bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suppression of Sound Reflected from a Piezoelectric Plate
Authors: Braga Arthur M.B. , Honein Bechara , Barbone Paul E. , Herrmann George
Published: March 2007

The reflection of a plane harmonic wave propagating in an acoustic fluid and impinging upon a submerged laminated piezoelectric plate is investigated. The dynamic behavior of each lamina is governed by the quasi-static approximation of Max well's equations and by the equations of the linear theory of anisotropic elasticity. The full coupling between electrical and mechanical quantities is considered in the linear consti tutive relations. The continuity conditions along the interfaces between layers are enforced via an invariant imbedding approach. It is shown that for a given frequency, a given angle of incidence of the sound wave in the fluid, and a prescribed electric potential on the sur face of the plate, it is possible to make the reflection coefficient vanish.
PD-Impedance Control of Docking Mechanism Composed of Intelligent Adaptive Structure
Authors: Murotsu Yoshisada , Senda Kei , Hisaji Kazuhiro
Published: March 2007

A docking mechanism and its control scheme are discussed for high per formance autonomous docking systems. A problem is to achieve soft docking of the system to a satellite approaching the docking mechanism with relative velocity and to absorb the shock of collision. To solve the problem an intelligent adaptive structure is examined to use as the docking mechanism. Control strategy for the docking mechanism is discussed and a PD-impedance control, i.e., impedance control combined with PD-control, is pro posed. The docking mechanism is controlled along an appropriate trajectory by using the PD-impedance control and the soft docking is achieved. Feasibility and advantage of the proposed scheme are verified by numerical simulations.
Elements and Devices Based on Magnetorheological Effect*
Authors: Kordonsky William
Published: March 2007

The magnetorheological suspension (MRS), due to its controllability, can be used as the basis for new devices and technologies. The most important element of any MR device is a magnetorheological transducer (MRT), a controllable hydraulic resistance. Its mathematical model is obtained using quasi-stationary approximation and taking into account the transient processes in the magnetic field inductor. The designs of damping and anti-shock devices using the MR element base are ideologically most simple. A description of such a device is obtained by supplementing the system of equations that describe MRT dynamics with the relations, including hydromechanical pro cesses, in a hydraulic cylinder. MRT can be used to design flexible bridge-like distributors to control hydraulic actuators. The experimental study has shown the possibility of using MRS as a working medium in seals.
Preparation of Microgels with Narrow Size Distribution and Arrangement of Binary Microsphere System
Authors: Murakami Y. , Ma G.H. , Nakamura M. , Fukutomi T.
Published: March 2007

By using scanning electron microscopy, the arrangement of binary mixture of micro gels in the film was investigated as a function of the surface character, ratios of the volume, and the diameter of two microgels. The bond angles comprised of three particles were determined from two SEM micrographs of the same film place, but with different angles around one rotating axis that ex ists in the sample plane. In the film comprised of the microgels with cationic and nonionic surfaces, the nonionic species affect much on the mixed state. On the other hand, in the film comprised of anionic and cationic microgels, uniform mixing was possible by controlling pH.
Neural Network Sensor Fusion for Security Applications
Authors: Frank Deborah , Pletta J. Bryan
Published: March 2007

Neural networks can detect patterns in information that they receive and have been used successfully in many classification problems. The research discussed in this paper was pursued to determine if neural networks could be successfully used for alarm classification for security systems operating in unstructured environments. The project investigated the usefulness of various types of neural networks for this application. The results from the research exceeded the original goals, promising sound application to security systems in unstructured environments.
Sound Transmission Control through Rectangular Plate by Using Piezoelectric Ceramics as Actuators and Sensors
Authors: Akishita Sadao , Mitani Yu-Ichiro , Miyaguchi Hiroshi
Published: March 2007

This paper describes the active control of sound transmission through a clamped rectangular plate by using piezoelectric ceramics as actuators and sensors. Optimal use of the piezo electric ceramic actuator is investigated theoretically by using the transfer function from incident sound pressure to radiated sound pressure and the first order approximated damping ratio. By apply ing direct velocity feedback control by five pieces of the actuators, substantial reduction of peak level at eigen mode frequency is obtained below the frequency range of about 1500 Hz. The use of piezo electric ceramics as actuators and as sensors fails in the direct velocity feedback control experiment, but has potential for the direct position feedback control experiment.
Enzyme Catalyzed Polymerization of Phenol and Aniline Derivatives on a Langmuir Trough to Form Ordered 2-D Polymer Films
Authors: Bruno Ferdinando F. , Marx Kenneth A. , Tripathy Sukant K. , Akkara Joseph A. , Samuelson Lynne A. , Kaplan David L.
Published: March 2007

Early work demonstrated that polymeric materials may be synthesized from substi tuted phenols and aromatic amines via a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme catalyzed reaction in the bulk. We have elaborated a novel approach for this enzyme mediated polymer synthesis using in situ polymerization employing a Langmuir trough. The Langmuir method is used to arrange the reactants at the molecular level prior to and during polymerization. This methodology provides straightforward control over the resulting structure, order and orientation of the final polymer. This increased control leads to improved processability, and functional characteristics for the polymers in comparison to the bulk synthesized polymers. This novel synthetic approach and the resultant ordered polymeric products can provide a useful foundation for the design of biological devices.
The Impact of Anonymity and Group Identification on Progroup Behavior in Computer-Mediated Groups
Authors: Barreto Manuela , Ellemers Naomi
Published: March 2007

To contribute to the examination of the effects of computer-mediated communication (CMC) on collaborative work, the impact of anonymity on willingness to exert effort on behalf of a group was examined. Two aspects of anonymity were independently manipulated: visibility of respondents (not visible, visible) and visibility of responses (not visible, visible) to the in-group. The role of degree of identification as moderator of anonymity effects was also examined. The results show that anonymity manipulations affect group members’effort on behalf of the group, but only when group identification is low. Low identifiers chose to work harder with the group either when they were totally anonymous or when they were totally visible to other in-group members. The implications of the results for the understanding of group processes through CMC are discussed.
Communication as an Aid to Resocialization
Authors: Whatule Larry J.
Published: March 2007

This article is a case study of a men’s treatment group for batterers. The central question of the study asks how traditionally socialized men participate in a communicatively productive treatment group. In spite of circumstances that at first glance would appear to inhibit positive interaction among its members, the Men’s Anger Group exhibited the characteristics of an effective treatment group and provided the curative factors of a support group. In addition, through shared symbols, rituals, and stories, the members established a culture that resulted in a shared consciousness and, in turn, cohesiveness. Finally, implications of this study suggest that symbolic convergence theory be considered in future research that examines communication occurring in men’s treatment groups.
Groups as Data Collection Method and Data Analysis Technique
Authors: Saulnier Christine Flynn
Published: March 2007

The use of focus groups for social work research has increased dramatically in recent years. The strengths of group process can be used in an innovative way—as a technique to improve rigor in qualitative data analysis. This article details the research process and the innovative data analysis approaches employed in a recent study conducted by the Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW). The use of interaction and group collaboration by researchers resulted in a stronger, more defensible product, emerging from a rigorous process of a multiperspective examination of decisions concerning the data, thus increasing researchers’ confidence in the final report on the project.
A Multidimensional Approach to the Group Cohesion-Group Performance Relationship
Authors: Chang Artemis , Bordia Prashant
Published: March 2007

This study (a) examined the multidimensionality of both group cohesion and group performance, (b) investigated the relationship between group-level task and social cohesion and group effectiveness, and (c) examined the longitudinal changes in cohesion and performance and the direction of effect between cohesion and performance. First, the authors hypothesized that both task and social cohesion would predict positively all dimensions of group performance. Second, that a stronger relationship would be observed between task cohesion and task effectiveness and between social cohesion and system viability. Third, that all dimensions of cohesion and performance would increase over time. Finally, that cohesion would be both the antecedent and the consequence of performance but that the performance-cohesion relationship would be stronger than the cohesion-performance relationship. Results supported the hypothesized one-to-one relationship between specific dimensions of group cohesion and group performance. Task cohesion was the sole predictor of self-rated performance at both Time 1 and Time 2, whereas social cohesion was the only predictor of system viability at Time 1 and the stronger predictor at Time 2. Social cohesion at Time 2 predicted performance on group task. However, no longitudinal changes were found in cohesion or performance. Finally, group cohesion was found to be the antecedent, but not the consequence, of group performance.
Self-Initiated Status Transfer
Authors: De Kelaita Robert , Munroe Paul T. , Tootell Geoffrey
Published: March 2007

In collectively oriented task groups in which people are differentiated on status, the status characteristics tend to determine the relative power and prestige position of the group members. The current study suggests that it may be possible for a task group member, using his or her association with an accepted higher status “source,” to influence other members of an equal status group. The authors examine influence patterns in task groups when one group member is associated with a higher status person or source. Forty undergraduate students participated in a standardized experiment in which both the participants and their partners were equally low in status. Results indicate that being associated with a high-status, high-ability non-group member raises the status of an otherwise low-status partner.
Curative Factors in Group Therapy
Authors: Butler Timothy , Fuhriman Addie
Published: March 2007

This article reviews studies of the group curathe process that have employed Yalom's description of group curative factors. Similarities and differences in the findings of the studies are discussed and future directions for research in this area are indicated.
Code and Context
Authors: Rossel Robert D.
Published: March 2007

This article develops a theory regarding the interactive and contextual properties of signs and shows how it might be applied in analyzing imagery from face-to-face communication in a self-analytic group. It is proposed that such imagery develops a code that is amenable to structural analytic techniques similar to those used by Levi-Strauss in analyzing primitive myths. This code gives one access to a rich layer of meaning hidden beneath the manifest discourse. By examining the way specific encoded elements are drawn into relation through the associative process in speech, it is possible to construct a code of greater power that reveals the global meaning of the discourse.
The Theme-Centered Interactional Group Model in Professional Education
Authors: Dombeck Mary
Published: March 2007

This report describes a small group program in a nursing curriculum utilizing the Theme-Centered Interaction model. This approach attempts to combine and balance the cognitive, subjective-affective, and interactional modes. In accordance with systematic and observational data, it is indicated that the method appears uniquely suited to the needs of student nurse clinicians who are expected to acquire and integrate psychomotor and affective skills as part of their socialization into a new role.
The Tavistock Group
Authors: Rugel Robert P. , Meyer Darrell J.
Published: March 2007

Results of a factor analysis for subjects participating in a Tavistock Group indicate the importance of the emergence of workable structures for leaders and members and the expression of affection and commentary on group processes. Output, input, self-understanding, and catharsis were the most valued factors. Comparisons with group therapy research are presented.
Preparing Newcomers to Enhance Assimilation into Groups
Authors: Jones Alvin , Crandall Rick
Published: March 2007

A common event in most groups is the introduction of new members into the established group in order to compensate for attrition, to expand, or to change. Newcomers in group often have little or no idea of what occurs in the group and may drop out if expectations are too divergent from the realities of the group process. The introduction of a newcomer may also have disruptive effects on the established group. These effects may be exaggerated in therapy groups. However, with preparation of the newcomer and the group, the integration of the newcomer can be enhanced. The literature on newcomers in groups is scattered and deals with many settings. This literature is examined and a general model examining factors felt to be important for successful assimilation in group psychotherapy is presented.
Group Facilitation
Authors: Anderson L. Frances , Robertson Sharon E.
Published: March 2007

Although the amount of literature on groups is growing at a rapid rate, concise delineation of the functional and skill expectations of group facilitators is rela tively rare. This article attempts to articulate and discuss a model based on a specific set of assumptions about causality and effectiveness in interactional groups. The authors discuss personal qualities of group facilitators and propose five major functions and seven skill clusters central to effective group facilitation.
Classical Rhetoric and Group Decision Making
Authors: Enos Richard L.
Published: March 2007

This article argues that a modification of the heuristics of classical rhetoric will facilitate both an understanding of the dynamics of group decision making and provide a systematic process for attaining consensus.
Skills Preference in Two Types of Parenting Groups
Authors: Jenson William R.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated which skills are valued by parents who are enrolled in either a positively oriented behavioral parenting group or a consensus parenting group that emphasized communication and negotiation skills. Data were collected by telephone interviews 9 to 18 months after parents had completed the parenting groups. Results indicated that concept of positive reinforcement and means for increasing it with their children was the most valued technique for the behaviorally oriented parenting group. Time-out was the second most valued technique, although it had been deemphasized. For the consensus group, negotiation was the most valued technique and time-out was the second most valued, even though this technique had not been taught in this group. Implicationsfor the uses and teaching of time-out in parenting groups are discussed.
Developmental Arrestations in Self-Analytic Groups
Authors: Kuypers Bart C. , Davies Don , Glaser Karel H.
Published: March 2007

In Part 1 we set out to determine if arrestations in group development occur at all, and, if so, what kind of arrestations might be identified. To this end, we observed five self-analytic groups using six developmental indices. Although the results are promising, diagnosis of developmental arrestations is not yet satisfactory and requires closer examination. In Part 2, the theoretical model is extended by relating it to the process of role differentiation. This extension rests on the assumption that enactors of major roles in training groups are, in fact, proponents of various group options, composing the four main problems. Four major roles are differentiated: dependency leader, disciplinarian, conciliator, and nonconformer. These are assumed to be central in different developmental stages. Arrestational diagnoses from present and previous data (Part 1) are compared. The theoretical model enables us to establish points at which group development becomes arrested. Changes in theoretical expectations are derived from the model.
A Study of Human Relations Training Groups
Authors: Shoemaker Gary
Published: March 2007

Five human relations training groups were studied using a theoretical model developed by Andrews (1978, p. 86) to assess group leaders' styles and to predict outcomes. Participants'gains were assessed from changes in self-esteem (self-ideal discrepancy reduction) and social sensitivity (self-other discrepancy reduction) over the course of the group. Participants also responded to a questionnaire about the most significant learning that occurred for them during the group. The results showed two distinct types of group experience: One involved leaders who used more interpersonal interventions. Members gave each other more feedback and showed more gains on the sensitivity measures and less on the self-esteem measure. They also reported more "critical incidents "having to do with increased awareness of how others viewed them and tended to be more critical of the experience. The other type involved leaders with a more interpersonal style, with members giving each other little feedback. Here, members showed more gains on the self-esteem measure and none on the social sensitivity measures.
Mechanisms That Contribute to Learning In Experimental Small Groups
Authors: Kuriloff Peter J. , Babad Elisha Y. , Kline Marsha
Published: March 2007

Members of a semester-long, unstructured small group processes course were interviewed as to those trainer interventions that contributed most to their learning. A theoretical model explicating mechanisms of learning was formulated from such interventions on the basis of the interviews. The model divides trainers'teaching acts into three sequential levels: articulation (further divided into clarifying and sum marizing, simplifying complex thoughts, and timing and accuracy), legitimation (further divided into threat reduction, permission, and validation), and connections (further divided into transfer to outside and connection to culture). The proposed model complements an earlier model by Kuriloff, Babad, Samuels-Singer, and Sutton- Smith (1984) that provides a taxonomy of trainers'teaching acts in small groups. The combined analysis of teaching and learning contributes to a better understanding of the potential for integrating intellectual and affective learning in experiential small groups—a well-established and long-cherished goal in the teaching of psychology.
Marathons Versus Spaced Groups
Authors: Loomis Thomas P.
Published: March 2007

A total of 41 student volunteers were randomly assigned to five groups: two twice-weekly groups, which met for 3 hours for eight meetings; two marathons, which met continuously for 24 hours; and a nontreatment control group. During the group sessions, group partici pants'skin conductances, a measure of their arousal levels, were recorded. The treatment groups had significant positive change on 14 of 15 measured personality variables between the pretest and the posttest, and positive change on all dependent measures between the pretest and a two-month follow-up. The control group also changed significantly on four de pendent measures. On the posttest, members of the twice-weekly groups scored significantly higher than members of the marathon on three dependent measures. In follow-up, members of the twice-weekly groups on the average were significantly more aroused, as measured by skin conductance, than members of the marathons. No significant relationship was found between group members'gain scores on the 15 dependent measures and their skin conduc tance scores.
Group Development in a High School Adjustment Seminar
Authors: Floyd Nubra Elaine
Published: March 2007

Bion's concept of psychodynamic group process and Bennis and Shepard's theory of group development are applied to data gathered during participant observation of an ongoing seminar group consisting of five ninth-graders in academic difficulty. All were of Afro-American descent, as was the group's primary facilitator. Events noted over the life of the group that suggested phasic development are discussed in terms of the theory, and an alternative perspective is offered on the "dilemma" of the Black woman in authority.
The Role of Communication in Group Decision-Making Efficacy
Authors: Hirokawa Randy Y.
Published: March 2007

This article advances the general argument that the importance of communicationfor group decision-making performance and its impact on such performance are a function of three task characteristics: structure, information requirement, and evaluation demand. In developing this argument, the article identifies the task circumstances in which group communication can be expected to play a role in determining decision-making performance, as well as specifying how communication functions within those circumstances to affect decision efficacy. The article concludes with concrete directions and suggestionsforfuture research.
Leadership and Social Competence in the Declining Years of Communism
Authors: Krips Heiki
Published: March 2007

Both the skills and the attitudes of Estonian leaders have been shaped by 50 years of collectivization under Soviet communism. Autocratic leadership is the norm, stemming from rigidity of attitudes in the older leaders and insecurity and inexperience in the younger leaders. A program of leadership and social competence training is presented through a series of case examples and role-play exercises. Although most of the cases and exercises deal with the problems of managing collective farms, the problems that they present are widespread. Implications are discussed for the future of Estonian agriculture and business.
Seniority Versus Age as Causes of Dominance in Social Groups
Authors: Baker Paul M. , Eaton G. Gray
Published: March 2007

Seniority systems are fundamental organizing mechanisms of most social groups, but seniority is often confounded with chronological age. An analysis of male dominance orders in troops of Japanese and rhesus macaques showed that seniority within the macaque troops was clearly more predictive of dominance than was mere chronological age. Some quasiexperimental datafrom a sample of humans also revealed that seniority was more important than chronological age in determining employee layoff rankings. The Japanese macaque data camefrom Norikoshi and Koyama 's study of two wild butprovisionedtroops ofmonkeys, each containing 26adult males. The multiple regression of dominance rank on seniority and age produced standardized multiple regression coefficients of .65 and .35 for one troop, whereas thefiguresfor the other troop were .82 and .41, respectively. A secondary analysis of Hill's rhesus macaque data showed that seniority had a standardized multiple regression coefficient of .66, but the coerficientforage was only .16, supporting the Japanese macaque data. Finally, new data from a sample of humans showed a similar pattern When subjects were asked to establish a layoff ranking of hypothetical employees described by seniority and age, their rankings were determined primarily by seniority: The coefficients were. 75 and.10, respectively.
Use of Individual-Level Data to Investigate Group Phenomena Issues and Strategies
Authors: Hoyle Rick H. , Crawford Anne M.
Published: March 2007

Researchers who investigate group phenomena can choose either the group as a whole or individuals within groups as a basis for formulating research questions, developing datagathering strategies, and conducting statistical analyses. This article considers the virtues and limitations of using individual-level data to investigate group phenomena and describes three categories of research questions about individuals in groups: (a) the contribution of group members to the composition of the group, (b) individuals'experience of belonging to the group, and (c) the impact of group membership on group members' personal life. The authors describe two examples from research on cohesion that addresses questions about individuals 'experience of belonging to groups and the impact of group membership on their personal life. We conclude by noting the limitations of the approach we advocate and mapping directions for future research suggested by our emphasis on individual-level analysis of small-group phenomena.
Measuring Small Group Process
Authors: Fuhriman Addie , Burlingame Gary M.
Published: March 2007

Research on group therapy typically defines one dimension of the therapeutic process (i.e., cohesion, feedback, self-disclosure) in space or evolving through time. As a result, little is learned regarding the interconnectedness, relatedness, or interaction of these important dimensions of what is occurring within the group. In recent years, the articulation of chaos theory-the science of process rather than of state-has unfolded andfound application in the behavioral sciences. In this article, central principles underlying chaos theory are described and the mathematics of chaos are applied to interaction from a short-ternm psychotherapy group. Differences in the pattern of complexity inherent in interactions of group members werefound in the individual sessions when compared to the group as a whole.
A Multifaceted Concept of Group Maturity and Its Measurement and Relationship to Group Performance
Authors: Wekselberg Victor , Goggin William C. , Collings Tonya J.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate two psychological group characteristics as indicators of the level of group development. These two characteristics, congruence of group goals and individual goals and congruence of attitudes, were studied in their relationship to performance and group cohesion. Participants were 53 firefighters in a small city in the Southeastern United States who were members of 20 groups of 2 to 4 members each. The hypothesis that linked agreement on group goals with congruence of attitudes was supported. Agreement on group goals was found to be a necessary but not a sufficient condition for a high congruence between group goals and individual goals. There was also supportfor two of three hypotheses about the relationships between various indicators of group maturity and group performance. The study suggested that instead of trying to salvage the concept of cohesion, we should abandon it. In its place, we should construct more than one conceptually clear variable that describes social groups. Furthermore, the overall level of group maturity can only be useful if we know which specific variables contributed to it.
Theoretical and Methodological Issues in Group Support Systems Research
Authors: Jessup Leonard M. , George Joey F.
Published: March 2007

The amount of research on group support systems (GSS) is growing quickly. One component of GSS, anonymous interaction, has received a great deal of attention recently. The quantitative and qualitative research thus far on anonymous GSS interaction suggests that the effects of GSS anonymity on group processes and outcomes are positive and/or neutral. In this article, the authors explore the potentialfor negative and/or dysfunctional consequences of GSS anonymity and discuss the relevant implications and research questions to be asked and answered.
On Scope Conditions
Authors: Foschi Martha
Published: March 2007

The objective of this article is to examine the use of scope conditions in the formulation and empirical test of hypotheses in the social sciences, particularly in small groups research. Ideas are illustrated with experimental workfrom expectation states theory, a comprehensive research program on how interaction inequalities in task groups are developed and maintained. This work provides a particularly apt illustration because expectation states researchers have made extensive use of scope conditions as a strategy in theory development and testing. In this article, I discuss the advantages of this strategy and examine two aspects of its use, namely, (a) the different ways in which scope conditions can be met by the provisions of research designs, and (b) the different techniques that can be used to check that a design has indeed been successful in this respect. The article also includes suggestionsfor improvements in these two areas.
The Effects of Proportional Representation on Intragroup Behavior in Mixed-Race Decision-Making Groups
Authors: Li Ji , Karakowsky Leonard , Siegel Jacob P.
Published: March 2007

Drawing on Kanter’s (1977) observations and assertions, this study employs a structural approach to examine the influence of group racial composition on the behavior of group members. To be specific, this study assesses the effects of proportional representation on the behavior of Asian group members who were assigned to one of three types of groups: all-Asian groups, Asian-Caucasian balanced groups, and Caucasian-dominated groups. Groups were assigned the task of discussing and generating a solution for a managerial case scenario. The discussions were videotaped and viewed by independent judges who evaluated patterns of intragroup behavior, including levels of participation and leadership behavior among group members. The findings suggest that proportional representation can act as a significant source of influence on behavior of group members. We conclude this article with a discussion of the implications of these findings from both a practical and theoretical perspective.
Commercial and financial policies in family firms: The Small Business Growth Management Flight Simulator
Authors: Bianchi Carmine , Bivona Enzo
Published: March 2007

An interactive learning environment (ILE) was built to reproduce the budgeting process of a small family-owned entrepreneurial firm and to capture how current decisions affect business growth in a longer time horizon. The ILE matches the accounting-related perspective through which spreadsheet-based budgets are drawn up, with the system dynamics (SD) view. Such a goal has been pursued through a connection of traditional Excel spreadsheets with POWERSIM SD models. Playing the SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH MANAGEMENT FLIGHT SIMULATOR allows one to learn how (a) to draw up a budget based on an SD perspective, (b) long-term goals may be affected by current decisions, (c) business/family survival and growth are strongly influenced by current policies, and (d) linking short-to medium-and long-term policies and commercial to financial and equity management issues is critical to business growth.
Simulation in Medical Education: A Review
Authors: Lane J. Lindsey , Slavin Stuart , Ziv Amitai
Published: March 2007

Simulation is used widely in medical education. The simulation methodologies used at the present time range from low technology to high technology. This article describes how role play, standardized patients, computer, videotape, and mannequin simulations are integrated into the educational curricula for medical students and physicians. Advantages and disadvantages of simulation and barriers to the use of simulation are discussed.
GLOBECORP: Simulation Versus Tradition
Authors: Spelman Mary Dean
Published: March 2007

Although simulations and role-plays have been practiced within the confines of different methods, their effectiveness in sustaining a semester-long course of study burdened with institutional assessment had not been tested. A simulation called GLOBECORP was designed to discover the effects of a course syllabus designed exclusively around the method of simulation on the author’s English as a second language (ESL) composition students and their progress as measured by mandated testing. The purpose of the study was to gather empirical evidence on the effectiveness of simulations in ESL writing instruction. The measurements of the experimental simulation group on four research instruments were compared with the measurements of a control group in the study. The results of statistical analyses suggest that simulations can be used in ESL writing instruction with the confidence that positive student outcomes will be achieved.
The Creative Alternative Game
Authors: Seibold David R. , Steinfatt Thomas M.
Published: March 2007

In this article we (1) defend the use of game simulations as experiments to test communication-related theories, but argue that game theory per se and the Prisones's Dilemma game are of limited research value to students of communication; (2) explicate a mixed-motive game experiment (Creative Alternative) which permits systematic investigation of interpersonal influence processes; and (3) discuss the use of the Creative Alternative game to study the effects of alternative compliance-gaining strategies.
In-Basket Exercises as a Methodology for Studying Information Processing
Authors: Dukerich Janet M. , Milliken Frances J. , Cowan David A.
Published: March 2007

In-basket exercises have the potential to be an important research tool for examing how managers allocate attention and respond to information in their environment. This article describes the in-basket methodology outlines various issues in organizational information processing and decision making to which this methodology might be applicable, and discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of using in-baskets to examine information processing in a simulated organizational context.
The Relationship between Financial Performance and Other Measures of Learning on a Simulation Exercise
Authors: Anderson Philip H. , Lawton Leigh
Published: March 2007

Analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between financial performance on a business simulation exercise and various other measures of student learning. Financial performance was represented by a composite performance score that rated student companies based on net income, return on investment (ROI), and return on assets (ROA) achieved in a competitive, computer-based management simulation. (Although highly intercorrelated, a 1988 study by House and Napier found the combination of these measures provided the best overall measure of a company's financial performance.) Little or no relationship was found between the performance score and the other measurements used to assess student learning.
A Survey of Methods Used for Evaluating Student Performance on Business Simulations
Authors: Anderson Philip H. , Lawton Leigh
Published: March 2007

Survey results of assessment methods used by simulation instructors to evaluate student performance on business simulations are presented. The learning objectives that instructors were attempting to measure with these assessment methods are also presented. The Bloom et al. (1959) taxonomy for classifying levels of learning was used to categorize these learning objectives.
National Arms Acquisition as a Rational Competitive Process
Authors: Taber Charles S.
Published: March 2007

A formal dyadic model of the arms acquisition process is developed and analyzed through computer simulation. A rational model produces behavior consistent with a powerful security dilemma. A spiral model, in which images of the opponent become more aggressive, sparking an arms race, emerges from the simulation for deterrent nations. In addition to these anticipated findings, the rational arms model suggests that competitive factors have their greatest impact for rivals near parity; noncompetitive forces may drive the decision for unbalanced dyads. Also unpredicted from previous formal work, only one member of a competitive dyad needs to favor disarmanent for both nations to disarm.
Autour des Jeux
Authors: Bourlès Claude
Published: March 2007

The author describes his own discovery of leisure simulation games and his progressive discovery of the people and associations using games and simulations in education and training.
Perspectives on Human Resource Development
Authors: Pfeiffer J. William
Published: March 2007

In this article, the author looks back on the growth of the field of human resource development (HRD) over the past 25 years, from his perspective as president of Pfeiffer & Company. In his review, he emphasizes the value of using experiential techniques to enhance training and to cope with change. He concludes by noting six trends for the future: changes in workplace roles, increased emphasis on quality, valuing diversity, re-engineering work, competency-based training and changes in planning cycles.
A Simulation of Strategic Decision Making in Situational Stereotype Conditions for Entrepreneurial Companies
Authors: West G. Page , Wilson E. Vance
Published: March 2007

Entrepreneurship is concerned with pattern recognition of situations and information by entrepreneurs. Simulation methods represent an attractive venue for exploring pattern recognition and information interpretation issues. A computerized decision-making simulation was developed and run to test hypotheses concerning interpretation of stereotypical situational cues to which new ventures are subject. Partial support is found for the existence of classes of situations to which entrepreneurs and managers respond. Stereotypical views of situations may develop quickly and be acted on easily in critical decision making. Future simulation research on cognition issues in entrepreneurship may enable entrepreneurs to better learn how to learn.
Managing Practitioners in the Entrepreneurship Class
Authors: Katz Jerome A.
Published: March 2007

One of the strengths of the traditional entrepreneurship class that can benefit teachers in other disciplines is the widespread and highly integrated use of practitioners (e.g., entrepreneurs, business experts) to complement academic instruction. The author draws on published reports codifying an extensive oral history of how practitioners can be best used in the class. Four important aspects of practitioner management in the entrepreneurship class are discussed: (a) identifying the roles that practitioners can serve in a class, (b) enhancing and expanding the search process to find the right practitioner, (c) preparing the practitioner's classroom experience to make it optimally rewarding for the presenter, and (d) managing the actual process of the practitioner's presentation to make it as mishap free and as substantively integrated as is possible.
Recollections about the Inter-Nation Simulation (INS) and Some Derivatives in Global Modeling
Authors: Guetzkow Harold
Published: March 2007

This article provides commentaries on professional and personal experiences in the development of simulations in the study of international affairs, 1955-1985.
Human Factors in the Simulation of Information Systems
Authors: Warren James R. , van Dijk Johannes N. , Jobing Marcel J.
Published: March 2007

Simulation technology provides powerful tools for analysis of information system (IS) designs, but it is a fact that the purpose of such technology is to enhance the quality of decisions made by human beings. On-line help and knowledge-based support, graphics, and Visual Interactive Simulation (VIS) and animation are particularly promising technologies to enhance the effectiveness of simulation from a human factors perspective. Based on literature review and two studies undertaken by the authors, the role of these technologies in simulation-based decision making is considered. The authors find that there are opportunities to improve the decision support role of simulation technology in IS with enhanced user interface technology but that there are further issues to address. Although there are many practical difficulties in experimental assessment of human factors in IS simulation, such research is essential in determining the relevance of simulation technology to decision support.
Studying Organizational Dynamics
Authors: Vissers Geert A. N.
Published: March 2007

The idea ofprocess is prominent in organization theory but less so in research. Limited access to organizations is a likely explanation, particularly because process analysis often requires detailed data. Experimental research may provide the necessary data, if only a method is used that allows the situation under study to change as a result of actors 'behaviors. Simulation/gaming meets this criterion. It allowsfor registration of interaction processes, and it enables experimental control offactors of interests. The method can be used to study organizational processes in detail and to explore how these processes are influenced by organizational strategies. In this article, results ofprocess analysis derivedfrom a simulation/game of a house-building company are presented.
Three Categories of Ethics
Authors: Jones Ken
Published: March 2007

Ethics in games and simulations may relate to the outside world, or to the behavior of the participants within the event, or to the behavior of the facilitator: It is important to distinguish between the three categories; otherwise, participants can be criticized unfairly.
ISAGA ’98: St. Petersburg and a Summer of Delights
Authors: Leigh Elyssebeth
Published: March 2007

St. Petersburg, at the height of a wonderful northern summer, hosted ISAGA ’98. The history and complexity of the country was mirrored in a successful conference, which provided insights into both future trends and history of simulations as planning and education strategies.
Marital Therapy With Parents to Alleviate Behavioral Disorders in Their Children
Authors: Snow Doris Jean
Published: March 2007

This study examined the effects of couples psychotherapy with parents whose 5- to 12-year-old children misbehaved in school. An experimental group of 23 parents was compared to an alternative-treatment group of 11 parents, using pre- and posttests. The experimental group was treated with conjoint marital therapy derived from object relations and structural theories, lasted 12 weeks, and targeted marital and parental boundaries. The comparison group offered either or both parents individual conventional psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy. Children were not included in the therapy provided to either group. On the posttest it was found that parents assigned to both treatment conditions equivalently improved on the Marital Communication Inventory, but only the parents assigned to the experimental condition showed significant gains on the Parent Attitude Survey. Only those children of parents receiving experimental treatment improved significantly on the Child Resource Inventory, completed by each child's teacher. Social workers may use this brief conjoint marital therapy method to ameliorate child misbehavior by restructuring the child's home and parental environment.
The Social Support Survey: A Validation Study of a Clinical Measure of the Social Support Process
Authors: Richman Jack M. , Rosenfeld Lawrence B. , Hardy Charles J.
Published: March 2007

Social support is a complex process with far-reaching implications for social work practice. This article presents a practice model of the social supportprocess, detailing its four components (i. e., provider, recipient, interaction, and outcomes), and a measure of the social support process based on the practice model and developed for clinical use. The model and clinical assessment instrument should facilitate understanding the support process and developing client interven tion strategies.
The Repeatability of a Single-Session Group to Promote Safe Sex Behavior in a Male At-Risk Population
Authors: Flowers John V. , Miller Timothy E. , Smith Nick , Booraem Curtis D.
Published: March 2007

One hundred and seventeen single-session STOP AIDS discussion groups with 771 participants were conducted over an 18-month period. Employing the AIDS Prevention Test as an outcome measure, it was demonstrated that 114 of the 117 groups produced significant and equivalent change in AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes about personal efficacy in controlling the spread of the AIDS epidemic, and intended safer sex behavior. Three-month follow-up indicated that the changes in attitudes were maintained and the intended changes in behavior were translated into actual safer sex behavior. Additionally, the manner in which the data was used to make program decisions is described, as is the process by which the data was employed to design the next project.
A History of Childhood Abuse as a Predictor Variable: Implications for Outcome Research
Authors: Holmes Thomas R.
Published: March 2007

This article reports on a clinical outcome study assessing the history of childhood abuse as a predictor variable for outcome research in clinical social work practice. Although this variable is widely viewed by clinicians as important in predicting the response of clients to treatment, little research has been done to test this assumption. This study assesses the effect of short-term treatment on depression and anxiety levels of 39 clients in a family service agency. The ANCOVA results indicated that for this treatment group, a history of childhood abuse was related to clients' response to treatment. A nonrandomized pretest-posttest design was used to compare the outcomes of clients with a history of childhood abuse with those without such a history. The results showed significant difference between the two groups on outcome levels of anxiety and depression. Implications for clinical research are discussed.
Restraint Removal and Changes in Social Response Among Nursing Home Residents
Authors: Ejaz Farida K. , Rose Miriam S. , Jones James
Published: March 2007

This study investigated whether removing physical restraints from previously restrained nursing home residents would change their social response. A quasi-experimental design was used to obtain data from 93 previously restrained subjects who became restraint-free (experimental group) andfrom 93 randomly selected never-restrained subjects (nonequivalent control group) in seven nursing homes. A repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for group differences in cognitive status and physical activities of daily living (PADL) was used to examine changes in social response at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Findings suggested that restraint removal had no effect on changing social response over time. Even after attempting to control for differences between groups, social response was significantly related to subjects' cognitive abilities and PADL status. The control group was better functioning in both areas, and this affected their ability to respond socially at a much higher level throughout the study than the experimental group.