bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organizational/Memory Tools: A Technique for Improving Problem Solving Skills
Authors: Steinberg Esther R. , Baskin A. B. , Hofer Elfriede
Published: May 2005

This study investigated an alternative to traditional computer-based instruction in problem solving. The computer presented an organizational/memory tool as an aid to a student's own strategies rather than direct instruction in specific strategies. Our goals were: 1) to determine whether students would use the tool and 2) whether and how locus of control would affect use of the tool and problem-solving performance. Our four experimental conditions varied in the locus of control of the tool and in the availability of informational feedback, from total computer control with feedback to total learner control without feedback. Results showed that learners diduseorganizational/memory tools when not required to do so and that tools were most effective in the learner control with feedback condition. Instructional treatment affected learners' perception of the role of the computer and of the value of the tool. Results indicated the need to adaptively decrease feedback, and to adapt instructional techniques as learning progresses.
Management and Care of the Dying Patient
Authors: Cassem Ned H. , Stewart Rege S.
Published: May 2005

The recent widespread interest in the problems of the dying patient is reviewed, and the dynamics of the psychological process involved in dying are discussed. Recommendations for the management of the dying patient are presented, with special attention to the issues of 1) truth telling, 2) the essential features patients request themselves in their own care and management, and 3) the unique and individualized goals of treatment.
The Use of Mass Campaigns in the Expanded Program on Immunization: A Review of Reported Advantages and Disadvantages
Authors: Dietz Vance , Cutts Felicity
Published: May 2005

The use of mass immunization campaigns (MICs) has been and remains controversial. To evaluate these campaigns, the authors review the literature relating to their effectiveness, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness in controlling diseases and raising immunization coverage levels, and their impact on the subsequent development of routine immunization services. Well-conducted campaigns have increased vaccine coverage levels and decreased disease morbidity and mortality. Their use in the Americas has been associated with the apparent elimination of poliomyelitis. However, unless health care infrastructure is improved, or campaigns are repeated, gains in coverage levels may not be sustained. Studies suggest that MICs are often not as cost-effective for raising coverage as the delivery of vaccines through routine services, but the use of coverage as the only outcome measure is questionable. Mass immunization campaigns can increase awareness of vaccination and may be appropriate in situations where new programs are to be initiated, in refugee situations where people congregate into areas with little infrastructure, and in disease eradication efforts when specific time goals are set. Little information is available on whether MICs strengthen or interfere with the development of routine services. To be successful, MICs require a well-coordinated and planned effort on the part of national authorities with the identification of specific goals, intensive social promotion, and strong management. In addition, research is needed to clarify how MICs should be evaluated.
Degree of Closeness: Does it Affect the Bereaved's Attitudes toward Selected Funeral Practices?
Authors: Swanson Elizabeth A. , Bennett Teresa F.
Published: May 2005

This research project investigated the attitudes of bereaved individuals toward selected funeral practices. Six selected variables (three characteristics of the bereaved and three conditions of the death situation) were correlated to nineteen components of the funeral. The characteristics were sex, closeness to the deceased, and religious preference; the conditions were timing of the death, viewing at the funeral home and location of the funeral service.

In this study, closeness of relationship to the deceased emerged as a significant variable in assessing attitudes toward certain funeral practices. The intent of this article is to present and discuss the empirical data related to this variable.
A Pragmatic Approach to Criticism of Multimedia
Authors: Burke Ken
Published: May 2005

Because multimedia presentations are used to communicate diverse ideas, and because they employ various mixtures of media, they have resisted systematic criticism. A functional/experiential approach to analysis and judgment of these programs is recommended. Such a system would emphasize the structure and style of the presentation, its technical and aesthetic factors, its value to the audience, and the critic's personal reactions. This system is intended for “layman” critics and incorporates material from aesthetics, communication, instruction, and persuasion. After proper testing of this theoretical approach, a reliable evaluation instrument will be available for distribution.
Effectiveness of a Physics Computer Program on Fifteen-Year-Old “Technology” Students
Authors: Chartier D. , Mullet E. , Grandjean J. C.
Published: May 2005

This article investigates the relative effectiveness of a computer assisted teaching (CAT) program in Physics on 1) correct application of multiplication and division calculation algorithms, and 2) the degree of intuitive mastery of the target notion of density of French students aged approximately fifteen, enrolled in a special “technology” class in a vocational school.
Scritical Assessment of Opposing Views on Trends in Childhood Cancer
Authors: Bukowski John A.
Published: May 2005

Two articles reaching opposite conclusions on the current trends in childhood cancer have recently appeared in the literature. One concluded that pediatric cancers have increased dramatically, suggesting an effect from environmental hazards; the other concluded that rates for the major pediatric cancers have remained fairly stable, except for modest increases due to improvements in diagnosis or reporting. This review discusses the reasons for this discrepancy, including differences in the populations, age groups, and time periods analyzed. The arguments in favor of an increase are examined and shown to provide no convincing evidence that environmental pollutants have increased pediatric cancer rates over the past 20 to 30 years. Any suggested increase appears to be the result of non-causal factors, such as selective analysis and reporting, residual confounding by age, random variation, and stepwise improvements in diagnosis and classification.
Overcoming Barriers to Access and Utilization of Hospice and Palliative Care Services in African-American Communities
Authors: Winston Carole A. , Leshner Paula , Kramer Jennifer , Allen Gillian
Published: May 2005

While there is ample evidence to support the need for hospice and palliative care services for African Americans, only 8% of patients who utilize those services are from African-American communities. The underutilization of end-of-life and palliative care can be attributed to several barriers to service access including incompatibility between hospice philosophy and African-American religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs; health care disparities; distrust of the medical establishment; physician influence; financial disincentives, and hospice admission criteria. Suggestions for dismantling barriers to care access include developing culturally competent professionals in the health and human services, expanding the philosophy of hospice to include spiritual advisors from client communities, and funding national initiatives to promote improved access to health care at all stages in the life cycle of members of all underserved communities.
Some Unexpected Attitudinal Consequences of a Short Course on Death
Authors: Wittmaier Bruce C.
Published: May 2005

The attitudes toward death and dying of fourteen students who took a death course were compared with those of a group of students who requested the course but were not able to be accommodated. Those completing the course had higher fear of death scores and rated death more potent on a semantic differential. However, these students also indicated they would feel more comfortable talking with a dying person. Comments on the anonymous course evaluations also suggested that the course had a positive impact.
The Relationship between Planned and Actual Responses to Hypnotic Suggestions
Authors: Gorassini Donald R.
Published: May 2005

The notion that subjects often intentionally produce their hypnotic behavior was assessed. Several hypnotic suggestions were administered to subjects, following which overt responding, experienced involuntariness, and action-planning were self-rated. Responses to suggestions occurred proportionately more often when plans to produce the overt behavior and subjective experiences of a hypnotized person were formulated than when plans to wait passively for the responses to occur on their own were made. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Computer-Assisted Instruction in Word-Decoding for Educationally-Handicapped Children
Authors: Spring Carl , Perry Linda
Published: May 2005

A computer-assisted instruction system for drilling educationally-handicapped children in word-decoding skills is described. The system allows a teacher to design a word-decoding exercise tailored to the need of an individual learner. The computer then generates, presents and monitors the exercise. A theoretical rationale for the objectives and design of the system, based on research from the psychology-of-reading literature, is discussed. In addition, certain system design constraints, applied in order to accommodate the possibility of future conversion of the system to an inexpensive, hand-held device, are discussed. Results of a controlled field test of the system with educationally-handicapped children are presented.
The Psychophysiological Differentiation of Emotional Memories
Authors: Foster Paul S. , Webster Daniel G. , Smith Edward W. L.
Published: May 2005

Participants' heart rate and skin resistance responses to emotional memories (fear, anger, joy, sadness, and embarrassment) were studied to determine if the recollection of emotion is sufficient to produce psychophysiological changes, to determine if such changes differ for the various emotions, and to determine the relationship between imaginal abilities and psychophysiological responses to emotional memories. The Absorption Scale of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire was used as the measure of imaginal ability [1]. A repeated measures analysis of variance indicated significant differences for skin resistance but not heart rate among emotional memories, F(5,75) = 4.22, p = .002. Recollection of emotional memories, therefore, can produce psychophysiological changes in skin resistance which resemble emotions in real-life circumstances. A theoretical framework for interpretation of results on emotional memories is presented.
A Primer for Problem Solving Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Schell George P.
Published: May 2005

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently enjoyed much interest in academic and popular media. The prospect of creating machines that “think” strikes at the very heart of what most people believe separates human beings from machines. AI focuses attention on the study of what reasoning is, how knowledge is represented, and how it's manipulated. With the proper understanding of these problems, a system can be made that mechanically answers questions and solves problems in a manner which would be described as “intelligent” if performed by a human. Since AI is related to many fields, researchers in other areas desire some understanding of the concepts and principles upon which AI is founded. The majority of these people do not require indepth knowledge of the field. This article presents some of the systems that initiated AI and demonstrates the principles of major AI methodologies with examples that are common in the literature.
The International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Africa: A “Disastrous” Record
Authors: Dembele Demba Moussa , McMahon Jean
Published: May 2005

In their 60th anniversary year, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank will attempt to highlight their “assistance” to Africa. But in reality, since the 1970s, these institutions have gradually become the chief architects of policies that are responsible for the worst inequalities and the explosion of poverty in the world, especially in Africa. When they began to intervene on that continent in the late 1970s and early 1980s, their stated goal was to “accelerate development.” But the actual record is just disastrous, as this article reveals.
Synchronizing a Tape Recorder to an Educational Computer Program
Authors: McCaughey Michael P.
Published: May 2005

We present a new method for adding a voice track to either educational or training computer programs. The voice track is prerecorded and played back on a standard cassette recorder. A problem with tape recorders has, in the past, been a lack of synchronization between the computer-generated screen and the tape recorder output. We have developed a low cost controller which interfaces the tape recorder and also provides the required synchronization. We explain how the controller is used within a computer program and describe the controller's components. This new method of providing a voice track offers several advantages over methods involving voice synthesizers.
The Diffusion of Medical Techniques to Less Developed Countries
Authors: Piachaud David
Published: May 2005

This paper describes a study of the extent to which a set of eight modern medical techniques had been introduced in less developed countries in 1977. The results are presented for each country and related to the characteristics of the country. Many very poor countries were found to have introduced many very recent techniques. The reasons for this are discussed, and appropriate questions to be asked about any new technique are suggested.
Archaeomalacological Significance of the Hall Shelter, Perry County, Kentucky
Authors: Bobrowsky Peter T. , Gatus Thomas W.
Published: May 2005

Archaeological excavations at the Hall Shelter site in southeastern Kentucky yielded approximately 450,000 items of natural and cultural debris. Subsequent analysis of the recovered cultural items and recognition of numerous diagnostic lithic and ceramic artifacts indicate human occupation at the locus occurred since the Late Archaic. Also recovered from the main excavation units were 517 identifiable gastropod shell specimens representing twenty-five taxa. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the gastropod assemblages indicate that minor environmental changes took place during the site's history. In addition, several major trends and shifts in human activity are inferred on the basis of gastropod responses to human occupation.
Negative Social Effects of Being a Smoker
Authors: Malouff John , Schutte Nicola S. , Kenyon Angela
Published: May 2005

Three studies were done to examine the social effects of being a tobacco smoker. In Study 1,135 subjects rated target persons as dating and marriage prospects. All else being equal, the nonsmoker subjects showed consistent preference for nonsmokers. The subjects' personal preference for nonsmokers was significantly greater than their estimates of the preference of people in general. In Study 2, thirty-five subjects who preferred nonsmokers for marriage provided their reasons. All together, they gave eleven different reasons. In Study 3, which involved sixty-two subjects, the belief underlying each of the eleven preference reasons was found to predict degree of preference for nonsmokers. The results of the three studies are discussed as providing potentially useful information for smoking prevention interventions.
Emotional Response and Management of Visually Handicapped Patients
Authors: Adams George L. , Pearlman Jerome T.
Published: May 2005

Emotional stress is known to accompany visual problems. This fact is apparent in patients with real or threatened acute loss of vision. Patients usually respond to a loss of vision in one of three ways: by acceptance, by denial, or by depression—with or without concomitant anxiety. A progression through these three patterns of response which varies in its pace and qualitative characteristics can be—but is rarely—seen by the physician. The response of any given patient can almost be predicted by the patient's previous response pattern to emotional stress. Acceptance and denial are the two most frequently encountered patterns of response. Fortunately, they are the healthiest responses and require the least attention, usually only by the ophthalmologist and his ancillary personnel. Depression, although the least common response to partial visual loss, may be lethal. A patient who responds to visual loss with depression requires at least a psychiatric consultation to aid the ophthalmologist in the management of the patient. In severe depression, the patient will probably require some type of psychiatric therapy, such as short- or long-term psychotherapy, chemotherapy, or some combination thereof.
Original Paintings versus Slide and Computer Reproductions: A Comparison of Viewer Responses
Authors: Locher Paul , Smith Lisa , Smith Jeffrey
Published: May 2005

The issue of whether viewing works of art by computer or slide is comparable to viewing original paintings was investigated by having visitors to The Metropolitan Museum of Art view works in these three formats and having them rate the works on measures of physical and structural characteristics, novelty of content, and aesthetic qualities. Only four of the sixteen evaluative ratings showed statistically significant results among groups, typically with viewers of the original works differing from viewers in the slide and computer formats. Correlational and factor analyses provided additional support for a notion of “pictorial sameness” for artworks viewed in the three formats. The results are examined in light of Currie's (1985) transferability thesis and the concept of “facsimile accommodation” developed by the authors.
A Critical Historical Analysis of the Medical Construction of Lesbianism
Authors: Stevens Patricia E. , Hall Joanne M.
Published: May 2005

Lesbians are frequently treated with insensitivity, antagonism, and discrimination in health care encounters. The authors argue that contemporary health care experiences of lesbian clients cannot be understood apart from a critical examination of the historical construction of medical ideologies that pathologized lesbianism. An excavation of historical data about medical conceptualizations of lesbian women is undertaken to demonstrate how cultural and medical ideologies throughout the century have reinforced each other to shape lesbians' health care experiences and influence public policies. By illuminating both the prejudicial content of medical theories as well as the emancipatory actions of lesbian and gay communities to change stigmatizing diagnostic and treatment situations, the authors attempt to demystify ideologies about lesbians that motivate clinicians, administrators, educators, researchers, and theorists in the delivery of health services.
Production and the Welfare State: The Political Context of Reforms
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

This article is an analysis of the political context of reforms in the production process and in the welfare state. The theories of legitimation and Fordism are criticized for considering the capitalist class the main force behind the reforms. The working class and the process of class struggle are primarily responsible for changes in production and for the establishment of the welfare state. The author then shows that the changes in production and in the state that occurred after World War II were a response to political events triggered by labor's rebellions and capital's need to respond to those rebellions. Post-Fordism and the political practice that derives from it are criticized for their hasty dismissal of class and class practices by the dominated forces in society. The article ends by offering an alternative strategy for change.
Comments on the Geomorphic Contexts of Pre-Clovis Sites
Authors: Holliday Vance T.
Published: May 2005

Drew (1979) has outlined theoretical and geomorphic considerations for locating pre-Clovis sites in the continental United States. Drew considers archaeological sites in loess, cave, and alluvial sediments to be unacceptable for identification of pre-Clovis occupations. Sites in depressions or playas, common to the High Plains, are concluded to be ideally suited for containing and preserving pre-Clovis sites. However, loess, cave, and alluvial deposits possess attributes conducive to site preservation and interpretation whereas the genesis, stratigraphy, and mineralogy of many High Plains playas pose serious problems for geoarchaeological interpretation. Drew's proposal for prospecting for pre-Clovis sites by machine-testing numerous playas is considered to be physically and financially impractical.
Paying More and Losing Ground: How Employer Cost-Shifting is Eroding Health Coverage of Working Families
Authors: Sheils John F. , Hogan Paul , Manolov Nicolay , Jablonski Donna
Published: May 2005

This report describes the decline in employer-based health coverage between 1989 and 1996 and the underlying causes of that decline–including rapidly rising worker premiums and other economic variables. The analysis combines data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey, the National Medical Expenditures Survey for workers with employer coverage, and annual KPMG Peat Marwick Surveys. The authors employed regression analysis to determine the relative importance of economic factors on an individual's probability of having employer-based coverage–as either a worker or dependent. In addition to providing a basis for measuring the impact of various factors on the level of coverage of workers and dependents during the 1989 to 1996 period, these models also allowed projection of coverage levels in future years under alternative assumptions about premium growth, employee contribution shares, and other economic factors.
Studying Intimacy through Dream Narratives: The Relationship of Dreams to Self-Report and Projective Measures of Personality
Authors: Evans Kelly K. , Singer Jefferson A.
Published: May 2005

This study examined whether dreams can be considered narratives in the context of McAdams' model of identity as a life story [1]. Dream reports were collected and scored for intimacy motivation, then compared to more traditional projective and self-report measures. Dreams, autobiographical memories, TAT-type stories, and the Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance, and Nurturance scales of the Jackson Personality Research Form were collected from thirty-two undergraduate subjects. Levels of intimacy in the various measures were consistent with a self-schema model of cognition [2], and the role of dreams within this pattern suggests that dreams can be used effectively as a narrative measure of motivation.
Using Web Server Logs in Evaluating Instructional Web Sites
Authors: Ingram Albert L.
Published: May 2005

Web server logs contain a great deal of information about who uses a Web site and how they use it. Software exists to help analyze these logs, and the programs can produce a variety of reports about your site and its visitors. The analyses can tell us such things as where people enter and exit, what the most popular pages are, what browsers people use to access the site, patterns of use over time, and much more. This information, especially when used in conjunction with data from surveys, usability studies, and other sources, can help us design and revise our Web sites. The goal is to make them more useful to and usable by our students. This article describes the information available from Web server logs, discusses some of the ways to analyze it, and begins to look at how to use that information in formative evaluation for instructional Web sites.
Further Evidence That Self-Efficacy Predicts Acute Pain
Authors: Stevens Michael J. , Ohlwein Angela L. , Catanzaro Salvatore J.
Published: May 2005

We compared self-efficacy and response expectancy models of acute pain to determine whether belief in one's ability to regulate pain intensity and anticipated pain are related and how these expectancies contribute to pain tolerance and intensity. One hundred and twenty undergraduates completed indices of self-efficacy for tolerance, self-efficacy for regulating intensity, and response expectancy, followed by pressure stimulation. Self-efficacy for regulating intensity and response expectancy were unrelated. Self-efficacy was generally more predictive of pain responses than was response expectancy. We discuss the scientific and clinical implications for the cognitive mediation and management of acute pain.
Designing a Systematized Program in Instructional Design and Development
Authors: Boutwell Richard C.
Published: May 2005

The Instructional Design and Development (IDD) Program at Florida State University is described and offered as a role model for other institutions. The planning and design of the IDD program include consideration of factors such as career fields of graduates and areas of competency in instructional systems. The matching of career fields and competency areas is then carried out. The IDD program itself is an example of applying systems thinking to an educational problem.
Gaming Theory and Commercial Games for Teaching Science
Authors: Stephenson G. Alexander , Llewellyn Gerald C.
Published: May 2005

Gaming's suitability for classroom instruction is reviewed with simulation games receiving the most attention. The various types of games are defined and characterized, and a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages provides a valuable guide to using games successfully. A comprehensive listing of science-related games follows the review.
Nocturnal Psychophysiological Correlates of Somatic Conditions and Sleep Disorders
Authors: Kales Joyce D. , Kales Anthony
Published: May 2005

Modern sleep research studies have provided the practicing physician with considerable new information concerning the basic psychophysiology of sleep, the effects of medical conditions on sleep and the role of maturational and emotional factors in producing certain sleep disorders. Medical and psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders and drug-induced sleep stage alterations are studied in the sleep laboratory using the same techniques developed to analyze sleep patterns in normal subjects. After initial sleep laboratory adaptation, a profile of the sleep characteristics of various clinical conditions is obtained. This profile can be compared to sleep profiles of normal subjects as well as to the effects on sleep of subsequent experimental or therapeutic procedures.

Various studies have shown that coronary artery, duodenal ulcer and nocturnal headache patients experience angina, increased gastric acid secretion and migraine or cluster headaches, respectively during REM sleep. Adult nocturnal asthmatic episodes occur out of all sleep stages while attacks of dyspnea in asthmatic children occur in all stages except stage 4 sleep. Hypothyroid patients show decreases in stages 3 and 4 sleep, while in hyperthyroid patients the percentage of time spent in stages 3 and 4 sleep is markedly increased. Enuretic episodes occur predominantly in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Sleepwalking and night terror episodes occur exclusively out of NREM sleep, particularly from stages 3 and 4 sleep. Most child somnambulists and children with night terrors “outgrow” this disorder, suggesting a delayed maturation of the central nervous system.

Stimulant drugs are effective in the treatment of the sleep attacks of narcolepsy and in treating certain cases of hypersomnia, while imipramine is an effective treatment for the auxiliary symptoms of narcolepsy. Psychological disturbances are frequent in adult somnambulism and night terrors as well as in hypersomnia and insomnia. Proper pharmacologic treatment to provide symptomatic relief for insomnia is recommended to enhance the psychotherapeutic process.
Body Image in Anorexia Nervosa: Measurement, Theory and Clinical Implications
Authors: Garner David M. , Garfinkel Paul E.
Published: May 2005

Clinical manifestations of body image disturbance in anorexia nervosa are described including size misperceptions and faulty beliefs about shape. The empirical investigations of body image aberrations in anorexia nervosa are critically reviewed. Methodological issues such as reliability, validity, subject selection and sources of experimental bias are discussed with recommendations for further research. Theoretical explanations for the mechanisms determining self-overestimation are presented with data indicating a relationship between self-overestimation, body satisfaction and self-esteem. Finally, a therapeutic approach is suggested that is aimed specifically at modifying the patient's faulty beliefs about her body while coping with her refractory self-misperceptions.
Emotion and Closure in the Sound Expressiveness of Quatrains from Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Authors: Whissell Cynthia
Published: May 2005

This article follows two branches of Tsur's cognitive poetic theory to their logical conclusion and applies them to Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam where they are fully validated. The first branch emphasizes the expressiveness of speech sounds (phonemes) and the second branch the importance of the Gestalt principle of closure to poetry. Rubaiyat were phonetically transcribed and their phonemes were then categorized in terms of emotional character. The closural device of a return to baseline described the preferential use of active phonemes in the rubaiyat while the closural allusion of definitive termination described the preferential use of pleasant phonemes. Clynes' concept of the essentic form for grief was used to explain the rise and fall of preferential activation in the first three lines of each quatrain. The emotional picture drawn of the rubaiyat on the basis of these procedures was one of fatalism or emotional resignation. General patterns and individual examples are discussed.
Unionization, Strikes, Threatened Strikes, and Hospitals—The View from Hospital Management
Authors: Match Robert K. , Goldstein Arnold H. , Light Harold L.
Published: May 2005

The history of union organizing efforts in the hospital field is discussed in this article, along with the factors judged necessary for successful union organizing. The role played by labor legislation in the unionization of hospital workers is shown, and the influences of the National Labor Relations Act, the Taft-Hartley amendments, and labor legislation at the local level are described.

Management has largely resisted unionization because of the social nature of hospitals. Competitive market forces do not confront the not-for-profit hospitals, which are dependent upon third-party reimbursement. While strikes are an integral and essential part of collective bargaining in industry, they are, in fact, detrimental to hospitals because of these institutions' concern with human life. Despite laws and assurances from labor leaders that strikes will not occur, strikes have been used as a method for resolving disputes, though they are basically inconsistent with the economic characteristics and objectives of the hospital.

The authors conclude that arbitration awards should be made by arbitrators appointed from outside of the local region of the hospital involved, and that, because of the catastrophic effect of strikes upon patients as well as employees, arbitration awards should be required, should be binding upon both parties, and should be federally enforced.
Asbestos Poisons World Trade Organization Atmosphere
Authors: Kazan-Allen Laurie
Published: May 2005

In September 2000, a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel published its findings in the dispute between Canada and the European Union/France over France's ban on the import and use of chrysotile (white asbestos). The panel upheld the French ban, established that the use of chrysotile is a health risk and the idea of “controlled use” a fallacy, and used (for the first time) an exception clause in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that permits trade-restrictive measures to protect human life or health. At the same time, the panel concluded that the French ban violated international trade laws by treating chrysotile products less favorably than domestically produced alternatives. Some WTO watchers believe that with asbestos as the precedent for bans on toxic substances, the regulation of other, much less well-established, toxic exposures could prove much more difficult. Now the French ban has been upheld, chrysotile producers will increasingly target developing countries. Canada is appealing the WTO decision.
Death Outlook and Social Issues
Authors: Feifel Herman , Schag Daniel
Published: May 2005

The present study examined the hypothesis that there is a relationship between outlook on death and orientation toward mercy killing, abortion, suicide, and euthanasia. Multiple assessments of death outlook in addition to such variables as religious orientation, life values, self-acceptance, and ethnic background were used as predictors. Populations included alcoholics, drug addicts, prisoners, deputy sheriffs, and normal controls. Major findings indicated some relationships between death attitudes and perspectives on the social issues being considered; and emphasized the need to consider specific circumstances as well as abstract concept when dealing with social issues.
The Development of the Attitude towards Computerized Assessment Scale
Authors: Smith Brooke , Caputi Peter
Published: May 2005

Test equivalence can be evaluated in terms of four aspects: psychometric, behavioral, experiential, and individual differences (i.e., relativity of equivalence) (Honaker, 1988). This study examined the psychometric properties of the Attitude Towards Computerized Assessment Scale (ATCAS) designed to assess one of these criteria, namely, experiential equivalence. Specifically, the ATCAS was developed to explore examinees' emotional, perceptual and attitudinal reactions towards computerized relative to conventional testing methods. The validity and reliability of the ATCAS is addressed by presenting research findings from two independent studies. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the intercorrelations of responses on the 13-items comprising the ATCAS was conducted in Study 1 using data from 92 undergraduate psychology students. The results of the EFA yielded two qualitatively different aspects of the individual's perceptions and experience of computer-based testing (CBT): Ease of Use and CBT-Confidence. The second study used data collected from an Australian Defence Force (ADF) sample to further explore and then confirm the factor structure of the ATCAS. The second study was divided into two phases. Based on the responses of 201 ADF applicants, an EFA of the ATCAS supported the presence of the Ease of Use and CBT-Confidence factors. Based on the responses of 331 ADF applicants, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of ATCAS items supported the two-factor model. In studies 1 and 2, internal consistency was evidenced for the ATCAS and its subscales with values ranging from .76 to .92. Implications for the study of experiential equivalence are discussed, while areas for future research are also considered.
Is Prudden's Unit Type of Anasazi Settlement Valid and Reliable?
Authors: Gorman Frederick J. E. , Childs S. Terry
Published: May 2005

Validity and reliability assessments of established anthropological concepts are rare. In this paper we assess the soundness and dependability of one of the oldest concepts of Southwestern prehistory. T. Mitchell Prudden associated a distinctive kind of Anasazi settlement, the unit type, with a particular form of social organization in 1914. Since then, his idea has played a prominent role in Anasazi archaeological theories. These formulations are justifiable only if Prudden's idea is valid and reliable. Aspects of Anasazi architectural design and construction have been used as empirical indicators of the unit type of settlement. The relationship between Prudden's concept and its architectural indicators is examined with a sample of archaeological sites claimed to be of the unit type. Although they are reliable, we find that the architectural indicators are invalid because they measure concepts other than Prudden's. Moreover, we find that there is more than one unit type of settlement that must be considered in future research.
Multiple Benefits of Videotaping for Teaching Skills in Communication
Authors: Voland Gerard
Published: May 2005

The myriad technical advantages of videotaping presentations are identified, including the opportunity to: edit, use graphics, perform location taping, include interviews with those who can provide unique information and perspective, store taped work which has archival value, evaluate and field-test an effort prior to its formal presentation, etc. Educational benefits are also provided to those involved in the development of a videotaped presentation; for example, videotaping allows one to improve his/her communication skills with increased self-confidence and enthusiasm while reducing one's anxiety during a formal presentation. Minimal financial investment is required in order to acquire these benefits. The use of this emerging technical capability for effective communication can be expected to increase in the academic, industrial and commercial worlds.
Comments on Conceptual Disasters about Disasters
Authors: Maley Roger F.
Published: May 2005

Large scale projects that are longitudinal, epidemiological, and outcome-oriented are vitally needed to provide the information needed to prevent behavioral and emotional breakdowns in the aftermath of disaster. Additionally, priority should be given to clearer descriptions of the actual behavior of victims and intervenors, as distinguished from theorizing. Unproven psychoanalytic constructs and the language of the medical model have perhaps been used too widely and uncritically.
Mental Imagery and Symptom Patterns
Authors: Sacco Giuseppe , Ruggieri Vezio
Published: May 2005

This research is intended to begin a study into the relationships between imagery and some symptom patterns. In particular, we have considered the relationships between image vividness and four most important patterns. These patterns are: depressive, obsessive, eating disorders, and phobic. The relationships between the four patterns and the tendency to somatize have also been investigated. Among the results of interest obtained during research is the existence of a general inhibition of vividness in the depressive group and a marked tendency to produce vivid images (excluding kinesthetic images) in the phobic group. The obsessive group had least difficulty in producing vivid mental images, followed by the group of participants with eating disorders. These results could have important clinical repercussion and applications. These are briefly discussed.
Potential Impacts of Educational Telecommunications Systems
Authors: Morgan Robert P.
Published: May 2005

Potential impacts of large-scale educational telecommunications systems are identified and issues to be considered in a more formal technology assessment are discussed. Educational telecommunications systems involving television, computer-aided instruction, and information resource sharing are in various stages of planning and implementation. However, relatively little work has been performed to assess both short- and long-term impacts of such systems on education, society and the individual. Potential impact areas include: impacts on education; economic impacts; political and legal impacts; social, psychological and cultural impacts; physical and environmental impacts.
Death as a Measure of Life: A Research Note on the Kastenbaum-Spilka Strategy of Obituary Analyses
Authors: Kearl Michael C.
Published: May 2005

The present work elaborates and critically analyzes the Kastenbaum-Spilka method of using obituaries as an index of social discrimination. Over one-half century of obituaries from two national news magazines ( N = 2,209) are examined with separate measures of sexism, racism, and ageism. The presence and relative length of obituaries are found to be a function not only of social stratification but also of one's work status at death, manner of death, and institutional affiliations at death. Few consistent longitudinal trends are decipherable owing to complex interactions of the historical period of death, age of the deceased, and cohort of the deceased: Despite such ambiguities, the obituary method is recommended for both its theoretical and methodological didactics.
Invisible Lives: Women, Men and Obituaries
Authors: Maybury Karol K.
Published: May 2005

Differences between the obituaries of men and women were examined in this study. All obituaries ( n = 595) published between November 15, 1992 and January' 15, 1993 in two newspapers, The Boston Globe and The Sacramento Bee, were analyzed. The content and length of the obituaries were coded by gender, age, and occupation of the deceased. In addition to being awarded significantly fewer obituaries, women were found to have shorter obituaries than their male counterparts. Women received the longest obituaries if they were a relative of a famous man. These findings are discussed in a framework which maintains that obituaries are a measurement of life achievement suggesting that women's accomplishments are devalued, even after death.
Empirical Research on Teaching Communication Theory: A Suggested Written Assignment and Testing Procedure
Authors: Stead Bette Ann
Published: May 2005

There are estimated to be 600–800 Ph.D. psychologists teaching in today's Colleges of Business Administration (CBA). These behavioralists' influences may account for the rapid emergence of “communication theory” in both CBA curricula and business communication texts. This article suggests an approach that can be useful to those faculty teaching “communication theory” as a new experience and those experienced faculty who may consider it “food for thought.” A case method relating “communication theory” to the students' real world and a multiple-choice testing procedure that forms a theoretical base on which students can build are presented and analyzed.
Speed of Speech Recognition versus Keyboarding as Computer Input Devices for the Severely Disabled
Authors: Hiner L. E.
Published: May 2005

Speech recognition systems promise to facilitate access to computer for users with disability. This study examined the usefulness of the Texas Instruments Speech Recognition System in completing word processing tasks under the experimental conditions of 1) keyboard input only, 2) speech recognition only, and 3) a combination of keyboard input and speech recognition. Five subjects with some degree of upper-body disability were tested; the results indicate that performance was 1) greatest under the keyboard only condition, 2) lowest under the speech only condition, and 3) somewhat lower under the combined condition than under the keyboard only condition. Based on the findings, suggestions for further research were made.
A Second Visually Impaired, Mentally Retarded Male with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Tourette Disorder and Ganser's Syndrome: Diagnostic Classification and Treatment
Authors: Kerbeshian Jacob , Burd Larry
Published: May 2005

The authors report a second visually impaired, mentally retarded male who presents with symptoms consistent with atypical pervasive developmental disorder, Tourette disorder, and a syndrome of approximate answers (Ganser's syndrome). Both this case and an earlier reported case are significant in that they identify two children with strikingly similar long-standing symptoms and developmental histories. Since these findings may have broader relevance to children with multiple coexisting disorders, diagnostic and intervention strategies in this population are reviewed.
Compliance with Patients' End-of-Life Wishes by Nursing Homes in New York City with Conscience Policies
Authors: Hosay Cynthia K.
Published: May 2005

Nursing home patients have a constitutional right to refuse treatment. The Patient Self-Determination Act confirmed that right. State laws address the obligations of health care providers and facilities to honor that right. The New York State law is more specific than those of many other states. It allows exemptions for “reasons of conscience” and imposes a number of requirements on nursing homes claiming such an exemption, including the transfer of a patient to a home that will honor an end-of-life wish. This study, conducted by FRIA,1 investigated the refusal of some nursing homes in New York City to carry out patients' end-of-life wishes because of conscience-based objections. The study also investigated the willingness of homes which did not have such policies to accept patients transferring from a home with a policy so that the patient's end-of-life wishes would be honored. Implications for administrators, policy makers, and regulators are discussed.
Optical Storage: Future Educational Impact
Authors: Cardinali Richard
Published: May 2005

Optical storage is a recent development that involves the reproduction of text, audio, and video data onto an optical disk storage medium. The advancements made in mass storage because of the development of Optical Storage technology, and their impact on educational and industrial computer environments, is the focus of this article. The three types of optical storage are Compact Disk-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Write-Once, Read Many (WORM), and Erasable Optical. Some of the advantages of optical storage over magnetic tape and disk include large storage capacity, removability, and low cost per MegaByte of storage. Conversely, the current shortcoming of both disk sizes is they are read only, although this is changing as reusable optical disks become widely available. Both the educational and industrial sectors have taken advantage of these developments to generate applications that are tailored to their specific needs. These products' capabilities have yet to be fully realized; but it appears that in the future, optical storage will replace magnetic storage.
Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors
Authors: Schredl Michael , Montasser Alyaa
Published: May 2005

The aim of the present article is to carefully review the research carried out hitherto regarding factors influencing dream recall. With respect to the hypotheses explaining the variation in dream recall frequency (DRF) and a model of the dream recall process, the empirical data has been divided into two groups, trait factors and state factors. In the first part of the article the studies on the influence of trait factors are reviewed. The second part incudes data concerning state factors, new empirical data and some final conclusions. State factors such as nocturnal awakening and focusing on dreams in the morning and trait factors such as fantasy life, creativity and visual memory play a major role in explaining variability in dream recall.
Ideologies in the Swedish Health Sector Today: The Crisis of the Social Democracy
Authors: Diderichsen Finn
Published: May 2005

Sweden has a long tradition of social democracy and corporate cooperation. Social problems are treated as technological questions that always should be solved through rational and neutral means. Today Sweden faces a crisis of economy as well as a crisis of medicine. In the spirit of consensus, the state has proposed a new health reform emphasizing the responsibility of the public health service to prevent disease and provide equal access to care. It is claimed that improved health planning, based on epidemiological knowledge on inequalities, can solve the crisis in medicine within an improved system of primary care and prevention. However, in the context ‘of the current economic crisis, the struggle against health hazards and cuts in public spending has intensified and the gap between the ideology of technological rationalism and reality has widened.