bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Television Viewing Relate to Engagement in Protective Action Against Crime?
Authors: NABI ROBIN L. , SULLIVAN JOHN L.
Published: March 2007

As a theory of media effects, cultivation suggests that television viewing influences beliefs and opinions about the real world. As a model of social influence, the theory of reasoned action focuses on predicting behaviors based on salient beliefs and attitudes. This study attempts to elaborate cultivation theory by using a theory of reasoned action perspective to determine if heavy television viewing influences not only beliefs and attitudes about violence in society but also intentions to take and actual engagement in protective action. Findings indicated that amount of television viewing directly influenced prevalence estimates of violence in society as well as intentions to take protective measures and indirectly affected mean world attitude and protection behaviors through its effects on their preceding variables. Implications for conceptualization and measurement of cultivation variables as well as the process through which television impacts behavior are discussed.
Effects of Enhanced Spatial Context on Television Message Retention
Authors: Rothkopf E. Z. , Dixon P. , Billington M. J.
Published: March 2007

Spatial context, which is known to play an important role in human learning, is reduced by many telecommunications media, particularly television. Laboratory studies with specially prepared video materials have shown that augmenting spatial context by using multiple monitors, each for a different subject matter element, can improve message retention. We attempted to apply these experimental techniques to a standard public affairs television production, a program in the MacNeil-Lehrer Report series. A microcomputer, using cue signals on the sound track of the videocassette, switched each of the six program participants to a separate monitor. Although the production techniques used in the TV program did not allow the consistent assignment of unique spatial context for each participant, our methods for improving spatial context at the receiving end of the program resulted in more accurate attribution of statements to speakers than the standard one-monitor viewing condition.
USING LOG-LINEAR TESTS OF FIT FOR A TRANSACTIONAL SYSTEMS MODEL
Authors: BRENT EDWARD E. , SYKES RICHARD E.
Published: March 2007

For the past decade the Interact System Model (ISM) of Fisher and Hawes (1971) has been used in conjunction with traditional statistical tests of fit of discrete-time, discrete-state Markov models to examine small group processes of communication. The authors argue that the ISM is an inappropriate model of interpersonal and noninterpersonal communication processes, in part because it takes no account of nonverbal messages. As an alternative, they propose a Transactional Systems Model (TSM) of person-to-person communication, and, using data on police-complainant interaction for illustration, show how log-linear statistical models provide an efficient and flexible means of testing and comparing ISM with TSM models. Log-linear tests may replace traditional tests of such models and open the way to a greater understanding of complex communication processes.
POLITICAL FACTORS IN NEWSPAPER READERSHIP
Authors: WEIBULL LENNART
Published: March 2007

The aim of this article is to analyze the base of a party press system. The central question is how the Swedish party press was affected by structural changes in the newspaper market during the process of newspaper concentration. The article first focuses on the degree of party press readership within the local morning press. It is shown that a substantial part of the Swedish public reads a morning paper of their own party outlook although the share has decreased during the last 25 years. The second part of the article analyzes the role of newspaper structure for party press readership. It is demonstrated that access increases the probability of reading a paper of one's own party. In a special section the role of the national evening press is discussed. The results show that the political evening papers have outbalanced some of the changes on the local markets. The conclusion is that the party press in Sweden, in spite of concentration, is relatively strong. This is explained by three factors within the Swedish party political system: parties' ties to newspapers, the government subsidy system, and the citizens' experiences from the party press.
A THEORY OF TELEVISION PROGRAM CHOICE
Authors: WEBSTER JAMES G. , WAKSHLAG JACOB J.
Published: March 2007

Researchers have employed different theoretical frameworks to predict patterns of television program choice. Despite varied theoretical origins, such efforts typically assume that program choice is systematically related to program content. A substantial body of marketing research, however, has provided evidence that choice is determined by scheduling—not content—factors, drawing into question the explanatory power of current theories. This article integrates disparate theoretical perspectives into a single model that is consistent with empirically documented patterns of choice.
INVESTIGATING ASSUMPTIONS OF MEDIA DEPENDENCY RESEARCH
Authors: McDONALD DANIEL G.
Published: March 2007

Several recent research efforts have focused on the notion that media dependencies act as causal mechanisms in affecting individuals' information needs and uses of the mass media. The present study examines two separate research positions; one of newspaper and television dependencies acting as latent variables in a causal manner, and the other of primary reliance upon a given medium acting as a contingent condition under which to examine media use. Maximum likelihood estimates of measurement models related to the two propositions are formulated and tested for adequate fit to media use behaviors. Results are interpreted as indicating greater support for analysis of media use behaviors contingent upon medium of primary reliance.
CHILDREN'S ACCOUNTS OF SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPES IN TELEVISION
Authors: DURKIN KEVIN
Published: March 2007

Despite widespread concern about the possibly deleterious effects of television and sex-role stereotypes upon young viewers, little research has been conducted to investigate how children perceive stereotypes in the medium. In this study, seventeen children aged 4½ and 9½ are interviewed individually and asked to discuss features of a series of highly stereotyped male and female behaviors shown on television. The children display considerable knowledge of sex-role conventions and reveal clear ability to relate this to their accounts of the excerpts presented. Children are able to infer feelings and motives appropriately, and offer plausible accounts of “off-screen” behavior by using their existing sex-role knowledge. The findings are discussed with reference to developmental work in script theory, and it is stressed that television “effects” upon the young are best understood in the context of models of developing social understanding.
“TAKING A BITE OUT OF CRIME”
Authors: O'KEEFE GARRETT J.
Published: March 2007

Recent studies of public information campaigns indicate they may have greater efficacy than the research of previous decades suggested. The persuasive impact of a national crime prevention campaign is investigated in the context of past and contemporary models of media effects, utilizing data from a national sample survey and a three-city panel survey. The findings suggest that the campaign had marked influences on individuals' cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding crime prevention. Media campaign effects are contingent upon specific factors operative in given communication situations, involving given kinds of audiences.
AGE DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN'S PERCEPTIONS OF MESSAGE INTENT
Authors: BLOSSER BETSY J. , ROBERTS DONALD F.
Published: March 2007

Children four through eleven years old viewed informational (excerpts from network news), persuasive (child-oriented and adult-oriented commercials), educational (excerpts from instructional spots), and mixed (child-oriented public service announcements) messages. They were then interviewed about message content, type, intent, believability, and belief criteria. Comprehension of narrative content was high, even among the youngest children. Most young children were able to identify messages for which common labels exist (news; commercials), but few attached labels to educational spots or public service announcements. Correct articulation of message intent occurred primarily among older children; few under age eight correctly identified the intent of any message type. There was an age-related trend toward the use of functional cues to aid in message identification, and toward reality testing as the appropriate basis for evaluation of message believability. The evidence indicates that young children may interpret messages in informational terms regardless of message intent (e.g., to persuade or instruct).
Communication and Commitment to Community
Authors: JEFFRES LEO W. , DOBOS JEAN , SWEENEY MARY
Published: March 2007

Path analysis of neighborhood and metropolitan survey data suggest that communication contributed to commitment to remain in a neighborhood or metropolitan community via a process of belief and attitude formation. When controlling for length of residence and other social characteristics, communication variables contributed to belief and attitude formation about the area, but attitudes were a better predictor of intention to stay in a neighborhood than they were of intention to remain in the metro area.
The Influence of New Media and Family Structure on Young Adolescents' Television and Radio Use
Authors: BROWN JANE DELANO , CHILDERS KIM WALSH , BAUMAN KARL E. , KOCH GARY G.
Published: March 2007

A survey of 2,056 12- to 14-year-olds from 10 southeastern U.S. cities showed that Blacks and girls spent more time with television and radio than Whites and boys did; television use declined with age, whereas radio use increased. Access to cable television and videocassette recorders was not related to frequency of television or radio use. Lack of access to parents, either because the mother was employed or because no father was in the home, generally increased the time that adolescents spent with radio and television.
The Coherence of Visual Narratives
Authors: KRAFT ROBERT N. , CANTOR PHILLIP , GOTTDIENER CHARLES
Published: March 2007

Memory for visual narratives was examined as a function of cinematic structure. Four visual narratives were constructed, with each narrative taking place within a single location and presenting an interaction between two main characters. Two separate experiments examined the influence of establishing shots and directional continuity on subjects' memory for the depicted events. In a 2 × 2 design, the narratives began with or without an establishing shot and preserved or violated directional continuity. Experiment 1 showed that subjects can accurately recognize the flow of action in visual narratives, even without establishing shots, as long as directional continuity is preserved, but that establishing shots allow the viewer to construct a comprehensive representation of spatial layout. Experiment 2 introduced a reconstruction task to assess memory for the narratives, showing not only that directional continuity provided a framework for establishing spatial coherence but that this spatial framework enhanced subjects' ability to remember the depicted activities in the appropriate sequence. In general, these experiments identified two important psychological principles for restructuring real-world activities into coherent filmed sequences.
The Role of News Teasers in Processing TV News and Commercials
Authors: CAMERON GLEN T. , SCHLEUDER JOAN , THORSON ESTHER
Published: March 2007

The role of news teasers in the processing of news and commercials was explored here. Three theories were used to posit effects that news teasers might have on memory and attention for commercials in evening newscasts. Proactive interference and shifts in cognitive capacity were not found as a function of presence or absence of news teasers. News teasers were found to enhance moderately the primacy-recency pattern found in visual and verbal memory scores. Arguably, this pattern reflects a process of segmentation by viewers in which commercial breaks are treated as discrete units in memory processing. News teasers appear to have an effect on processing strategies employed by television news viewers.
Friendship, Social Interaction, and Coping With Stress
Authors: WINSTEAD BARBARA A. , DERLEGA VALERIAN J. , LEWIS ROBIN J. , SANCHEZ-HUCLES JANIS , CLARKE EVA
Published: March 2007

The experiment described in this article examined how interacting with a friend as opposed to a stranger in anticipation of a stressful event (giving an extemporaneous speech) affects coping. Results indicated that subjects perceived more social support after interacting with a friend than with a stranger. They were less depressed and were judged to be more confident during the extemporaneous speech after interacting with an opposite-sex friend than with an opposite-sex stranger. Specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors contributed to successful coping. Subjects reported less fear if they talked about their feelings about public speaking during the social interaction, and they were more confident while speaking if they engaged in problem-solving talk. Problem-solving, other-related, and unrelated talk predicted perceived social support. Of the nonverbal behaviors measured, eye contact was the best predictor of coping and perceived social support.
Communicative Characteristics of the Lonely Person's Friendship Circle
Authors: SAMTER WENDY
Published: March 2007

The project described in this article examined several qualitative features of the friendship circles of lonely college students. It was expected that because communication is the cornerstone of young adult friendship, individuals whose social companions lacked important communicative attributes would experience poor peer relationships and, therefore, greater loneliness than individuals whose social companions possessed relevant communicative attributes. The liked peers of 208 participants (102 male, 106 female) were identified. Aggregate measures of social acceptance, loneliness, communication attitudes, communication values, and communication skills were obtained from liked peers, as were indices reflecting the extent to which individual participants were accepted by peers and felt lonely. Results indicated that some communicative attributes of the friendship circle predicted participants' levels of social acceptance and loneliness. A few significant gender differences in these relationships were also observed.
Perceived Persuasive Effects of Product Commercials and Public Service Announcements
Authors: GUNTHER ALBERT C. , THORSON ESTHER
Published: March 2007

A recent but robust phenomenon described in communication literature has been the third-person effect—the finding that in response to mass media messages, such as news stories and programs, people estimate themselves to be less affected than others. The present experiment asked whether this self-other pattern would characterize responses to two types of product commercials (i.e., those that did and those that did not engender emotion) and to public service announcements (PSAs). The authors were also concerned with how accurately people could estimate the effects of these types of ads on themselves and others. Results indicated that for neutral ads, people estimated themselves to be more resistant than others, but for emotional ads, people estimated themselves to be more yielding to influence than others. For PSAs, there were no differences in perceived self and other influence. In addition, judgments of persuasive influence on self and others were markedly overestimated. Perhaps most interestingly, there was both a directional (yielding vs. resistance) and a magnitudinal impact of emotion on the influence estimates.
Group Decision Support Systems and Group Communication
Authors: POOLE MARSHALL SCOTT , HOLMES MICHAEL , WATSON RICHARD , DeSANCTIS GERARDINE
Published: March 2007

This study investigated a range of impacts that a computerized group decision support system (GDSS) might have on group decision-making processes. A general model posited 13 possible GDSS impacts. The research strategy was to identify which of these impacts were likely to result for the specific GDSS and for the budget allocation task employed in this study and to focus on these in data collection and analysis. The design contrasted (a) groups using a computerized GDSS with (b) groups using a manual, paper-and-pencil version of the GDSS and with (c) baseline groups given no support system. GDSS impacts were measured by interaction analysis of group decision-making processes. Results partially supported our predictions and suggested some changes in the model. Results suggested that the GDSS improved the organization of the decision-making process but that it may have led to less thorough and critical discussion.
The Effects of Sibling Coviewing on Preschoolers' Reactions to a Suspenseful Movie Scene
Authors: WILSON BARBARA J. , WEISS AUDREY J.
Published: March 2007

This experiment assesses the impact of watching television with an older sibling on preschoolers' reactions to a suspenseful movie scene. Preschoolers viewed one of two versions of the scene (normal, dream) either alone or with an older sibling. The two versions were identical except that the dream version included a prologue and an epilogue. Both the prologue and epilogue used standard production techniques to convey that the story was just a dream. Results revealed that coviewing had both negative and positive effects. Unexpectedly, watching with an older sibling tended to reduce preschoolers' ability to recognize the dream in the program. However, preschoolers who viewed with an older sibling were less emotionally aroused and liked the program more than did those who watched alone. Mediating processes during coviewing, such as the nature of the talk and visual attention to the television, were used to explain the results.
Electronic Bulletin Boards and “Public Goods” Explanations of Collaborative Mass Media
Authors: RAFAELI SHEIZAF , LaROSE ROBERT J.
Published: March 2007

Collaborative mass media are a new type of mass communications medium in which the audience acts both as the source and the receiver of the message. Theories of discretionary data base contributions and critical mass theory offer parallel explanations for the success of collaborative media. The present research integrated the predictions of these two perspectives in the context of a national survey of public electronic bulletin board systems. The study documented the nature and extent of electronic bulletin board use and compared predictions about the success of collaborative media based on the two theoretical perspectives. File contribution levels and system adoption rates were both found to be directly related to a measure of symmetry in user participation. Content diversity was directly related to contribution levels, but not to overall adoption levels. The results provided limited support for discretionary data base theory.
Relationships Among Attitudes, Behavioral Intentions, and Behavior
Authors: KIM MIN-SUN , HUNTER JOHN E.
Published: March 2007

In a recent meta-analysis of attitude-behavior research, the authors of this article found a strong overall attitude-behavior relationship (r = .79) when methodological artifacts are eliminated. The trend in A-B research, however, is to conceive of behavioral intentions (BI) as a mediator between attitudes (A) and behaviors (B). In this study, it is hypothesized that (a) A-BI correlation would be higher than A-B correlation, (b) BI-B correlation would be higher than A-B correlation, (c) A-BI correlation would be higher than BI-B correlation, (d) the variation in BI-B correlations would be greater than that of A-BI, and (e) attitudinal relevance would affect the magnitude of the A-BI correlation. A series of meta-analyses, integrating the findings of 92 A-BI correlations (N = 16,785) and 47 B-BI correlations (N = 10,203) that deal with 19 specified categories and a variety of miscellaneous topics was performed. The results were consistent with all five hypotheses. The theoretical and methodological implications are discussed.
Moving Toward Synergy
Authors: SCHOOLER CAROLINE , FLORA JUNE A. , FARQUHAR JOHN W.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the process of media supplementation in the Stanford Five-City Multifactor Risk Reduction Project, a long-term trial of communitywide cardiovascular disease risk reduction conducted by Farquhar and associates. The data indicate that accessible awareness media disseminated early in the education campaign promoted use of information-rich depth media later on, demonstrating that supplementation occurred. Moreover, analyses suggest that awareness media prompted behavioral trials and information seeking through interpersonal discussion and print media. Results further imply that this information and support encouraged behavior change and enhanced self-efficacy. It is argued that the ability of a long-term, multifaceted campaign to promote complex interactions between media messages, interpersonal discussion, and individuals' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior over time is the strength of this kind of project—in other words, the possibility for synergy.
Emotion, Hemispheric Specialization, and Visual and Verbal Memory for Television Messages
Authors: LANG ANNIE , FRIESTAD MARIAN
Published: March 2007

This article investigates variations in visual and verbal memory for television messages as a function of the emotional valence of the message. It is theorized that emotional processing is lateralized, with positive emotions receiving greater left-brain processing and negative emotions greater right-brain processing. Because the left brain is the primary locus for verbal information processing and the right brain is the primary locus for visual-spatial processing, it is hypothesized that memory for negative emotional messages will be more visual than verbal, whereas memory for positive emotional messages will be more verbal than visual. This hypothesis is tested at the encoding and recall stages of processing by measuring subjects' recall and recognition for messages that vary in emotional valence. Results suggest that message valence may be related to the amount of visual or verbal information encoded. However, the effect is less evident at the retrieval stage.
The Relationship of Attitudinal Components to Trust in Media
Authors: STAMM KEITH , DUBE RIC
Published: March 2007

Past research has proposed that the receiver's relationship to the content of a message will affect credibility attributed to the source. Current literature proposes explanatory mechanisms that require empirical distinctions among the various components of attitude, yet researchers often employ measures of “attitude extremity” that confound these components. This study follows Guttman's mathematical theory of attitude and its distinctions between four attitude components: direction, intensity, closure, and involvement. In a survey of 358 adults, relationships between trust in television news and newspaper coverage and each of the four components were tested for six current issues. Significant relationships were found for all four components. Results suggest that existing hypotheses relating credibility to attitude have not anticipated that credibility might be related to more than one component. Interactions occur in which the relation of credibility to one component would be modified by the presence of some other component. Theorizing that introduces contingencies into the consideration of questions dealing with credibility is suggested.
The Perils of Periodical Indexes
Authors: ZOLLARS CHERYL
Published: March 2007

This article is about a topic neglected in the social science literature on content analysis and culture indicators methodology—problems in using periodical indexes to construct research samples. The author briefly identifies and discusses reasons why article headlines located through indexes' subject categories can prove to be misleading indicators and then turn to the methodological difficulties arising from historical and idiosyncratic changes in index subject category headings and subheadings—difficulties particularly relevant to longitudinal research. The author argues that researchers using an index's subject categories should test not only for category longevity but also for category coherence and consistency over time. The use of oversampling, cross-references, and other devices is suggested as a means to correct or compensate for hidden inaccuracies in index classification and to construct purposive samples for analytic comparisons.
On the Advantages of Modesty
Authors: ROBINSON MICHAEL D. , JOHNSON JOEL T. , SHIELDS STEPHANIE A.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated the impressions conveyed by enhancing, deprecating, or more balanced self-descriptions, all presented without corroborating evidence. Subjects estimated the honesty, self-knowledge, authenticity, and likability of individuals to whom brief self-descriptive statements were attributed. Although self-enhancers were rated as more likable than self-deprecators, those who presented balanced self-descriptions were rated as significantly more authentic, and significantly more likable, than those who made either deprecating or enhancing statements about themselves. However, multiple regressions indicated that self-deprecators and self-enhancers were disliked for somewhat different reasons. Self-enhancers were liked less than those who described themselves in balanced terms primarily because they were judged less honest. In contrast, self-deprecators were disliked partly because they were perceived as lacking in knowledge about themselves. These results are interpreted in terms of the discounting and augmentation principles of attribution theory.
Depressive Styles and Social Acuity
Authors: AUBE JENNIFER , WHIFFEN VALERIE E.
Published: March 2007

Social acuity has been identified as an important skill in promoting positive interpersonal and psychological functioning. Because research examining the accuracy of depressives' social perceptions has revealed inconsistent findings, the authors proposed that it may be helpful to consider the dimension of personality. Specifically, they examined whether dependency and self-criticism, 2 personality types that have been linked with depression, were related to social acuity. They hypothesized that whereas self-critical persons would show deficits in social acuity, dependent persons would be more skilled in this area. Ninety university students completed 2 measures of social acuity; the Interpersonal Perception Task and a task requiring subjects to estimate how they were perceived by peers on 10 trait dimensions. Results showed that self-critical persons were significantly less accurate on both tasks, even when controlling for depressive symptomatology. Dependency was unrelated to either measure of social acuity. Results support previous studies showing serious impairments in the interpersonal functioning of self-critical persons and point to distinct interpersonal correlates of dependency and self-criticism.
Sustainable Development and the Global Economy
Authors: MEISTER MARK , JAPP PHYLLIS M.
Published: March 2007

The discourse of sustainable development represents a consensus between environmental conservation and industrial use. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) that was held in the summer of 1992 attempted to initiate sustainable development policies aimed at improving the quality of human life. The major focus of UNCED was on the 400-page Agenda 21 and its initiatives for sustainable development practices and quality-of-life improvement. This article looks at the language contained in Agenda 21 and analyzes the quality-of-life phrase used throughout the text. The analysis follows insights of Burke's theory of dramatism, which contends that language functions symbolically to reinforce and maintain political power. The analysis illustrates how Agenda 21 both uses the quality-of-life phrase to promote consumerism and consumption and neglects to profile serious environmental protection.
Social Identity and Communicative Boundaries
Authors: DOLLAR NATALIE J. , ZIMMERS BROOKE G.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the boundaries of youth and young adult street persons and their strategies of communicating social identity. This communicative process is observed in the daily lives of these young speakers as they interact with other community members. The article discusses the various membership sets (Sacks) speakers call upon in constructing social identities. Youth and young adult street speakers rely on membership sets that conflict with those employed by parents, legislators, and other community members. The young street speakers attempt to challenge the membership sets of the more powerful speakers but are unsuccessful.
Breaching or Building Social Boundaries?
Authors: POSTMES TOM , SPEARS RUSSELL , LEA MARTIN
Published: March 2007

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is sometimes heralded for its power to break down social boundaries and to liberate individuals from social influence, group pressure, and status and power differentials that characterize much face-to-face interaction. We review research conducted within the framework of the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE) demonstrating that this is not always the case. When communicators share a common social identity, they appear to be more susceptible to group influence, social attraction, stereotyping, gender typing, and discrimination in anonymous CMC. Although CMC gives us the opportunity to traverse social boundaries, paradoxically, it can also afford these boundaries greater power, especially when they define self- and group identity.
The Third-Person Effect
Authors: SALWEN MICHAEL B. , DUPAGNE MICHEL
Published: March 2007

A nationwide telephone survey of 721 adults examined the impact of the third-person effect on individuals' perceptions of the media's general influence and immorality effects with three issues. The third-person effect perceptual hypothesis predicts that individuals will perceive media messages to have greater effects on other people than on themselves. A behavioral hypothesis predicts that third-person perception (i.e., seeing others as more influenced) will lead to support for restrictions on media messages. The findings reaffirmed robust support for the perceptual hypothesis. Regarding the behavioral hypothesis, effect perceptions were found to be issue dependent. For television violence, the issue with the clearest moral dimension, perceived immorality effects predicted support for restrictions. In contrast, perception of the media's general influence was a key predictor of support for restrictions on televised trials and negative political advertising. The failure of past research to distinguish dimensions of perceived effects may account for the less than robust findings regarding the behavioral hypothesis.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Residential Treatment for Prisoners with Mental Illness
Authors: LOVELL DAVID , ALLEN DAVID , JOHNSON CLARK , JEMELKA RON
Published: March 2007

An intermediate-care residential program for mentally ill male prison inmates in Washington provides medication monitoring, skills training, and a supportive milieu to help participants cope with life in prison. Participants were substantially less symptomatic when they left the program than when they entered. Comparisons of preprogram and postprogram behavior showed significant reductions in staff assaults, infractions, and use of expensive resources, as well as higher rates of work and school participation. A minority of inmates continued to be difficult to manage despite program interventions. Effectiveness measures are discussed in relation to the obligation to provide medically necessary care to inmates with severe mental illness.
Cross-Validation of the Megargee MMPI Typology
Authors: EDINGER JACK D. , REUTERFORS DAVID , LOGUE PATRICK E.
Published: March 2007

To determine the applicability of the Megargee MMPI-based typology to inmates in specialized correctional treatment programs, two samples of inmates were obtained from the Butner Federal Correctional Institution: The first consisted of adult males attending the mental health unit, the second of violent males housed in the research unit. Subjects were classified, and all ten of Megargee's profile types were found in each sample. (1) Significant differences were found between the two samples in the proportion to various types identified; (2) among types in each sample in number and types of Grayson (1957) critical items endorsed; (3) among types in each sample in their Harris-Lingoes (1955) subscale elevations; and (4) among the mental health types in terms of their psychiatric diagnoses. A number of differences between corresponding types identified in each sample were noted. Results are compared with previous research findings and suggestions for future investigations are provided.
The Effectiveness of Jail Mental Health Programs
Authors: MORRISSEY JOSEPH P. , STEADMAN HENRY J. , KILBURN HAROLD , LINDSEY MICHAEL L.
Published: March 2007

This article presents an interorganizational approach to the assessment of jail mental health programs, a growing area of concern in the aftermath of state mental hospital deinstitutionalization. Two interorganizational variables—program auspice and program location—are investigated as predictors of the amount of interagency conflict and the perceived effectiveness of safety and service goals associated with the delivery of mental health services in 33 U.S. jails. The results reveal a number of trade-offs between various interorganizational arrangements suggesting that there is “no one best way” to organize services. Findings are discussed in relation to program planning, emergent policy issues, and further research.
Mental Health Work in Prisons and Jails
Authors: LOMBARDO LUCIEN X.
Published: March 2007

Mental health efforts in prisons and jails most often ignore the mental illness prevention capabilities of main-line correctional personnel. By focusing on inmates with drug dependencies or severe psychiatric disorders, traditional mental health services have failed to come to grips with the problems created for “normal inmates” by the conditions of confinement. This article argues that indigenous correctional personnel might supplement the efforts of professional treatment staff by learning to assist inmates in coping with the stress produced by everyday institutional living conditions.
Utility of the Megargee-Bohn MMPI Typological Assignments
Authors: DAHLSTROM W. GRANT , PANTON JAMES H. , BAIN KENNETH P. , DAHLSTROM LEONA E.
Published: March 2007

Panton (1978) examined 55 felons awaiting execution in North Carolina Central Prison before and after the U.S. Supreme Court declared the North Carolina death penalty unconstitutional. The interval between tests ranged from 6 to 49 months. Subsequently, these men were resentenced and reassigned in the prison system. Profiles from this serendipitous study were used to examine the usefulness of the Megargee-Bohn (M-B) classification system, which was derived from federal offenders, in evaluating felons in a state system who were tested under two quite dramatically different penal circumstances. Because capital offenses are a relatively rare occurrence in the federal prison system, it seemed important to know how well the M-B system covered profiles obtained from offenders in a state system found guilty of such charges (murder, rape, or first-degree burglary). The findings on this and related problems in the practical application of configural rules were encouraging in regard to reproducibility across workers and prison systems but less so in stability of type assignment.
Describing Correctional-Security Dropouts and Rejects
Authors: JURIK NANCY C. , WINN RUSSELL
Published: March 2007

High turnover among correctional workers is a chronic problem in today's prisons. Despite the concern surrounding this issue, there is little empirical research that deals with the instability of prison staffs. This article attempts to identify the major predictors of correctional officer turnover in one minimum-medium security prison in the western United States. Multivariate discriminant analyses suggest that three factors are of primary importance in distinguishing continuing from terminating officers—race, opportunities to influence institutional policy decisions, and most important, satisfaction with perceived working conditions. The findings suggest that the development of individual personality profiles may lead correctional administrators to overlook the role of prison organizational environments in contributing to security staff turnover.
Consequential Thinking and Self-Reported Delinquency in High-School Youth
Authors: GUERRA NANCY G.
Published: March 2007

This study examined differences between high- and low-level delinquent youth in their beliefs about the legal, moral, and social consequences of deviant behavior. Male and female high-school students were classified as high and low delinquent based on their responses to a self-report measure. In general, both male and female high delinquents were significantly less likely than male and female low delinquents to rate the consequences of rule breaking (cheating on an exam) behavior as important, probable, and severe. These differences were not found in the situations involving potential violence or violence. The ways in which these findings contribute to a social-cognitive model of delinquent behavior are discussed.
Has this Child Been Sexually Abused?
Authors: CONTE JON R.
Published: March 2007

Efforts to determine if a child has been sexually abused are increasingly becoming a part of mental health practice. This article suggests that many aspects of forensic mental health practice to “determine if a child has been abused” may run counter to traditional clinical training. The article also discusses the goals of forensic practice in this area.
A Comparison of the Personality and Background Characteristics of Adolescent Sex Offenders and Other Adolescent Offenders
Authors: OLIVER LORI L. , NAGAYAMA HALL GORDON C. , NEUHAUS STEVEN M.
Published: March 2007

The current study investigated personality differences between adolescent sex offenders and nonsexually offending adolescents on the Jesness Inventory. Subjects were 50 adolescent males charged with a sexual offense, 50 adolescent males charged with nonviolent offenses, and 50 adolescent males charged with violent offenses. The adolescent sex offender group generally displayed the least deviant personality and historical characteristics among the groups examined. These findings, inconsistent with the adult sex offender literature, suggest that sex offenders may be more amendable to treatment during adolescence than during adulthood and that early intervention may have preventive value.
Evaluation of “Fixed Propensity” to Commit Sexual Offenses
Authors: BEUTLER LARRY E. , HINTON RICHARD M. , CRAGO MARJORIE , COLLIER SCOTT J.
Published: March 2007

The concept of “fixed emotional propensity” was explored by evaluating 62 sexual offenses committed by 23 male repeat offenders. Two general clusters of sex offenders were discerned, that is, more aggressive versus less aggressive offenders. In addition, sexual offenses committed by the same offender were much more similar than those committed by different offenders. The more similar the offense pattern, the greater the number of alleged offenses. In general, the results indicated that fixed emotional propensity is a useful concept in forensic evaluation.
Psychopathy
Authors: HARE ROBERT D.
Published: March 2007

Although the evolution of psychopathy as a formal clinical disorder began more than a century ago, it is only recently that scientifically sound psychometric procedures for its assessment have become available. The result has been a sharp increase in theoretically meaningful and replicable research findings, both in applied settings and in the laboratory. The construct of psychopathy is proving to be particularly useful in the criminal justice system, where it has important implications for sentencing, diversion, placement, and treatment options and for the assessment of risk for recidivism and violence. Although the etiology of the predatory, cold-blooded nature of psychopathy remains obscure, the theories and methods of cognitive neuroscience and behavioral genetics promise to greatly increase our understanding of this disorder.
Review and Critique of Empirical Studies of Rape Avoidance
Authors: ULLMAN SARAH E.
Published: March 2007

Published studies of rape avoidance are reviewed to evaluate the scientific basis for rape avoidance advice. The results are evaluated in light of conceptual and methodological limitations of this literature, and specific recommendations for future research are provided. Consistent evidence suggests the effectiveness of forceful resistance strategies for avoiding rape; however, few studies have analyzed resistance within the social and situational contexts of rape to provide situation-specific information about rape avoidance. Larger, representative community studies are needed in which a broader range of situational factors, resistance strategies, and assault outcomes are assessed. Interactions of contextual factors such as pre-assault alcohol use and the victim-offender relationship with offense behaviors should be tested, and data on the sequential ordering of offender attack and victim resistance should be analyzed to enhance prediction of the probability of completed rape and physical injury to victims.
High-Speed Pursuit
Authors: DUNHAM ROGER G. , ALPERT GEOFFREY P. , KENNY DENNIS JAY , CROMWELL PAUL
Published: March 2007

Precious little research on law violators who fled from the police has previously been conducted or reported. The only research findings available were generated from official records and included limited descriptive characteristics. These data from police records were based on the pursuing officers' reports and lacked information from suspects who had escaped. This neglect of the suspects' perspective of pursuit limited our understanding of pursuit as a police tactic. This article explored the law violators' perspective and added their attitudes and beliefs into the knowledge base concerning pursuit.
The HCR-20 Violence Risk Assessment Scheme
Authors: DOUGLAS KEVIN S. , WEBSTER CHRISTOPHER D.
Published: March 2007

The Historical, Clinical, and Risk Management (HCR-20) violence risk assessment scheme was coded in a sample of 75 Canadian male, federally sentenced, maximum-security offenders. The concurrent validity of the HCR-20 was assessed through comparison to other risk instruments and to the presence of several past indexes of violent and antisocial behavior. The HCR-20 showed moderate to strong relationships with the concurrent measures. The HCR-20 was as or more strongly related to past violence than were the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised or the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide. Scores above the median of the HCR-20 increased the odds of the presence of various measures of past violence and antisocial behavior by an average of four times. Although recognizing the limitations of a small sample and retrospective design, the results give some indication that the HCR-20 may be worth investigating as a useful tool for violence risk assessments in correctional samples.
Screening for Depression in Prisoners Using the Beck Depression Inventory
Authors: BOOTHBY JENNIFER L. , DURHAM THOMAS W.
Published: March 2007

As part of the admission process to the North Carolina state prison system, 1,494 prisoners completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The mean BDI score for this population was 12.57 ( SD=8.51), which corresponds to the “mild depression” range on the instrument. While overall BDI scores for prisoners were elevated relative to general population norms for the test, female inmates, younger prisoners, close custody inmates, and those serving their first period of incarceration produced even higher BDI scores. Thus, reports of generalized feelings of depression are common among prisoners. Results suggest that a score of 20 might serve as an appropriate cutting score to determine the need for further assessment and mental health intervention in this population. Factor analysis of the inmates' responses yielded four distinct, interpretable factors labeled (a) cognitive symptoms, (b) vegetative symptoms, (c) emotional symptoms, and (d) feelings of punishment. These factors may suggest different components of the response to incarceration.
The Amity Prison TC Evaluation
Authors: WEXLER HARRY K. , De LEON GEORGE , THOMAS GEORGE , KRESSEL DAVID , PETERS JEAN
Published: March 2007

This article is drawn from an ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the Amity prison therapeutic community (TC) and aftercare program for substance abusers located in San Diego, California. Data collection consisted of face-to-face interviews and reviews of criminal justice records on a sample of 715 male inmates. Subjects were randomly assigned to the prison TC intent-to-treat group and no-treatment control group from a waiting list of inmates who had volunteered for substance abuse treatment in the Amity program. Reductions in reincarceration rates of more than 40% at 12 months and more than 50% at 24 months after release from prison were found for the group that completed prison TC plus aftercare. These improvements remained significant after controlling for client characteristics that have been identified as predictors of recidivism. The findings support the efficacy of prison TC plus aftercare in reducing reincarceration rates among inmates treated for substance abuse.
Client-Oriented Evaluation of Public Agency Effectiveness
Authors: Schmidt Stuart M.
Published: March 2007

A methodology is presented for measuring public agency effectiveness from the client's perspective. An assessment of the administrative process for implementing public policy in addition to service outcomes was obtained through a low-cost procedure. Comparative effectiveness perceptions of two types of Employment Service clients are reported. These data indicate a perceived differential impact of the agency on the client groups. Implications of this study for future effectiveness evaluations are noted.
Organizations and Expertise in China
Authors: Volti Rudi
Published: March 2007

A number of analyses of contemporary Chinese society have centered on the presumed conflicts between politically reliable "reds" and technically proficient "experts." This article challenges this mode of analysis by indicating the multi-dimensionality of both categories and by setting them in their historic and cultural contexts. Particular emphasis is accorded to the importance of organiza tional affiliation in defining the social role of the expert. A short history of the interaction between organizational development and the role of the expert is presented, along with some considerations of future trends in this area.
The Information-Energy Model and Comparative Administration
Authors: Goodsell Charles T.
Published: March 2007

The field of comparative public administration continues to be plagued by self-doubts. Like many of its other macrocosmic theories, Dorsey's Information-Energy model illustrates an overemphasis on comparative "ecology" rather than comparative "anatomy" or "physiology. " Mr. Berenson, author of the previous article, employs a sophisticated technique in testing the model, but the end result is marred by data inadequacies, a failure to deal sufficiently with qualitative aspects, and a distorted portrayal of the model as recursive. The field should now relax its preoccupations with ecological theories and aggregate data technologies and move on to systematic field research in multiple settings.