bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Responses to People on the Screen
Authors: LOMBARD MATTHEW
Published: March 2007

An experiment was conducted to extend the research evidence concerning direct responses to the realm of social interaction by replicating, in the context of television viewing, key findings and predictions concerning the use of interpersonal distance. In the study, 32 subjects watched excerpts of television news broadcasts that featured individual anchors speaking to the camera. Apparent interpersonal distance was manipulated via viewing distance (close = 10, 24, and 38 inches; normal = 30, 72, and 115 inches) and screen size (small = 10 inches measured diagonally; medium = 26 inches; large = 42 inches). Although results for the viewing distance manipulation failed to support predictions, as expected, subjects watching larger television screens reported more positive emotional responses to the people on the screen and the viewing environment and selected a viewing position that represented a smaller withdrawal from the encounter. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: WALTHER JOSEPH B.
Published: March 2007

While computer-mediated communication use and research are proliferating rapidly, findings offer contrasting images regarding the interpersonal character of this technology. Research trends over the history of these media are reviewed with observations across trends suggested so as to provide integrative principles with which to apply media to different circumstances. First, the notion that the media reduce personal influences—their impersonal effects—is reviewed. Newer theories and research are noted explaining normative “interpersonal” uses of the media. From this vantage point, recognizing that impersonal communication is sometimes advantageous, strategies for the intentional depersonalization of media use are inferred, with implications for Group Decision Support Systems effects. Additionally, recognizing that media sometimes facilitate communication that surpasses normal interpersonal levels, a new perspective on “hyperpersonal” communication is introduced. Subprocesses are discussed pertaining to receivers, senders, channels, and feedback elements in computer-mediated communication that may enhance impressions and interpersonal relations.
Equivocation in America and Japan
Authors: TANAKA KEIKO MIYAMOTO , BELL ROBERT A.
Published: March 2007

This study provides a cross-cultural test of Bavelas's situational theory of equivocation. Students from the United States and Japan were presented with one of four versions of a questionnaire, prepared in English and Japanese, that consisted of two hypothetical scenarios. Each scenario was altered to create either an avoidance-avoidance situation or a nonconflict situation. The imagined interaction partners in these scenarios were described as someone possessing status either equal to or greater than the students' status. For each scenario, subjects wrote down what they thought they would say in the situation and then responded to several items about their perceptions of the message and situation. Results were strongly supportive of the theory. Both American and Japanese students produced messages exhibiting substantial equivocation, but only when in an avoidance-avoidance conflict situation. Contrary to expectations, such situations did not elicit more equivocation from Japanese students than from American students; nor did relative status affect the use of equivocation. The equivocations of subjects were judged by themselves and by independent coders to be deceptive, though prosocial. Implications of these findings for the theory are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered.
The Effect of Family Communication Environments on Children's Social Behavior During Middle Childhood
Authors: FITZPATRICK MARY ANNE , MARSHALL LINDA J. , LEUTWILER TIMOTHY J. , KRCMAR MARINA
Published: March 2007

The family communication environments of school-age children in Grades 1, 4, 6, and 7 were measured using “talking picture books” containing dialogues representing various types of family communication. Children listened to the dialogues and examined cartoon pictures depicting different families. Using this information, children identified their families as either (a) pluralistic (high conversation and low conformity), (b) consensual (high conversation and high conformity), (c) protective (low conversation and high conformity), or (d) laissez-faire (low conversation and low conformity). Children completed the revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and teachers rated each child's social self-restraint and social withdrawal. Results revealed an interaction among family type, sex, and grade level for both social withdrawal and social self-restraint, suggesting that family communication environments may be differentially beneficial for boys and girls at particular points of development.
Preserving Alternative Versions
Authors: METZGER TERRI R. , BEACH WAYNE A.
Published: March 2007

In courtroom cross-examinations, the adversarial nature of joint participation is revealed through analysis of participants' methods for presenting and preserving alternative versions of past events. By focusing on video recordings and transcriptions of question-answer sequences comprising murder and attempted rape trials, 3 distinct methods employed by witnesses and lawyers are examined: (a) witnesses using “I don't know” and “I don't remember,” (b) attorneys' use of prior testimony to induce a witness to change an answer, and (c) attorneys and witnesses challenging alternative versions of reality through insinuations and lexical choice, such as repeated words and pauses. These routinized methods are recruited by interactants as resources for creating and maintaining discrepant orientations to motives and alleged prior actions. Making explicit the interactional and thus achieved character of cross-examination yields an appreciation for the methodical ordering of courtroom speech exchange systems and enhances understandings of the coconstruction of social realities. By locating institutional constraints at work in practical actions, the distinctiveness of both legal and everyday noninstitutional discourse also becomes specifiable.
Communicative Responses to Problematic Events in Close Relationships I
Authors: SAMP JENNIFER ANNE , SOLOMON DENISE HAUNANI
Published: March 2007

As part of the growing effort to clarify the nature of goals in interpersonal communication contexts, the authors conducted two studies investigating the communication goals generated after problematic events in close relationships. In Study 1, a cluster analysis of 76 exemplar reasons for communicative responses to problematic events in close relationships identified seven categories of goals: maintain the relationship, accept fault for the event, manage positive face, avoid addressing the event, manage the conversation, manage emotion, and restore negative face. An examination of self-reported goals for responses to problematic events in dating relationships and friendships indicated that the most frequent goal was to accept fault for the event. Study 2 developed a 28-item inventory to evaluate the intensity of and relationships among goals after problematic events in close relationships. Analyses indicated that the goal to accept fault for the event was frequent and intense, whereas the goal to avoid addressing the event was infrequent and did not co-occur with the other goals. A second-order factor analysis provided preliminary evidence that the seven goals may be broadly categorized according to social versus nonsocial concerns.
Understanding Obstacles Preventing Compliance
Authors: IFERT DANETTE E. , ROLOFF MICHAEL E.
Published: March 2007

Although the obstacle hypothesis has proven useful in understanding communication choices during request sequences, its utility is limited by the lack of explication of the obstacle construct. This article examines the types of obstacles that may be perceived and dimensions that differentiate them. Results suggest that six types of obstacles—possession, imposition, inappropriateness, postpone, no incentive, and recalcitrance—are perceived by individuals in request interactions. These obstacles appear to be distinguishable in the degree to which they reflect unwillingness to comply, inability to comply, and personal characteristics of the requester. The discussion section explores the implications of this conceptualization on understanding request interactions.
When the Cart of Media Is Before the Horse of Identity
Authors: WAISBORD SILVIO
Published: March 2007

Different positions have argued that the media have effectively shaped and reshaped national and transnational identities. In light of recent studies showing the complexity of identity-formation processes, however, it is unclear that prevalent arguments convincingly explain the relations between media and identity—whether at the local, national, regional, and global levels. This article offers a critical review of approaches that foreground the role of media technologies and suggests alternative ways to understand the relations between media and cultural identities. In discussing this question, the analysis focuses on the formation of national and regional cultures in Latin America. It is argued that technological potential does not automatically engender new forms of consciousness and identity. Media technologies abridge distance and fuel a new consciousness, but identity shaping entails, above all, a process by which populations are mobilized and integrated into cultural communities, and identities are created and maintained.
Susceptibility and Severity
Authors: SHAH DHAVAN V. , FABER RONALD J. , YOUN SEOUNMI
Published: March 2007

The authors posit that 2 distinct perceptual dimensions underlie the third-person effect hypothesis: judgments of susceptibility to communications (a cognitive process) and severity of communications (an affective process). To explore this, 194 adults were asked (a) to estimate their own and others' susceptibility to various types of advertising content and the severity of such advertising's effects on themselves and others, and (b) to express their willingness to censor these classes of commercials. The advertising content fell into 2 broad categories: controversial products (cigarettes, liquor, and beer) and gambling services (casinos and lotteries). Findings indicate that third-person perceptions exist in terms of susceptibility and severity, and that both of these perceptual biases are related to individuals' willingness to censor advertising.
An Examination of the Coherence of Group Discussions
Authors: PAVITT CHARLES , JOHNSON KELLY KLINE
Published: March 2007

The claim that a group's communication plays a significant role in the outcomes of its discussion presupposes that the members of the group were in actuality communicating with one another; in other words, they were conducting a coherent discussion. Past research attempting to relate discussion and outcomes has almost universally failed to test this presumption. The present study indicates that a sample of 62 groups met quantitative criteria on both the group and individual level for coherent discussion and thus can be presumed to be engaging in communication.
The Effects of News Frames on Readers' Thoughts and Recall
Authors: VALKENBURG PATTI M. , SEMETKO HOLLI A. , DE VREESE CLAES H.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated whether and how journalistic news frames affect readers' thoughts about and recall of two issues. A sample of 187 participants was randomly assigned to one of four experimental framing conditions, which included (a) conflict, (b) human interest, (c) attribution of responsibility, and (d) economic consequences, as well as a control condition. Each participant was presented with two newspaper stories that dealt with two socially and politically pertinent issues in Europe: crime and the introduction of the euro, the common European currency. Each story had an identical core component, whereas the title, opening paragraph, and closing paragraph were varied to reflect the frame. The study found that frames played a significant role in the readers' thought-listing responses, and they defined the ways that readers presented information about both issues. The results showed that the human interest news frame can have negative consequences for recall.
Understanding Deliberation
Authors: McLEOD JACK M. , SCHEUFELE DIETRAM A. , MOY PATRICIA , HOROWITZ EDWARD M. , HOLBERT R. LANCE , ZHANG WEIWU , ZUBRIC STEPHEN , ZUBRIC JESSICA
Published: March 2007

Participation in a deliberative forum has received relatively little scrutiny as opposed to more traditional forms of participation. This study examines direct and indirect effects of discussion network characteristics on willingness to participate in a deliberative forum. Using data collected in a telephone survey of 416 respondents in Madison, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1997, the authors employ structural equation modeling techniques to explore the roles that local media use, interpersonal discussion of local politics, and reflection of information play in mediating the relationship between discussion networks and participation in public forums. Findings show that network heterogeneity directly influences forum participation, suggesting that membership in heterogeneous networks ensures greater nontraditional participation. Also, having more discussion partners makes frequent discussion of issues and higher levels of local public affairs media use more likely. Communication processes lead to reflection about local issues, which enhances forum participation. Finally, normative implications are addressed.
The Prediction of Criminal Recidivism in Juveniles
Authors: COTTLE CINDY C. , LEE RIA J. , HEILBRUN KIRK
Published: March 2007

A meta-analysis was conducted to identify risk factors that best predict juvenile recidivism, defined as rearrest for offending of any kind. Twenty-three published studies, representing 15,265 juveniles, met inclusion criteria. Effect sizes were calculated for 30 predictors of recidivism. Eight groups of predictors were compared: (a) demographic information, (b) offense history, (c) family and social factors, (d) educational factors, (e) intellectual and achievement scores, (f) substance use history, (g) clinical factors, and (h) formal risk assessment. The domain of offense history was the strongest predictor of reoffending. Other relatively strong predictors included family problems, ineffective use of leisure time, delinquent peers, conduct problems, and nonsevere pathology.
Communication and Motivation in a Police Department
Authors: HOCHSTEDLER ELLEN , DUNNING CHRISTINE M.
Published: March 2007

Based on the premise that sufficient information flow is critical to the effective performance of the police task, it was hypothesized that officers who are dissatisfied with the transmittal of information on the job will also be dissatisfied with their jobs in general. The empirical test used data gathered from more than 1000 police officers in a large southwestern police department in 1973. The results of the test indicate that the association between job satisfaction and communication satisfaction is not nearly as strong as was hypothesized.
Autonomy for Inmates
Authors: OSGOOD D. WAYNE , GRUBER ENID , ARCHER MARK A. , NEWCOMB THEODORE M.
Published: March 2007

An inmate counterculture presents a barrier to the institutional goal of long-term reform. If the counterculture is a reaction to deprivations caused by incarceration, increasing autonomy would help co-opt the counterculture to cooperation with the institutional program. Data concerning autonomy for inmates and their adaptation to incarceration were collected from over 400 residents and 160 staff members at institutions for juvenile offenders. The research design avoided confounding autonomy with inmate characteristics and institutional setting, and included a broad range of measures of inmates' adaptation. Inmate reports of greater autonomy were associated with adaptations that were considerably more favorable to institutional goals. There was little relationship between staff reports of autonomy and either inmate reports of autonomy or inmate adaptation. This can be explained by a lack of variance in staff perceptions of groups, meaning that staff members failed to discriminate differences that were substantial in the eyes of inmates.
Long-Term Incarceration Impacts and Characteristics of Long-Term Offenders
Authors: MacKENZIE DORIS LAYTON , GOODSTEIN LYNNE
Published: March 2007

The responses long-and short-term inmates make to incarceration and differences in the responses made by distinct subgroups were examined. Prison inmates in three large maximum security institutions reported their levels of stress (anxiety, depression, psychosomatic illnesses, fear), adjustment (prisonization), criminal history, self-esteem, and demographic characteristics. Inmates new to prison who anticipated serving long terms in prison were found to report higher levels of stress and lower self-esteem than did inmates who had already completed long terms in prison. Short-term inmates new to prison reported less depression and fewer psychosomatic illnesses in comparison to new inmates with long sentences. Distinct subgroups of long-term offenders (lifers versus habituals) could be identified on the basis of demographics and past history. However, these groups did not differ in stress, adjustment, or self-esteem. It was concluded that inmates who were new to prison but anticipated serving long sentences in prison experienced the most stress. Inmates who had received long sentences and had already served a lengthy time in prison appeared to have developed a method of coping with the experience.
Lawbreaking in Former Remedial-Class Pupils
Authors: LIE NILS , HAEGGERNES A. -M.
Published: March 2007

In a representative Swedish cohort, men and women who attended remedial-school classes as children are recorded in the Swedish General Police Register (all offenses) and in the Swedish General Criminal Register (serious offenses only) significantly more often than subjects who attended ordinary classes. To be a remedial-class pupil seems to be a predictor of subsequent criminality. Since, with few exceptions, remedial classes in Sweden are composed of pupils with subnormal intelligence (IQs between 70 and 85), the intellectual inferiority of the remedial-class pupils appears to be responsible for their increased level of lawbreaking, probably because failure at school reduces their self-esteem and makes them likely candidates for anti-social groups.
Subjective Factors in the Judgment of Insanity
Authors: HOMANT ROBERT J. , KENNEDY DANIEL B.
Published: March 2007

This research attempts to account for the variations in expert witnesses' judgments of insanity in a particular case. Three versions of a hypothetical insanity-defense case called Albert were randomly distributed to a sample of 1,002 psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, with usable returns being received from 262 subjects. A favorable opinion of Albert's insanity defense was found to correlate with being a psychiatrist, having a liberal ideology, being in favor of the insanity defense in general, and having received the “neutral,” as opposed to the “sympathetic” or “unsympathetic,” version of the case. A post hoc analysis also found that coming from a state that placed the burden of proof on the prosecution was associated with a favorable opinion of Albert's insanity defense. Taken together these variables accounted for 42% of the nonerror variance in opinions of Albert's insanity defense.
Testing a Psychosocial Control Theory of Delinquency
Authors: MAK ANITA S.
Published: March 2007

This article reviews the theoretical and empirical grounds for incorporating aspects of personal control in Hirschi's (1969) social control theory of delinquency. A subsequent test of the resultant psychosocial control perspective, conducted with 793 Australian secondary-school students, indicates that it has greater explanatory power than Hirschi's model. Fifty-two percent of the variance in self-reported delinquency was accounted for by a combination of the social control variables of belief in the moral validity of the law, liking for school, and parental bonding; the personal control variables of impulse control and emotional empathy; and the background variables of sex, age, and broken home status.
Legal Response to Child Sexual Abuse in Day Care
Authors: WILLIAMS LINDA MEYER , FARRELL RONALD A.
Published: March 2007

Empirical studies of criminal justice decision making in cases of child sexual abuse have been rare. A sample of 43 cases of alleged sexual abuse in day care (involving 58 perpetrators) were analyzed to examine the proposition that cases fitting the popular stereotype of child molestation are more likely to elicit a formal response, whereas those at variance with the imagery require that aggravating conditions be present before formal actions are taken. Boolean analysis of the data point to the combined importance of race and sex of the victim, number of victims, type of sex act, and the sex of the alleged perpetrator in decisions to arrest and convict offenders. The overall pattern of decision making supports the argument regarding the operation of an offense stereotype in legal decision making.
Integrating Three Perspectives on Noncompliance
Authors: SMITH KENT W.
Published: March 2007

Drawing on decision research, a sequential decision-making model is outlined. The factors emphasized by three perspectives on explaining noncompliance enter the decision process at different stages because they are linked differently to more general effort-reducing procedures and because decision making about them differs in complexity. Norms require little decision effort and constrain the set of options considered in more complex decision making. Structural opportunities for successful noncompliance increase the substantive importance of compliance decisions and allow for differences in normative orientations to be realized. Deterrence decisions about the likelihood of detection are most likely undertaken by those in high opportunity situations with normative orientations toward noncompliance. Hypotheses from the model are supported by survey data on income tax noncompliance.
Improving Probation Decisions through Statistical Training
Authors: FONG GEOFFREY T. , LURIGIO ARTHUR J. , STALANS LORETTA J.
Published: March 2007

Much research in cognitive and social psychology has demonstrated that people often fail to incorporate statistical principles in making judgments and decisions. For example, people generally assign too little weight to base-rate information and too much weight to case-specific information. Probation officers are no exception. Two studies examined whether statistical training could increase the use of statistical principles in probation decisions. Study 1 found that novice probation officers trained on the law of large numbers were more likely than untrained officers to employ statistical principles in solving open-ended probation problems. Study 2 found that training novice probation officers on the law of large numbers increased their use of base-rate information on predictions about recidivism for 10 realistic probation cases, but only when the cases involved high risk. These results suggest that statistical training may improve probation decisions and judgments.
Inmates and their Families
Authors: CARLSON BONNIE E. , CERVERA NEIL
Published: March 2007

The impact of incarceration on the family was studied in 63 inmates and 39 wives, half of whom received conjugal visits through the Family Reunion Program (FRP). Interview data and standardized measures assessed family functioning. Families in both groups were cohesive but not adaptable, and FRP inmates reported feeling closer to their families than non-FRP inmates.
Profiling Child Sexualabusers
Authors: PETERS JAMES M. , MURPHY WILLIAM D.
Published: March 2007

Behavioral scientists have been presented as expert witnesses in child sexual abuse cases to testify that known child molesters perform differently on psychological tests than persons who do not molest children. Such testimony has been offered in a wide range of cases ranging from family court to the criminal arena, both for and against the accused. For a variety of reasons, appellate courts across the country have almost universally rejected this type of evidence, the notable exception being California. This article summarizes the case law on both sides of the issue and concludes that evidence regarding the supposed psychological profile of a child molester has no place in the courtroom. This article provides a brief summary of legal thought regarding the general admissibility of scientific evidence and then reviews published cases organized by the major legal underpinnings of each case. The analysis in this article is limited to laws within the United States and may not apply to other countries.
Effects of Child Neglect on Children
Authors: CROUCH JULIE L. , MILNER JOEL S.
Published: March 2007

This article reviews empirical studies investigating the effects of child neglect on children's development. A number of methodological problems inherent in the study of child neglect are described and discussed in terms of their impact on our ability to interpret existing findings. Empirical findings are organized according to domains of development, including physical, intellectual, social, behavioral, and affective functioning. Throughout the review, a developmental perspective is suggested as a means of conceptualizing neglect and understanding its impact on the developing child.
Prison Crowding Over Time
Authors: RUBACK R. BARRY , CARR TIMOTHY S.
Published: March 2007

The relationship between institutional density (population divided by capacity) and institutional infractions (both violent and nonviolent) was examined for 65 different institutions (25 state prisons, 33 county prisons, and 7 transitional centers) by month over a 10-year period. Across all institutions, there appeared to be no consistent pattern of effects for density. Even within institutions, there was no consistent pattern across time. Multivariate analyses holding other factors constant indicated that institutional density and rate of change of prison populations had statistically significant effects on both types of infractions, although the size of the effects was very small. Additional analyses indicated that these effects were particularly true for prisons for youth. Overall, the results indicated that institutional factors other than density were the strongest predictors of infractions.
The Effects of a Drinker-Driver Treatment Program
Authors: NOCHAJSKI THOMAS H. , MILLER BRENDA A. , WIECZOREK WILLIAM F. , WHITNEY ROBERT
Published: March 2007

The impact of a 12-week group therapy treatment program for driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders on DWI rearrest rates, self-reported drinking, and self-reported drinking and driving was appraised. Individuals with a criminal history, excluding DWI arrests, were more than twice as likely as those with no criminal history to be rearrested for a DWI within a 24-month period. The higher DWI recidivism rate for individuals with a prior criminal record was consistent across the dropout and treatment-completed subgroups. However, for individuals with no criminal history, the treatment-completed subgroup showed a significantly lower rate of recidivism than the dropouts. Follow-up self-report measures of frequency of drinking behavior showed similar differences with respect to criminal history. The results suggest that consideration of DWI subgroups, specifically criminal history, may be important when assessing the impact of intervention and treatment strategies.
Commentary on Alexander (1993)
Authors: KALICHMAN SETH C.
Published: March 2007

This commentary on Alexander's article concerning civil commitment of sex offenders concludes that the failure of the mental health sciences to define the psychosexual pathology of sexually violent adults has resulted in an inability to address these disturbances in the criminal justice system. This situation will likely contribute to the social threats posed by sexual offenders. It is suggested that researchers work to establish the mental illness parameters of sexual violence.
Evaluating a Modified Version of the Federal Prison System's Inmate Classification Model
Authors: PROCTOR JON L.
Published: March 2007

This study evaluated the objective and predictive value of the Nebraska Department of Corrections' Inmate Classification Model, a variation of the Federal Prison System's Model. A sample of 458 male offenders was assessed on 11 predictor variables—5 classification variables and 6 demographic variables—and 5 institutional adjustment variables. The results indicated that the Nebraska model was making objective classification decisions based solely on the classification variables. However, the model was not a valid instrument for predicting the offenders' institutional adjustment problems. Age and education level—two variables not included in this model—emerged as the best predictors of adjustment. These findings suggest that the model's predictive value could be improved by incorporating valid predictor variables into the classification process.
Perception of the Risk of Arrest for Drinking and Driving
Authors: WIECZOREK WILLIAM F. , MIRAND AMY L. , CALLAHAN CHRISTOPHER P.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the relationships among drinking measures, drinking and driving variables, and the perception of the risk of being arrested for driving while impaired by alcohol (DWI). Random-digit dialing procedures were used in association with computer-assisted telephone interviewing to collect data from 453 drivers aged 18 and older who drank alcoholic beverages in the last 12 months. Subjects were categorized by their perceptions of the risk for DWI arrest into a high probability of arrest group (at least 1 in 10 chance for arrest) and a low probability group (a 1 in 100 chance or less). Men in the high probability of arrest group were significantly heavier drinkers than those in the low probability group. Women who drank heavily in a single sitting also tended to express a higher perceived risk of DWI arrest. Age differences in DWI arrest probability also were uncovered. These results suggest that DWI prevention efforts need to be directed at specific groups and that for some groups, such as heavier drinkers, efforts other than deterrence are needed.
Identifying Probationers with Adhd-Related Behaviors in a Drug Abuse Treatment Setting
Authors: BAKER DAVID B. , KNIGHT KEVIN , SIMPSON D. DWAYNE
Published: March 2007

Increasing recognition is being given to the manifestations of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood. Prospective studies have indicated that many children diagnosed with ADHD continue to have symptoms of the disorder. These often are associated with antisocial behaviors, suggesting that ADHD may be an undetected and untreated root cause of these behaviors. In the present study, indicators of ADHD were examined in a population of probationers in a court-referred drug abuse treatment setting. The results showed that 31% had symptoms indicative of ADHD and that these symptoms were associated with self-reported measures of arrest history, aggressive behavior, drug use, family atmosphere, and family mental health.
Should We Be Partial to Partial Identification?
Authors: LEIPPE MICHAEL R. , WELLS GARY L.
Published: March 2007

Eyewitness identification of criminal suspects from lineups and photospreads is the largest single cause of false imprisonment in the United States. Research programs have outlined experimentally proven techniques to reduce the dangers. Levi and Jungman have proposed a radical technique in which eyewitnesses choose several people from a large set of photos based on their similarity to the culprit. They argue that this will help solve many problems, including the tendency for courts to overbelieve eyewitnesses. Some problems and prospects for this new technique are discussed.
Police Psychology
Authors: BARTOL CURT R.
Published: March 2007

This article summarizes the past, describes the present, and forecasts the future of police psychology, broadly defined. The past is discussed within the context of four historical trends that characterize the expanding activities of police psychologists during the past 75 years. The results of a nationwide survey of 152 police psychologists form the basis for describing contemporary aspects of the field, including demographics, functions, salary, and perceptions of the profession. The future of the profession is highly dependent on the political, economic, and social pressures directed at law enforcement. Topics discussed concerning the future of the profession include the Soroka case, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, small town and rural policing, changes in the composition of law enforcement, changes in policing in general, and graduate training.
Children's Testimony in the Netherlands
Authors: LAMERS-WINKELMAN FRANCIEN , BUFFING FRANK
Published: March 2007

The authors first provide a brief overview of Dutch agencies that deal with child abuse and neglect, the approach to child abuse, and the position of children as witnesses in the Netherlands. Next, they present Dutch data on child abuse and neglect and child sexual abuse. They then go on to review studies on statement validity analysis. Finally, they report the results of a study in which they compared the presence of content criteria in the statements of alleged sexual abuse victims in four age groups. The comparison was made using criteria-based content analysis, one of the components of the statement validity analysis procedure.
The Behavior of Law and Psychiatry
Authors: ARRIGO BRUCE A.
Published: March 2007

Both law and psychiatry continue to be the privileged and pivotal divide by and through which decisions are made regarding mentally ill defendants. The present article conceptually explores the overlapping effects of medicolegal decision making. Under consideration is the guilty-but-mentally-ill (GBMI) verdict and how knowledge is both constructed and articulated in the forensic courtroom context. Utilization of a Lacanian postmodern framework demonstrates how discourse, desire, and subjectivity are important themes in the sense-making process. The article concludes by speculating on how such organizing principles in law and psychiatry, as manifested in the GBMI verdict, function as a form of violence in language or punishment through speech.
Hallucinogen Use among Juvenile Probationers
Authors: JENSON JEFFREY M. , HOWARD MATTHEW O.
Published: March 2007

The authors assessed the prevalence of hallucinogen use, identified differences between lifetime hallucinogen users and nonusers, and evaluated variables predicting age of onset and lifetime frequency of hallucinogen use among 415 juvenile probationers in a Western state. Forty-four percent of subjects reported lifetime hallucinogen use; 37% of probationers used hallucinogens in the past year. Number of substance-using peers, involvement in drug distribution, perceived risks associated with substance use, suicide ideation, participation and attendance in school, and parent involvement in youth activities significantly discriminated hallucinogen users from non-users. Lifetime marijuana and inhalant use, number of substance-using peers, criminal behavior to support drug use, intention to use drugs, and participation in school were significantly related to lifetime frequency of hallucinogen use. Number of substance-using siblings significantly predicted age at onset of hallucinogen use. Findings indicate that drug treatment services for hallucinogen users are needed in the juvenile justice system.
Regional Problems and Policies in Italy and France
Authors: Allan Kevin , MacLennan M.C.
Published: March 2007

Regional Problems and Policies in Italy and France provides comprehensive background analysis for those who wish to understand how regional policy works in three important European countries—Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. It is essential reading for the student of Western European governmental policy and/or the European Economic Community, with its authoritative and detailed study of the implications for regional policy of British entry into the Common Market.
Policy Perspectives of The Northwest City Manager, 1966-1974 Continuity or Change?
Authors: Lyden Fremont J. , Miller Ernest G.
Published: March 2007

In 1966 and 1974 city managers in the Pacific Northwest were surveyed to determine their views on their roles in policy making. With respect to general policy and budget matters there was a larger percentage in 1974 who were willing to initiate policy and leadership, but where a community was evenly divided on an issue, a larger percentage of managers in 1974 felt that neutrality was desirable. The findings suggest that increasingly city managers may be turning from political advocacy leadership to programmatic leadership, which maintains the manager's image as an administrative expert even when making major contributions to policy directions.
On ambiguity and organizations
Authors: Lerner Allan W.
Published: March 2007

Ambiguity in the structure of decision-maker relationships is considered for the stra tegic opportunities it offers calculating actors. Ambiguity is discussed in the context of reciprocity, authority, and jurisdictional facets of relationships. The value of ambiguity as a common theme linking rational actor and system level concepts is also considered.
Cui Bono?
Authors: Montgomery John D. , Katzman Martin T.
Published: March 2007

Evaluation of the income-redistributing performance of a capital project m the Third World produced evidence on four counts that the system was in fact operating to benefit rural and urban poor: (1) The management had attempted to reduce "hidden costs" otherwise borne by the poor by subsidizing the extension of services to outlying areas and by providing low-interest credit for household connections. (2) The poor were using the services as fully as well-to-do households were, the actual consumption being related significantly to family size and not income (3) The progressive rate struc ture used in the project bore more heavily on the rich than on the poor in general, though this "transfer effect" would have been greater if rates had combined a flat fee with a small surcharge based on the appraised value of the property. (4) A "critical incident" study of experience among users showed that all groups, regardless of ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, or location, perceived the project to be beneficial to the entire society, and especially to the rural poor. Information about these effects can be used by policymakers in international agencies for devising appropriate loan terms for utility-type projects It can also guide project managers in the design of rate structures, the setting of user charges, and the assignment of priorities for the future expansion of services.
Toward a Method to Evaluate the Ombudsman Role
Authors: Danet Brenda
Published: March 2007

This paper calls attention to the need for an empirical method for the evaluation of the ombudsman role. The author suggests that data on complaints of the public constitute an important social indicator which can provide useful information on three main groups: (a) the public; (b) the system of public administration; and (c) the office of the ombudsman and his staff. The paper proposes a series of empirical measures to be developed using basic data on complaints, and proceeds to illustrate some of them, using such data in nine countries. The paper includes with a discussion of some of the limitations of the measures proposed and calls for increased cooperation between practicing ombudsmen and ombudsman researchers.
Where Policy Studies Go Wrong
Authors: Kolb Deborah M. , Van Maanen John
Published: March 2007

Public policies are raw resources. They can be put to practical use in ways that offend those who initially created them. Policy research sometimes takes the perspective of the offended without giving due regard to the perspective of the offenders. The conceptual and practical limitations of such an approach are illustrated in this article. The contextual example concerns policy research on the so-called chilling and addiction problems of collective bargaining in the public sector. The general point is simply that what is misuse to some (in the example, overuse) is quite proper to others. Policy researchers, in their eagerness to produce "relevant" studies on policies believed to have gone astray, frequently dismiss or ignore the situationally specific uses to which public policies are put. A social action perspective toward policy science is suggested in this article as a partial counterbalance to such research oversights.
Regulatory Takings
Authors: Wise Charles R. , Emerson Kirk
Published: March 2007

In several key rulings since the mid-1980s, the U.S. Supreme Court has begun to reshape the contours of regulatory takings. The emerging doctrine appears to reaffirm private rights in property, narrow the reach of governmental regulation, and extend the scope of judicial review. Despite their "muddled" transitional nature, these developments in the regulatory takings arena are sending a clear signal to public administrators to attend more carefully to the effects of their regulatory actions on private property rights. The purpose of this article is to analyze the key issues currently at play and point to some of the potential implications for the field of public administration.
Understanding Ethics Through Literature
Authors: Richardson William D. , Adkins Sarah R.
Published: March 2007

The subject of ethics isfrequentlyfound at the center of issues that can profoundly affect the way in which both citizens and administrators choose to live. An underused but highly effective means of introducing the complexities of the subject may be found in carefully selected works of literature. This approach can sustain the interest of students while emphasizing the critical distinctions that are afundamental part of the subject matter James Clavell's King Rat is one such work of literature. In a Japanese prison camp at the close of World War II, democratic and aristocratic captives struggle to preserve their bodies without sacrificing what remains of their souls. The resulting tale provides a powerful examination of such issues as character, virtue, vice, fitness to rule, the good citizen versus the good human being, and, most especially, honor
Public Accountability
Authors: Leazes Francis J.
Published: March 2007

Public law principles must be paramount in designing and implementing privatized administrative arrangements. Private nonprofit organizations are a familiar part of the public administration landscape. A case study demonstrates how public accountability is diminished when government arranges a service, leaving implementation to a private, nonprofit agency, but public law principles are not central to the contractual arrangement. Ineffective policy implementation, blurred lines of executive accountability, and diminished management capacity resulted Administration by civil suit was substituted. Private administrators are seen as having constitutional responsibilities, constraints on discretion, and obligations to be open to public scrutiny and government regulatory oversight.
Psychoanalytic Contributions to the Study of the Emotional Life of Organizations
Authors: Gabriel Yiannis
Published: March 2007

In light of increasing interest in organizational emotions, this article argues for a reintegration of psychoanalytic scholarship into the study of organizations. A brief presentation of social constructionist approaches to emotions in organizations is followed by a presentation of major psychoanalytic contributions to the study of emotions at individual, group, and organizational levels. The author argues for a rapprochement between constructionist views which emphasize the cultural character of emotional displays, and psychoanalytic views which explore the origins, vicissitudes, and communication of emotional experiences within individual or group biographies.
The Comparative Influence of Individual, Peer Tutoring, and Communal Learning Contexts on the Text Recall of African American Children
Authors: Dill Ebony M. , Boykin A. Wade
Published: March 2007

Peer tutoring strategies tend to use structured peer interactions and group reward contingency. This study was designed to offer a peer learning environment within which the putative communal tendencies of African American youth could be capitalized on to facilitate learning an academic task. There were 72 African American fifth-grade students (36 males, 36 females) randomly assigned to a communal learning, peer tutoring criterion, or an individual criterion context and given a text of prose to learn. Following the learning phase, students individually completed a recall task. A 3 2 between-subject ANOVA revealed that students under the communal learning context recalled significantly more text than students assigned to the peer and individual contexts. Additionally, communal beliefs were correlated with positive attitudes toward task engagement. No such positive relationships were found for individual belief. The discussion focuses on the use of cultural contexts for learning.
The Attitudes Toward Multiracial Children Scale
Authors: Jackman Charmain F. , Wagner William G. , Johnson J. T.
Published: March 2007

The Attitudes Toward Multiracial Children Scale (AMCS) was developed to measure adults’ attitudes concerning the psychosocial development of multiracial children. Two separate studies were conducted to evaluate the items devised for the scale. In the first study, an initial version of the AMCS was administered to 250 college students from racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds. Results revealed that scores on the 43-item scale were internally consistent (Cronbach’s alpha = .92) and that four factors (i.e., Multiracial Identity, Multiracial Heritage, General Adjustment, and Social Relationships) could be identified. The AMCS was then revised and administered to a group of 187 participants. Again, factor analysis yielded a four-factor solution (i.e., Psychosocial Adjustment, Self-Esteem, Multiracial Identity, and Multiracial Heritage). The internal consistency for scores on the resulting 23-item scale was good (Cronbach’s alpha = .87) and 3-week test-retest reliability (n = 15) was .77.
Segregation Indexes Are Invalid
Authors: Sapp Marty
Published: March 2007

This article examines the statistical validity of segregation indexes. Special attention is given to the Taeuber Index, the most used index and the standard of comparison for other indexes. The mathematical formulas of segregation indexes are tested against appropriate inferential test statistics. Fi nally, this article demonstrates that the mathematical formu las of segregation indexes do not measure segregation or racial balance.
Psychological Factors Influencing Physical Health in African American College Students
Authors: Belgrave Faye Z. , Molock Sherry D. , Kelley Keith S. , Nana-Sinham Patrick
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributions of stress, health beliefs, health behaviors, and gender on physical health outcomes of African American college students. Measures of physical symptoms experienced and perception of health were used as indicators of physical health. The paper presents a model of the relationships among psychological and physical health variables and discusses support (and lack of support) for aspects of the model.

Subjects were 59 African American students attending two universities in the Eastern region of the United States. A questionnaire that assessed health beliefs, health behaviors, stress, physical symptoms, and perception of health was administered to each subject.

The results of regression analyses indicated that health beliefs and stress explained a significant amount of the variance of physical symptoms and that health behaviors explained a significant amount of the variance in perception of health. Physical symptoms and perception of health were not related to each other suggesting that these are independent concepts.