of 98 couples independently rated the legitimacy of each other's position in a recent conflict and reported on their self-expression, listening and problem-solving behaviors. Partners who found their own position legitimate indicated they were more willing to express themselves openly and partners who found the other's position legitimate indicated they were more willing to listen to the other side. In addition, self-expression and listening were positive predictors of problem-solving.
The Relationship Assessment Scale
Authors: Hendrick Susan S. , Dicke Amy , Hendrick Clyde
Published: March 2007

This paper offers new information on the reliability and validity of the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS; Hendrick, 1988), a seven-item generic measure of relationship satisfaction. The RAS shows moderate to high correlations with measures of marital satisfaction, good test-retest reliability and consistent measurement properties across samples of ethnically diverse and age-diverse couples, as well as partners seeking marital and family therapy. The RAS is an appropriate, useful and brief measure for partnered love relationships in a wide variety of research settings.
Relational Continuity Constructional Units and the Maintenance of Relationships
Authors: Gilbertson Jill , Dindia Kathryn , Allen Mike
Published: March 2007

Sigman (1991) proposed that relationships are continuous despite discontinuous periods of physical and interactional co-presence and that couples manage the discontinuous aspects of social relationships by using Relational Continuity Constructional Units (RCCUs). RCCUs are actions or behaviors that couples do before, during, or after an absence to bridge the gap in the relationship caused by the absence. Our study examined the relationship between time spent apart, RCCUs, and relational satisfaction. A total of 112 partners from 56 married or cohabiting couples completed measures of time spent apart, their use of prospective, introspective and retrospective RCCUs, and relational satisfaction. The results were as follows. Co-presence was positively related to relational satisfaction. Female prospective, introspective and retrospective RCCUs were positively related to female relational satisfaction, and female prospective and retrospective RCCUs were positively related to male relational satisfaction. Female and male prospective RCCUs were positively related to female relational satisfaction and female prospective RCCUs were positively related to male relational satisfaction when the effects of co-presence were held constant. A post hoc analysis of the `relationship specialist' hypothesis did not indicate that women perform more RCCUs than men. However, RCCUs performed by women appear to have more impact on both male and female relational satisfaction than those performed by men.
Relational Identity and the Division of Household Labor
Authors: Garrido Edward F. , Acitelli Linda K.
Published: March 2007

Data collected from an area probability sample of 90 unmarried and 148 married couples were used to determine whether the degree to which individuals viewed themselves in relational terms (relational identity) was associated with the types of household responsibilities they reported performing. For both males and females, relational identity was found to be a significant predictor of the performance of those tasks typically carried out by women. However, for those tasks typically carried out by men, relational identity significantly pre-dicted non-performance for women only. Additionally, more hours worked outside the home led to lower levels of relationship satisfaction for women high in relational identity compared with women low in relational identity. The performance of household tasks is discussed in terms of their relevance to proper maintenance and care of the relationship.
Cognitive and Behavioral Accommodation in Close Relationships
Authors: Fletcher Garth , Thomas Geoff , Durrant Russil
Published: March 2007

This research examined the role of cognitive and behavioral accommodation in two studies. In study 1, participants responded to hypothetical negative behaviors from their partners. Study 2 involved the re-coding and reanalysis (using structural equation modeling) of data from a prior study in which married couples had problem-solving discussions and provided reports of their on-line thoughts and feelings. The results from the two studies were mixed, and provided support for both a good communication and a good management model of close relationships. Implications and caveats are discussed.
Graduates' Experiences of Work in Small Organizations in the UK and the Netherlands
Authors: Arnold John , Schalk Rene , Bosley Sara , Van Overbeek Saskia
Published: March 2007

This project was designed to examine university graduates' expectations and experiences of employment in small organizations in the UK and the Netherlands. Specifically, three predictions were made on the basis of existing literature and tested using self-report questionnaire data gathered from 126 graduate employees in small organizations (67 in the UK; 59 in the Netherlands). Where possible, comparisons are made with an earlier study of graduates in large UK-based organizations. Graduates reported positive experiences in many areas. These often exceeded their expectations, and in general over-met expectations were much more common than under-met ones. The graduates' work appeared to offer quite high autonomy, the chance to develop a wide range of skills, and to progress towards career goals, at least in the short term. In line with previous research, there were some signs that pay, training and within-organization career prospects were relatively weak areas. Taken as a whole, the results challenge some of the more negative images of employment in small organizations, and also the preoccupation with under-met expectations in the literature on new entrants to organizations.
Is There a Relationship between the Popularity of Crime Series on TV and Unemployment and Crime in Society?
Authors: Reith Margaret
Published: March 2007

The hypothesis of this study is that increased social stress, indexed by rising unemployment levels and crime rates, will lead to a greater popularity of crime series on television. It is tested by correlating national trends over time for the viewing of crime series, unemployment rates and crime rates in the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States. Some support for the hypothesis is found in both countries, although not when individual-level experience of unemployment and crime series viewing is examined in American survey data. Suggestions for further research are presented.
Words, Words, Words: Radio News Discourses and How They Work
Authors: Moss Peter
Published: March 2007

Studies of broadcast speech have been neglected in mass media research, particularly where the analysis of radio news messages is concerned. This article provides a framework for examining broadcast messages which improves on the analysis of printed texts, for example, by considering such aspects of discourse as intonation — the way words sound. These analytical tools are applied to two examples of reporting, and help to expose new dimensions of meaning-making in the news.
When Ideology Fails: The Flagship of Thatcherism and the British Local and National Media
Authors: Deacon David , Golding Peter
Published: March 2007

This article examines the relationship between government and media in the promotion of substantial policy innovations. Taking the general case of `Thatcherism' in the UK, it draws on research into media coverage of the Community Charge, a major shift in the fiscal basis of local government, in the last years of the Thatcher administration. The research suggests that, despite growing media conglomeration and state centralization, it is important to examine both local and national media to explore persistent diversity, and analyses the limits to government public relations effectiveness.
Resisting American Hegemony: A Comparative Analysis of the Reception of Domestic and US Fiction
Authors: Biltereyst Daniel
Published: March 2007

Recent qualitative audience research on the reception of US fiction abroad has been presented as a valuable new perspective in studying the world-wide appeal and impact of American programming. However the concentration on the decoding of US fiction alone (usually Dallas) has stimulated an essential and decontextualized position on these issues. The results from a comparative reception analysis (comparing the reception of an American fiction programme and a similar domestic one by respondents in a small European country) show that several current concepts and arguments on the functioning, the appeal, the characteristics and the (possible) impact of US fiction should be revised. More generally, cross-textual comparative reception analysis can be useful in exploring nuances in audience activity and in the polysemic character of different texts. Methodologically, a multi-method approach is used to show that diverse techniques can be incorporated into a more elaborated scheme for analysis of the reception process, which consists of several substantial `moments'.
Spanish Media Law: Changes in the Landscape
Authors: López-Escobar Esteban
Published: March 2007

Post-Franco Spain inherited a broadcasting structure unique in Europe: a mixed commercial and public radio system and state-run national television financed by both public funds and advertising. News content in all sectors was tightly regimented by the government. Newly-democratic Spain broadened the scope of public television and created regional television corporations in the `Autonomous Communities'. Despite agreement in principle that broadcasting should be democratized, in practice public television remained dominated by the political parties in power. Subsequent legislation approving commercial television led to a battle for advertising and audiences and has sparked a financial crisis in state television and undermined its identity as a truly public service. The financial crisis, the growing national importance of the now federally-organized `Autonomous Community' network, and the phenomena of local and cable television, demand a fresh approach to Spanish broadcasting policy.
Concentration and Market Entry in the UK National Daily Press
Authors: Sparks Colin
Published: March 2007

This article reviews the evidence about ownership of the UK national daily press, and the possibility of new entrants succeeding, in the light of concern about media concentration in European fora. It demonstrates that this market is concentrated and effectively closed and explores why this is so. The article shows that this market is stratified in ways which also display closure and concentration and demonstrates that the existing law is ineffective in preventing concentration. It concludes that the nature of the UK national daily press market results from the natural workings of the free market.
Beyond Journalism
Authors: Bardoel Jo
Published: March 2007

Over the past years, it has often been stated that the traditional function of journalism will erode with the advance of the `information society'. Direct news supply by satellite television and computer networks, the explosion of information and the increasing communication autonomy of citizens, less public service and more commercial exploitation of media all suggest that critical journalism is becoming redundant. This article gives an overview of the relevant developments and discussions on the topic, and defends the thesis that because of the increasing individualization and segmentation in communication such notions as `community' and `public debate' should be taken less for granted. Therefore the traditional task of journalism will shift from collecting information to directing the social flow of information and public debate. Next to this `orientating journalism', the new media offer scope for `instrumental journalism'.
Shaping the Real
Authors: Kilborn Richard W.
Published: March 2007

As European television becomes ever more competitive, fears are often expressed about the future of documentary programming as it has traditionally been conceived. Will those investigative, consciousnessraising documentaries produced by public service providers gradually be replaced by more accessible, entertainment-oriented programmes deemed more likely to attract a larger audience? Is the development of high quality lightweight recording equipment leading to more democratic forms of viewer involvement or is it being seized upon by broadcasters as a way of cutting production costs? Is factual programming being progressively commodified? This article explores recent developments in British factual programming. Taking as its starting point the series Video Diaries in which aspects of the access programming tradition can be clearly discerned, the article considers how producers have gone on to develop new formats which combine `Diaries' characteristics with other qualities more in tune with the perceived programming needs of the late 1990s. The clear trend in recent years has been to develop hybridized, magazine-type formats focusing on softer topics with high ratings appeal.
Contested Collective Administration of Intellectual Property Rights in Music
Authors: Wallis Roger , Baden-Fuller Charles , Kretschmer Martin , Klimis George Michael
Published: March 2007

Individual intellectual property right holders in music cannot easily enforce their statutory claims to exclusive usage and remuneration. Since the middle of the 19th century, composers and publishers have responded by creating collective bodies, so-called collecting societies which monitor musical activity in a given territory, and collect and distribute fees accordingly. These societies, first established in Western Europe, operate on two principles: the principle of reciprocity, linking monopolistic national societies and the principle of solidarity, making a collecting service available to all right holders at roughly the same rate. The rise of the global media corporation combined with new digital production and distribution technologies has seriously undermined these principles. The article reports recent trends drawing on over 30 interviews with executives of the five largest multinational music firms and the major copyright institutions in Germany, Japan, Sweden and the UK, including the European Commission, the World Intellectual Property Organization and national and international trade bodies. We conclude that the present structure of music copyright is likely to collapse, skewing the distribution of revenues in favour of big corporate players and global musical products if there is no institutional intervention. Policy implications are discussed.
Neither States Nor Markets
Authors: Hamilton Gary G. , Feenstra Robert , Choe Wongi , Kim Chung Ku , Lim Eun Mie
Published: March 2007

This article shows that economic organization has independent and direct effects on the course of economic development. Most existing theories of economic development ignore the dynamic role of inter-firm interactions and, instead, stress state policies and macro-economic forces as the decisive factors creating a country's industrial structure. Our research shows that developing economies have emergent organizational dimensions that, once they become going concerns, create momentum and trajectory. Using South Korea and Taiwan as case studies, this article demonstrates that the divergent economic outcomes of these two countries can best be explained by emerging differences in the organization of economies.
Social Conflict and Regime Formation
Authors: Shin Gi-Wook , Hytrek Gary
Published: March 2007

This article seeks to identify the social origins of authoritarianism in South Korea and social democracy in Costa Rica. Although both countries entered the modern world system through colonialism, they developed contrasting regime types in the postcolonial period. It is claimed that the key to divergent regime formation rested on the contrasting patterns of power distribution and coalition opportunities among the state and various social classes. This thesis uses historical evidence drawn from South Korea and Costa Rica.
STABILITY OF PRESTIGE HIERARCHIES IN THE FACE OF SOCIAL CHANGES: POLAND, 1958-1987
Authors: Sawinski Zbigniew , Domanski Henryk
Published: March 2007

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies worldwide demonstrate that consensus and stability characterise prestige hierarchies. In Poland changes in values, and economic and political crises since 1975, provide the circumstances in which a 1987 survey of employed people re-examines this stability. Results indicate persisting stability with a correlation of 0.94 between the prestige scores of 1975 and 1987, but also show some changes in relative scores, including the downgrading of occupations connected with authority and of clerical jobs, and the upgrading of skilled workers (especially miners), farmers and small business people. These changes suggest that rationality and effectiveness are becoming more important in prestige ratings and the continuing high prestige of the intelligentsia in spite of low earnings, a Polish idiosyncracy, may show economic reality is being made to fit persistent norms.
THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND THE WORK SITUATION: A COMPARISON OF FINLAND AND ESTONIA
Authors: Blom Raimo , Kivinen Markku , Melin Harri , Rannik Erkki
Published: March 2007

The article compares the work situations of five occupational groups in Finland and Estonia: industrial workers, clerical employees, technicians, teachers and managers. The main concern is with the structuration of the work situation, of which four aspects are given central attention: 1) objective characteristics, 2) the reproduction situation, 3) the nature of work, and 4) developmental aspects of work and the subjective experiences of qualification requirements.

The main differences between the two countries are summarised as follows: 1) Wage differentials between occupational groups are greater in Finland than in Estonia. The differences between genders are greater in Estonia. In Estonia relative incomes are highest among industrial workers, in Finland among managers. 2) In all occupational groups Estonian workers have a higher educational level than colleagues in Finland. 3) All occupational groups experience more mental and physical stress in Finland than in Estonia. 4) Finnish managers have more decision-making authority than their Estonian colleagues, but Estonian workers have supervisory and task authority more often than do Finnish workers.
PATRIARCHY AND THE POLITICS OF GENDER IN MODERNISING SOCIETIES: IRAN, PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN
Authors: Moghadam Valentine M.
Published: March 2007

The politicisation of gender and restrictive laws about women in Muslim countries have often been explained in terms of the ubiquity of Islam in politics and culture. This paper offers an alternative explanation, one focused on the dynamics of patriarchy and the contradictions of development and social change. Patriarchy is defined here as a kinship-ordered social structure with strictly defined sex roles in which women are subordinated to men. Patriarchy persists where there is limited industrialisation, urbanisation and proletarianisation, and may be legislated by the state. At the same time, the collision of tradition and modernity and unwanted changes, particularly in the status of women, may result in a preoccupation with cultural identity on the part of some social groups. In such a context, calls may be made and measures taken to restore women to their `proper place'. This framework is used to analyse the politics of gender in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan during the 1980s. The difference in the three cases is that the Afghan state sought to undermine patriarchal structures through land reform and changes in marriage and family law, whereas in Iran and Pakistan the states fostered patriarchal ideology and practices.
BEYOND THE ANTINOMY: WORK VERSUS LEISURE?
Authors: d'Epinay Christian Lalive
Published: March 2007

In this paper the author attempts to highlight the socio-historical logic of the dialectic between (paid) labour and free time among industrial societies with a market economy. The main stages of a cultural mutation are shown and related to changes in the global social structure. On the eve of post-industrial society, a new orientation toward life ( ethos), which developed within the framework of free time, privacy and leisure activities, has come to dominate all sectors of human life. The possibility that this new orientation could help to overcome the antinomy between work (as paid labour) and free-time activities is discussed.
PERSONAL NETWORK SAMPLING, OUTDEGREE ANALYSIS AND MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS: INTRODUCING THE NETWORK CONCEPT IN STUDIES OF HIDDEN POPULATIONS
Authors: Spreen Marinus , Zwaagstra Ronald
Published: March 2007

Populations, such as heroin and cocaine users, the homeless and the like (hidden populations), are among the most difficult populations to which to apply classic random sampling procedures. A frequently used data collection method for these hidden populations is the snowball procedure. The prerequisite for using this procedure is the existence of a network among the members of the population. Most studies of hidden populations treat the existence of networks as implicit, and subsequently the analysis remains at a qualitative level. In this article a practical approach to these populations is described that can be used simultaneously not only as a tool for locating a reasonable number of members of a hidden population but also as a tool for analysing aspects of network structure. By taking into account the personal network in the sampling design (personal network sampling) as well as in the analyses (outdegree analysis and multilevel analysis), meaningful quantitative information about aspects of network structure will be obtained. This approach is illustrated by data from a cocaine users project in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.
INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIES OF ADOPTING COLLECTIVE IDENTITIES: THE ISRAELI CASE
Authors: Moore Dahlia , Kimmerling Baruch
Published: March 2007

This paper combines several sociological perspectives in order to examine the relative importance of different social identity components in Jewish Israeli society. Several theoretical and methodological innovations are made towards using identity as a key concept in understanding how diverse understandings of social order can exist simultaneously within a single societal entity. Analysing a sample of 1200 Jewish Israelis we find that family identity is the most salient in Israel today. The major collectivistic identities, which in this case are Jewish and Israeli identities, are ranked second and third. Moreover, each social identity entails a different attitudinal and demographic profile. Respondents often ranked more than one major identity, so that different combinations of identities were formed, representing alternative perceptions of social order. The ideological inconsistencies formed within incongruous combinations lead to a moderation of political beliefs.
Factors Influencing the Consumer Process in UAE Society
Authors: Al-Mutawa Mohammed A.J.
Published: March 2007

This paper will focus on the various factors affecting consumption behaviour patterns in UAE society. To carry out this research, a random sample of people were selected to answer a questionnaire which examines: first, the effect of the mass media on public opinion in general, and on consumption patterns in particular; and second, the effect of seasonal sales by businesses on consumption patterns. An attempt is made to examine the effect of expatriate-national relationships on shaping or changing the attitude towards spending and consumption in general. Finally, the paper examines the processes of decision-making within the family and its effects on purchasing certain commodities.
Evaluation of Project Chrysalis:
Authors: Brown Kelly J. , Block Audrey J.
Published: March 2007

Project Chrysalis was a school-based program that provided services to female adolescents with histories of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Young women (14-17 years of age) were enrolled and assigned randomly either to a program or to a control condition. It was found that participation in Project Chrysalis was associated with outcomes such as healthier beliefs and attitudes about alcohol and other drug use and reduced initiation of tobacco and marijuana use. Participants also had fewer suicidal ideations and behaviors. It was shown that older participants (16 and 17 years of age) were less likely to attend Project Chrysalis activities than were younger participants and that the prevalence of depression and risk for suicide was higher among younger participants. That indicates that enrolling younger participants (11 through 14 years of age), before negative attitudes and behaviors have begun, might produce stronger positive effects.
Test Anxiety and its Components For Middle School Students
Authors: Schmitt Alicia P. , Crocker Linda
Published: March 2007

Psychometric properties were investigated for an adapted 31-item version of the Mandler-Sarason Test Anxiety Scale using 550 students in grades 6-8. Three subscales were created based on common factor analysis with rotation to an oblique solution. The first two factors, "Worry" and "Emotionality", correspond closely to those obtained for adults in other studies. A third factor labeled "Concentration" was also found. Results of cross-validation on 244 students indicate that the construct of test anxiety can be reliably measured for examinees at these grades.
What Do Fifth Graders Read?
Authors: Engel Rosalind E.
Published: March 2007

What do fifth graders read? This reading interest inventory was based on lists of books that 1079 Iowa fifth graders read for pleasure during the five-year period from 1978-1983. More girls (589) than boys (490) participated in the voluntary program and read more books (two more per year). A sample group of 100 boys and 100 girls was analyzed. Sex differentiation was apparent in the analysis. Fiction was the most frequently selected genre by both sexes. Realistic fiction was chosen twice as often as fantasy. Girls selected fiction in much greater numbers than boys, but nonfiction was selected much more frequently by the boys. The other genre were chosen in greatly reduced numbers and were not significantly sex-differentiated. The most popular titles and authors were identified and differences in theme choices were noted. Such information can aid the adult in selecting appropriate reading materials to stimulate the desire to read.
Early-Developed Sex Differences in Science and Mathematics in the United Kingdom
Authors: Johnson Sandra
Published: March 2007

The very different leisure activities in which boys and girls engage as young children reflect their different interests and adult role expectations. They also offer rather different opportunities to develop certain skills and abilities useful in later practical work in science. Further, they plausibly provide different experiential bases on which later conceptual learning both in mathematics and the physical sciences might be founded. This paper presents evidence of early-established sex differences in performance in some aspects of science and mathematics, of marked differences in the frequency of engagement of boys and girls in relevant practical hobbies and other out-of-school activities, and of an early polarization in scientific interests. Interconnections between these various aspects of educational development are indicated.
Differential Prediction of Academic Achievement In Elementary and Junior High School By Sex
Authors: Lewis J. C. , Hoover H. D.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in predicting achievement by sex on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) from the verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal scores on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The sample consisted of all students in Grades 2, 5, and 8 who completed both the ITBS and CogAT in the fall 1984 joint national standardization of ITBS Form G and CogAT Form 4, resulting in a sample of about 5000 boys and 5000 girls for each grade level. Examination of means and standard deviations on CogAT showed that boys and girls had similar scores on all three CogAT areas for all grades. When ITBS scores were predicted separately from each CogAT score by sex, significant differences in either slope or intercept were found between the prediction equations for several ITBS subtests, most frequently for reading and language skills. The common regression lines for each ITBS subtest and CogAT score were computed by sex and showed consistent over-prediction for boys on the reading, reference materials, and language skills subtests. Girls' scores were consistently under-predicted on these subtests. These differences occurred even though average verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal ability measures were similar for boys and girls. Educators who use differences between actual ITBS achievement and expected achievement based on CogAT scores should be aware of the differences in prediction for boys and girls.
Early Adolescent Perceptions of Informal Groups in a Middle School
Authors: Castlebury Susan , Arnold John
Published: March 2007

Thirty-five young adolescents were asked to identify and describe informal groups in their urban middle school. Further, they were requested to rank order the groups on a like/dislike continuum, and to give opinions as to how parents and teachers might rate the groups. Twelve groups, a higher number than in previous studies, were identified and portrayed in colorful language influenced by rock music and videos. Clothing and appearance, relationships with parents, emotions, school grades, and fighting/being picked on were categories most referred to in the descriptions. Subjects liked best those groups who had solid relationships with peers and parents ("Good Friends" and "Christians"), while disliking those who exhibited bizarre or anti-social behavior ("Nerds," "Potheads," and "Bullies"). Perceived adult ratings generally corresponded to those of the subjects except that "Nerds" and "Goody-goodies," viewed as overly conforming to adult expectations, were rated higher. The study reveals much about the subjects' own values, attitudes, and concerns, as well as the societal influences that affect them. Implications for middle school curriculum and organizational structure are discussed.
The Family as a Looking Glass: Interpreting Family Influences on Adolescent Self-Esteem from a Symbolic Interaction Perspective
Authors: Margolin Leslie , Blyth Dale A. , Carbone Dominic
Published: March 2007

This study examined why investigations into the family influences on adolescent self-esteem have either not used data from parents, or, when such data was used, have found very weak correlations. Given symbolic interactionism's postulate that individuals learn who they are by observing how significant others respond to them, it was hypothesized that parents' global appraisals of their adolescents' competency would improve the explanatory power of such models. In a sample of seventh and ninth graders, and their mothers, comparisons were made between the effects of parents' global appraisals and family members' reports of the kinds of interaction they shared (e.g., reports of attachment, family participation, intimacy, and authoritarian control). On the basis of bivariate analysis, it was found that mothers' global appraisals of their early adolescents' competency was a better predictor of adolescent self-esteem than the family interaction measures. Then, using hierarchical regression, it was found that the addition of mothers' global appraisals substantially improved the explanatory power of self-esteem models which relied on family members' perceptions of interaction.
Early Adolescent Physical Attractiveness and Academic Competence
Authors: Lerner Richard M. , Delaney Mary , Hess Laura E. , Jovanovic Jasna , Eye Alexander von
Published: March 2007

Using data from the Pennsylvania Early Adolescent Transitions Study (PEATS), a short-term longitudinal study of northwestern Pennsylvania adolescents undergoing the transition from elementary to junior high school, physical attractiveness (PA) and objective and subjective measures of academic competence were interrelated in order to test two alternative models: The direct effects model stresses intraorganism, noncontextually mediated links, while the developmental contextual model emphasizes social interactional processes between students and teachers. In support of the developmental contextual notion, the results of LISREL analyses across three times of testing during the sixth grade indicated that significant paths existed between PA and initial teachers' ratings of students' academic competence; in turn, these ratings were related to end-of-year grade point averages and to scores on a standardized achievement test. These findings are discussed in regard to alternative ways to model the role of social interactions in PA -academic competence relations and to the possible role of PA in early adolescent stress and coping.
Distinguishing between Perceived Closeness and Parental Warmth in Families with Seventh-Grade Boys and Girls
Authors: Paulson Sharon E. , Hill John P. , Holmbeck Grayson N.
Published: March 2007

The distinction between perceived closeness and parental warmth was explored by examining the relations between closeness and warmth and selected parent-reported and child-reported characteristics in 200 seventh-grade boys and girls and their parents. Results revealed that children perceived greater closeness with their mothers than with their fathers and that mothers perceived greater closeness with their children than did fathers. No differences were found in patterns of parental warmth. Conceived as a specific facet of warmth, closeness was found to be positively related to parent-reported measures of satisfaction with parenting and children's participation in family activities and to child-reported measures of self-esteem and expressiveness but not instrumentality. Parental warmth predicted little additional variance in satisfaction or participation, but it predicted a significant proportion of the variance in self-esteem and instrumentality above and beyond that predicted by closeness.
Self-Presentation when Sharing with Friends and Nonfriends
Authors: Buhrmester Duane , Goldfarb Jaime , Cantrell Deborah
Published: March 2007

The results of past studies of sharing among friends and nonfriends have been mixed, with some studies finding that children share more with nonfriends than friends, and others finding either the reverse or no difference. This study examined the effects of self-presentational concerns on sharing with peers. Kindergartners, fourth- and eighth-graders shared with a peer (friend, acquaintance, or disliked peer) in either a "public" face-to-face interaction or through "secret" balloting where children believed responses were anonymous. Children shared more in public than secret balloting, and kindergartners and eighth graders shared more during secret balloting with friends than with acquaintances and disliked peers. During public balloting, eighth graders shared more with friends than with acquaintances and disliked peers, whereas younger children shared about the same with friends and acquaintances. The relevance of the findings for accounts of the development of peer relationships and prosocial behavior are discussed.
Assessing the Impact of Separate Schooling for African American Male Adolescents
Authors: Hudley Cynthia A.
Published: March 2007

An instructional program designed specifically for African American male adolescents was examined to determine its impact on participating students' school adjustment and achievement. Participants in the study were 20 African American male students (Grades 6 through 8) who attended a specialized, self-contained program located on a middle school campus and a matched group of 20 students who remained in the mainstream academic setting. Self-report data on students' perceived competence and perceptions of support from significant others were collected, as well as archival data on students' attendance and course grades. Consistent with a goodness-of-fit model, experimental class participants perceived themselves more academically competent, rated their teachers and classmates as more supportive, and attended school on a more regular basis when compared to students in the mainstream program. Results were discussed in terms of the need for more effective academic interventions for at-risk youth and the concomitant need for broader social change.
The Long-Term Effects of Seventh-Grade Ability Grouping in Mathematics
Authors: Fuligni Andrew J. , Eccles Jacquelynne S. , Barber Bonnie L.
Published: March 2007

Few definitive answers exist as to the implications of ability grouping for children's development. Perhaps the most significant source of this inconclusiveness has been the absence of a longitudinal perspective and long-term studies of the effects of ability grouping on children's development. To address this need, this study examined the long-term correlates of being placed in an ability-grouped mathematics class on entry into junior high school. Results revealed some negative and no positive correlates at the tenth-grade level for low-ability students placed in low-ability classrooms compared with their peers placed in ungrouped classrooms. Conversely, a number of positive correlates of ability grouping were found for medium- and high-ability students. Discussion focuses on the role of ability grouping in junior high school as a sorting event which sets youths on different trajectories that have implications for their later academic, career; and personal development.
My Sibling's but Not My Friend's Keeper: Reasoning about Responses to Aggressive Acts
Authors: Tisak Marie S. , Tisak John
Published: March 2007

This research examined early adolescents' social cognitions about the role a peer plays as a bystander when an aggressor is either a sibling or a friend. One-hundred eleven subjects from 4th, 6th, and 8th grades were posed questions about whether a bystander of an aggressive act would intervene and, if yes, how; whether it would be wrong not to intervene; and in which bystander relationships (sibling or friend) would it be more wrong to ignore the aggressive act. With increasing age, fewer participants indicated that a bystander would intervene and should intervene. Female participants expected their same gender peers to intervene. The results also indicated that a bystander was expected to respond to a sibling, as compared to a friend, and that it would be more wrong not to intervene when an aggressor was a sibling than when an aggressor was a friend. There were grade differences in bystander's expected behavior
Relations of Social Skills, Personal Competence, and Adolescent Alcohol Use
Authors: Scheier Lawrence M. , Botvin Gilbert J.
Published: March 2007

Findings from school-based drug prevention interventions indicate that social skills and personal competence are an effective barrier against adolescent alcohol use. Efficacious and competent youth are hypothesized to possess skills to reduce offers for alcohol and invoke alternative strategies that offset peer pressure. To understand these developmental relations, a longitudinal model that specified effects of early alcohol use on later social skills and competence and their recursive influences was tested using data obtained from a cohort of nontreatment youth participating in a drug abuse prevention trial Social skills, personal competence, and consumption were temporally stable from the 8th through 10th grade. Early competence predicted lowered alcohol use, whereas social skills were associated with greater subsequent alcohol use. Social influence risk moderated the competence-consumption relations, underscoring the close developmental interplay between social context and intrapersonal risk. Findings are discussed in terms of cognitive-behavioral strategies to effectively reduce alcohol use.