bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Rural Gang Members Similar to their Urban Peers?
Authors: EVANS WILLIAM P. , FITZGERALD CARLA , WEIGEL DAN , CHVILICEK SARAH
Published: March 2007

This study investigated factors associated with gang involvement among rural and urban adolescents. The data were derived from a large self-report survey (N = 2,183) of 7th through 12th grade Nevada students. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in gang membership or pressure to join gangs between the rural and urban samples. There were differences, however, on other gang and violence indicators between the rural and urban settings. Overall, urban students were significantly more likely to report they had friends in gangs and were threatened by gangs, and had significantly heightened concerns for personal safety, gangs, and violence in their schools and communities. Several rural/urban gender-related differences also were found. Implications for rural communities, prevention and intervention programming, and future research are discussed.
Ethnic Variation and the Development of Moral Judgment of Youth in Dutch Society
Authors: DE MEY LANGHA , BAARTMAN HERMAN E. M. , SCHULZE HANS-J.
Published: March 2007

Students, aged 14 to 19 years, from different types of schools participated in this study: Dutch, Surinamese, Moroccan, Turkish, and a remaining mixed group. They rated moral problems of two of Kohlberg's dilemmas. An analysis of variance with the factors ethnicity, sex, and type of school and multiple range tests were used to detect differences between the groups. Moroccan and Turkish pupils show a lag in their moral development, perhaps due to their parents' societal background.
The Path Towards a New Order in South Africa
Authors: Hatchard John , Slinn Peter
Published: March 2007

We the people of South Africa declare that ... there is a need to create a new order in which all South Africans will be entitled to a common South African citizenship in a sovereign and democratic constitutional state in which there is equality between men and women of all races so that all citizens shall be able to enjoy and exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms. (Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1993)
Towards a System Philosophy of Scientific Research
Authors: Radnitzky Gerard
Published: March 2007

Can research be studied in a way that is neither logical reconstruction nor empirical psychology or sociology of science? In contemporary philosophy of science this is usually denied—in spite of the recent 'paradigm shift' there. A system-philosophy approach in theory of research is outlined by means of some models: a research enterprise is viewed as a productive, innovative system, the research process as a transformation of complexes of knowledge-problems-instruments (software and hard ware). The direction this development takes is guided by preconceptions about the subject matter and a programmatic conception of the discipline based on them ('internal steering factors'). The dynamics of the research process are schematized as a co-agency of 'theoretical and 'empirical' moments, which is viewed as a flow of problems, information, and conceptual frameworks. Empirically discovered pieces of knowledge may resist all attempts to explain them: the flow is disturbed, and only an extraordinary innovation on the 'theoretical' level can restore the balance. This involves a shift in perspective: a shift in the 'internal steering factors'. (In this way one type of 'scientific revolution' (Kuhn's type) is conceptualized). After a perspectival shift one will ask 'Does it constitute progress ?' Types of criteria are suggested. Although they do not apply to all research situations, they over-arch research-traditions. Eventually the above models are applied in the reflection of Research Theory on itself. Research Theory should improve our knowledge about knowledge-production. This knowledge should contribute to improving our image of science and the researcher's sensitivity—by providing better tools for concept ualizing research situations and for imagining possible alternatives.
From Social Subject to the 'Person' The Belated Transformation in Latter-Day Soviet Philosophy
Authors: Swiderski Edward M.
Published: March 2007

With the dismantling of Marxist-Leninist ideology, fresh inspiration has been discernible in recent Soviet philosophy. This article argues that a major area of concern is the nature of the human being, a theme formerly dominated by the "social" conceptions inscribed into official historical materialism. Soviet philosophers are examining such categories as culture, spirit, consciousness, and personality with an eye to their common characteristics. For many, the latter is grounded in the nature of the person, the specificity of which lies in a morally qualified unity of action, sentiment, and reason. The author brings together evidence for this thesis and discusses the arguments of the Soviet philosophers with an eye to their conceptual resources and models.
Poststructuralism and the Epistemological Basis of Anarchism
Authors: Koch Andrew M.
Published: March 2007

This essay identifies two different methodological strategies used by the proponents of anarchism. In what is termed the "ontological" approach, the rationale for anarchism depends on a particular representation of human nature. That characterization of "being" determines the relation between the individual and the structures of social life. In the alternative approach, the epistemological status of "representation" is challenged, leaving human subjects without stable identities. Without the possibility of stable human representations, the foundations underlying the exercise of institutional power can be challenged. This epistemological discussion is traced from Max Stirner to the twentieth-century movement known as poststructuralism.
Some Considerations about the Further Development of Situational Analysis
Authors: Bichlbauer Dieter
Published: March 2007

Popper gives the concept of social situation the role of key term in the method ology of situational analysis. The important characteristics of the social situation are aims and knowledge, which are attributed to the actor and are part of the situation. Furthermore, the elements of the situation create or are, as social institutions, obstacles to the actor. But more complex situations exist which here are called actor specific situations and are much more structured by the actor. The aims and knowledge of the actors vary widely, so they cannot be attributed to the actors without a serious loss of information. The elements have social meanings and meanings which are ascribed to them by the actors. The concept of dual methodology tries to grasp these complex situations for the purpose of empirical research by combining causal explanation of analytical methodology with intentional explanation of a methodology of understanding. The interface between these methodologies is formed by the concept of generative mecha nisms. These are part of the causal theory as well as data gathered for the intentional explanation. The ideal result of research is achieved if the hypothesis cannot be rejected and the two kinds of generative mechanisms coincide. In this case, the hypothesis is a proven causal statement. Finally, the aptitude of the interpretative methodology for gathering the generative mechanisms is dis cussed.
A Nonparametric Approach to Matched Pairs with Missing Data
Authors: AKRITAS MICHAEL G. , KUHA JOUNI , OSGOOD D. WAYNE
Published: March 2007

The matched-pairs t-statistic on the overall ranks is extended to data with observations missing at random. Either one of the two variables is allowed to be missing. The procedure is completely nonparametric. Comparisons with the likelihood ratio test for normal data indicate that the proposed method fares well when the data are normal and outperforms it in other cases. Simulations also confirm that the proposed method has higher power than common nonparametric complete-pairs tests for observations missing completely at random. Finally, a data set on the delinquent values of boys released from correctional institutions is analyzed and discussed.
Interpreting Polynomial Regression
Authors: Stimson James A. , Carmines Edward G. , Zeller Richard A.
Published: March 2007

This paper focuses on the interpretational difficulties that confound polynomial regression analysis. While polynomial regression is statistically sound, it produces awkward equations which "describe" a curve with a series of linear slopes. An example illustrates the technique and the awkward properties of regression coefficients in the quadratic case. Finally, the paper briefly outlines an algebraic manipulation that transforms polynomial regression equations into a format that is readily interpretable.
Constrained Parameters in a Model for Categorical Data
Authors: Duncan Otis Dudley
Published: March 2007

Religious participation, a trichotomous response in the form of a two-item Guttman scale, is affected linearly by sex and by marital status, but the effect of color is nonlinear Techniques illustrated in the paper allow the analy st to impose simultaneously the two linear constraints and a nonlinear contrast of extreme response categories versus the middle one to represent the color effect. Such techniques should prove useful as analysts consider the possibilities of specifying structural models for categorical data
Measuring Residential Segregation
Authors: Agresti Barbara F.
Published: March 2007

The most common measures of segregation can only be used when block-level (or tract-level) statistics are available. The nineteenth-century manuscript census listings contain ordered listings of households, but (usually) no block informa tion. This article presents a method whereby the degree of residential segregation b y race can be measured from these listings, using the degree of departure from random ordering within the listings as the index. This index is based on the number of racially alike runs of adjacent households in the listings as a proportion of the number which would be expected, given random mterspersal of the two racial groups. The index is applied to datafor the city of Jacksonville, Florida, in 1870 and 1885.
Regression and Discrimination
Authors: HOFFMANN CARL C. , QUADE DANA
Published: March 2007

Since the passage of the major civil rights legislation of the sixties, the courts have been entertaining ever more sophisticated statistical arguments in discrimination cases. A review of this development clarifies the numerous conceptual and technical difficulties inherent in the regression approach to analysis of covariance. A nonparametric analysis based on matching is supported as more responsive to the fundamental question involved: whether individuals who are similar with respect to all pertinent variables are treated differently depending on their membership in a particular class.
Estimating Nonlinear Models
Authors: HEISE DAVID R.
Published: March 2007

Measurement errors in predictor variables bias multiple regression coefficients, and the problem is particularly complex with nonlinear models containing product variates. This article presents formulas and computing algorithms for correcting data before regression analyses in order to eliminate biases due to measurement errors in models with second- and third-order product variates (e.g., YZ and XYZ). The method requires independent estimates of error variances and covariances for the first-order variates (e.g., X, Y, and Z). An analysis of empirical data illustrates the approach. Errors in estimates are examined through Monte Carlo analyses.
Estimation of Discrete Choice Models in Retrospective Samples
Authors: BYE BARRY V. , GALLICCHIO SALVATORE J. , LEVY JESSE M.
Published: March 2007

The estimation of the parameters of discrete choice models in retrospective samples is often more complex than in prospective studies. In prospective studies estimation usually employs classical maximum likelihood techniques; however, when samples are stratified on the outcome variable, classical maximum likelihood estimators are often biased in large samples. A number of alternative consistent estimators have been proposed by Manski and McFadden (1981). We have found one of their estimators to be applicable to a wide variety of problems and easy to implement. In this article we describe the Manski and McFadden approach, give a variation of the approach when modeling sets of retrospectively sampled outcomes, and present an example of the application of these techniques in a survey research context.
The Perception of Statistical Graphs
Authors: LEWANDOWSKY STEPHAN , SPENCE IAN
Published: March 2007

Graphs have been an essential tool for the analysis and communication of statistical data for about 200 years. Despite widespread use and their importance in science, business, and many other walks of life, relatively little is known about how people perceive and process statistical graphs. This article reviews several empirical studies designed to explore the suitability of various graphs for a variety of purposes, and discusses the relevant theoretical psychological literature. The role of traditional psychophysics is considered, especially in connection with the long-running dispute concerning the relative merits of pie and bar charts. The review also discusses experiments on the perception of scatterplots and the use of multivariate displays, and points out the need for more empirical work.
Data Analysis Using GAUSS and Markov
Authors: LONG J. SCOTT , NOSS BRIAN
Published: March 2007

GAUSS can be used in a variety of ways for statistical computing. Most simply, it is an interactive matrix calculator. It is also a standard statistical package in which you specify the data, variables, and type of analysis and let the program do the computations. And, finally, GAUSS is a powerful matrix programming language that is ideal for statistical computations. GAUSS's strength lies in its ability to move among these levels of use. This article begins with a review of GAUSS's main features, followed by a didactic example of the different ways that a multiple regression can be computed. This leads to a demonstration of GAUSS's programming capabilities for a series of nonstandard statistical problems.
Exploring the Reciprocal Relations between Theoretical and Empirical Work
Authors: JASSO GUILLERMINA
Published: March 2007

This article explores what Merton has called the reciprocal relations between theoretical and empirical work. These relations involve a variety of mechanisms identified by Merton, beyond the classical links in which empirical work tests the implications of theories and provides the starting postulates for new theories. To illustrate some of the ways in which theoretical ideas shape empirical work and empirical ideas shape theoretical work, this article discusses the origins, development, and uses of the justice evaluation function. The development of the justice evaluation function exemplifies two of the mechanisms by which empirical work influences theoretical work and shows how theoretical ideas can play a critical role in an outwardly inductivist empirical inquiry. The subsequent development of the theory of distributive justice and of the generalized comparison function and comparison theory leads not only to new testable implications and new empirical procedures but also to new theoretical and empirical questions, whose resolution may, in turn, lead to the development of new theories.
Natural Selection and Social Learning in Prisoner's Dilemma
Authors: MACY MICHAEL
Published: March 2007

Evolutionary game theory has been used to study the viability of cooperation in a predatory world. Although previous studies have helped to identify robust strategies, little is known about how success translates into the reproduction of cultural rules. Analogs of genetic replication may be deceptive if social learning and natural selection engender different population dynamics. The author distinguished selection and learning based on whether rules are hardwired or softwired in the organisms that carry them. The author then used genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks to operationalize the distinction. Applied for the first time to iterated Prisoner's Dilemma, neural network experiments showed that researchers may need to be much more cautious in using Darwinian analogs as templates for modeling the evolution of cultural rules.
Causal Inference in Statistical Models of the Process of Socioeconomic Achievement
Authors: SOBEL MICHAEL E.
Published: March 2007

Typically, using data from a nonexperimental study, quantitative sociologists model one or more outcomes as a function of independent variables, interpreting the resulting parameter estimates as effects. This article compares the usual approach to causal inference in sociology with an alternative approach that builds explicitly on a counterfactual account of causation. The comparison is relevant because sociologists typically interpret (incorrectly) parameter estimates obtained using the first approach as supporting causal statements that are counterfactual. To make matters concrete, the author reconsiders an attainment model of Featherman and Hauser, who are interested in comparing the effects of family background on achievement, by sex and time. This analysis suggests the coefficients in the regressions of respondent's education and occupational status on background should not be interpreted as effects. However, because a child's sex is determined without regard for his or her subsequent achievements, sex may be viewed as randomly assigned, justifying treating sex as the cause and the background variables as covariates. Unfortunately, the way in which the data were collected preclude such a treatment.
Social and Cultural Strategies of Class Formation in Coastal Andhra Pradesh
Authors: Upadhya Carol
Published: March 2007

Despite India's long history of capitalist development and consequent precipitation of class structures, class has been a relatively under-studied topic in Indian sociology. The social and cultural aspects of class formation have been especially neglected. This paper attempts to fill this gap through a case study of the history and culture of a rural-urban dominant class, located in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Drawing on Bourdieu's practice theory, it focuses on actors' investment and consumption strategies which are aimed at the accumulation and monopolisation of social, cultural, symbolic and economic capital. Through such accumulation, and by converting one type of capital into another, actors are able to construct class boundaries, promote internal cohesion, and establish hegemony. The paper also addresses the caste/class question within this theoretical framework by showing how the construction of caste identity has been closely linked with class formation.
David Easton
Authors: STRONG TRACY B.
Published: March 2007

I do not for these defects despair of our republic.

R. W. Emerson, Politics
COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL CLASS, AND CULTURE
Authors: JEFFRES LEO W.
Published: March 2007

This article reports on a study that treats recent growth in ethnic awareness as an opportunity to study cultural concepts at a more manageable level. Scholars in this area have pitted social class against ethnicity, and people moving up the status ladder were expected to assimilate. Ethnic communication holds ethnic groups together but also may mediate changes in ethnic behaviors and attitudes. Changes in social status are viewed as competing influences, acting directly and indirectly through changes in ethnic communication networks. Some 392 people represented 11 ethnic groups in a panel study that tapped communication and ethnic behaviors in 1976 and 4 years later. Correlations show income is negatively related to ethnic behaviors at time one but not at time two. Cross-lagged correlations show income is negatively associated with observing ethnic customs but not perceived change in ethnic ID; education is unrelated to either ethnic measure. Regression analysis shows that neither status variable is related to ethnic ID when communication and other variables have been controlled. Several path analytic models map the relationships presented in the literature; in all models, the two social status variables have no direct relationship on ethnic ID or behavior; some mediation occurs in the 1976 model but not the 1980 model.
INFORMATION DIFFUSION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATION PROCESS
Authors: HOFFMAN ERIC , ROMAN PAUL M.
Published: March 2007

The present study proposes a theoretical model depicting information diffusion within work organizations. Express concern is with this diffusion as it relates to organizational innovation. This model conceptualizes information flow as having two important dimensions: origin of the information, viewed as having three foci (organizational, interpersonal, and personal); and organizational emphasis on innovation, viewed as having two levels (general organizational emphasis on innovation and specific organizational emphasis on a given innovation). This multilevel model was tested with a random sample of 2083 work supervisors in 96 different organizations. The dependent variable employed was the supervisor's compliance in transmitting information about the innovation to subordinates. Multivariate analysis illustrates the importance of three factors upon this transmission: the degree of specific innovation emphasis, the number of modalities used to transmit this information, and the degree to which the supervisor individually sought out information about the innovation.
CHILDREN'S USE OF AUDIO MEDIA
Authors: CHRISTENSON PETER G. , DeBENEDITTIS PETER , LINDLOF THOMAS R.
Published: March 2007

This article summarizes the current literature on audio and children, and argues that records, radio, and tapes play an important and unique role in the personal and social lives of many young children. Some key issues and approaches that seem most promising in the study of the place of listening in children's lives are examined.
Children and Host-Selling Television Commercials
Authors: KUNKEL DALE
Published: March 2007

This study explores children's understanding of television commercials that feature the same primary characters as those in the adjacent program content, a technique referred to as host selling. Responses of younger (4-5 years) and older (7-8 years) children to the same commercials presented in both a host-selling and normal viewing (non-host-selling) context are examined. Three dimensions of the processing of television advertising that could be affected by the practice of host selling are assessed: ability to discriminate commercial from program content; ability to attribute persuasive intent to a commercial; and attitudinal responses to commercial appeals. The results indicated that (a) both age groups were significantly less likely to discriminate commercial from program content when the host-selling format was viewed, and (b) the older children are more favorably influenced by the same commercial content when it is seen in a host-selling presentation than in a normal viewing situation. The relevance of this research to existing federal regulatory policy regarding children's television advertising is discussed.
Phase Structures in Agreement and No-Agreement Mediation
Authors: JONES TRICIA S.
Published: March 2007

Phase theories of negotiation and mediation suggest that agreement mediation progresses from differentiation to integration through information-exchange, problem-solving, and finally resolution behaviors. Eighteen agreement and 18 no-agreement divorce mediation sessions were coded using the revised Mediation Process Analysis. Multiple discriminant analyses and univariate follow-up analyses were used to determine whether communication behaviors discriminated between phase structures in agreement and no-agreement mediation and to identify differences in participants' use of communication tactics during each phase. The results supported the posited model of agreement mediation. No-agreement mediation was characterized by a continuing emphasis on information exchange throughout mediation and by a de-emphasis on problem-solving and resolution behaviors.
Innovation Type, Radicalness, and the Adoption Process
Authors: DAMANPOUR FARIBORZ
Published: March 2007

Contrary to certain previous assertions that the results of innovation research are inconsistent, a review of studies of the impact of organizational factors on the adoption of innovations along three dimensions (innovation type, innovation radicalness, and stages of adoption) suggests that, when categories within each dimension are distinguished, a considerable agreement in research results is evidenced. Based on an analysis of the interaction among these dimensions, the development of realistic theories of innovation adoption in organizations is possible if future studies: (a) systematically differentiate among the dimensions, (b) recognize differences between types of organizations with respect to innovation, and (c) consider the adoption of innovations within the larger concept of organizational effectiveness or performance.
Bibliometrics, Scholarly Communication, and Communication Research
Authors: PAISLEY WILLIAM
Published: March 2007

Only a few studies in communication research have focused on bibliometrics or scholarly communication per se, but these concepts are closely tied to strong traditions of communication research in content analysis and organizational communication. Bibliometric studies are becoming common in several fields of science because of the number and accessibility of electronic databases as well as the development of conceptual frameworks in which bibliometric measures are indicative of social processes such as the evolution of scientific specialties and the diffusion of innovations. Research on scholarly communication, and more narrowly on scientific communication, is receiving growing attention because of the problems and costs of disseminating information to scientists, practitioners, and policymakers. With its focus on informal and formal communication processes, this research clearly falls within the province of communication research. However, many of the studies have been conducted by information scientists with a practical need to improve scientific information systems. Communication researchers are beginning to apply bibliometric methods to topics ranging from political communication to the new media. Bibliometrics and the study of scholarly communication present an opportunity for communication researchers and information scientists to collaborate in an area of common interest.
Processing Social Information in Messages
Authors: SLATER MICHAEL D.
Published: March 2007

This experiment examines the impact of messages on subsequent beliefs about social groups. As a result of probable differences between the processing of familiar versus unfamiliar social information, nonfiction messages are expected to influence beliefs about social group member characteristics more than do fiction messages only when the social group described is relatively familiar. The experiment is a 2 × 2 within-subjects design, with 16 stimuli arranged in a 4 × Greco-Latin square. Twenty-four subjects received one of four sets of prose excerpts, each excerpt labeled as fiction or nonfiction and manipulated to refer to a familiar or unfamiliar social group. Interactions between familiarity and fiction / nonfiction status on beliefs about social group member characteristics and on confidence in belief estimates are found. It is concluded that the impact of fiction messages about unfamiliar peoples on readers' beliefs may well be equal to or greater than that of nonfiction messages.
Do We Mean the Same by the Concept of Family
Authors: TROST JAN
Published: March 2007

We all know what a family is. But still we often do not agree on the meaning of the term. Furthermore, and even more complicated, we often are not aware that we might have a perspective very different from that of those with whom we communicate. Presented here are views concerning how to define family theoretically as well as some data from both qualitative empirical studies with “normal” persons. The quantitative study builds upon a statistically representative sample of adults, and the qualitative study uses strategic sampling. Our data show that not only do researchers differ in their view on the concept, so do members of the general population. Indeed, the variation is almost over-whelming. Included under the concept of family are not only persons from the immediate “nuclear” family but also kin of various sorts, friends, and pets. When taking the observed degree of variability into consideration we might be surprised that we are able to communicate at all using the term family. Apparently, what is familiar is the term only, certainly not the concept.
Psychological Predictors of Television Viewing Motivation
Authors: CONWAY JOSEPH C. , RUBIN ALAN M.
Published: March 2007

Our objective was to explore the psychological origins of media gratifications by examining how pertinent psychological variables, based on McGuire's paradigm, help explain television viewing motivation. Hierarchical multiple regression of responses from a quota sample of 331 persons showed that psychological antecedents and control variables helped predict viewing motivation. Parasocial interaction, anxiety, creativity, and sensation seeking's disinhibition dimension were the most substantial predictors, along with television affinity and exposure. We discussed the implications of these findings.
The Effects of Related and Unrelated Cuts on Television Viewers' Attention, Processing Capacity, and Memory
Authors: LANG ANNIE , GEIGER SETH , STRICKWERDA MELODY , SUMNER JANINE
Published: March 2007

This study tested the differential effects of two different types of cuts (related and unrelated) on attention, capacity, and audio and visual memory for the information contained in television messages. Related cuts were related by either visual or audio information. Unrelated cuts occurred between two completely unrelated scenes. Unrelated cuts were always associated with a change in content. Related scenes were never associated with a change in content. Results showed that both related and unrelated cuts resulted in cardiac orienting responses. Reaction times were slower immediately following unrelated cuts than when following related cuts, indicating that processing unrelated cuts required more capacity than processing related cuts. Memory was better for information presented after related cuts than it was for information presented after unrelated cuts. This effect was greater for visual memory than for audio memory. These results add to the growing body of knowledge on how people process television.
Loneliness and Media Gratifications
Authors: CANARY DANIEL J. , SPITZBERG BRIAN H.
Published: March 2007

Loneliness might be ameliorated by the gratifications offered by the media. However, evidence in support of this assumption is mixed. Relying on an attributional view of loneliness, this study tested the proposition that people who are chronically lonely derive fewer gratifications from the media than do situationally lonely and nonlonely people. Two studies were conducted to assess the nature of the relationship between experienced loneliness and media gratifications. Results generally support the prediction that chronically lonely persons rely less on media for escape than do others. Moreover, chronically lonely persons reported the least motivation for watching their favorite soap opera.
Teenage Room Culture
Authors: BROWN JANE D. , DYKERS CAROL REESE , STEELE JEANNE ROGGE , WHITE ANNE BARTON
Published: March 2007

An adolescent's bedroom is an important site for the everyday work of creating identities. What the authors have come to call room culture is both a theoretical perspective and a valuable research strategy. Theoretically, it is assumed that individuals actively and creatively sample available cultural symbols, myths, and rituals as they produce their identities. For teens, the mass media are central to this process because they are a convenient source of cultural options. Over the past 5 years, the authors have pursued this line of reasoning with a series of small-scale, primarily qualitative, studies with adolescents. They have found that getting teens to talk about their bedrooms is a productive way to establish rapport, especially around sensitive issues such as sex and alcohol use, and to understand in context who each person is in relation to the larger culture.
Using Culture and Communications Theory in Postmodern Urban Planning
Authors: ALLISON ERIC W. , ALLISON MARY ANN
Published: March 2007

Building on the thesis that humans impute meaning to constructed urban places, the authors define three historical stages of created urban place from the perspective of those building and living in cities in the Western tradition. They contend that with postmodern conditions the mode of social organization is changing and that, as a result of this change, a qualitatively new form of space has developed. This space is a mental space called the space of flows or cyberspace. The authors argue that in this new stage, urban planning must be performed in a framework that is both ecological and cybernetic. The essay is an argument for the nexus of the disciplines of urban planning and communication studies.
Communication, Conflict, and Community in an Urban Industrial Ruin
Authors: SIMPSON TIMOTHY A.
Published: March 2007

The revitalization of ethnic areas into urban historic districts is alternatively applauded as urban renewal and criticized as empty superficial attempts to evoke and spectacularize history merely as a means to attract tourists. Arguing that such critiques treat historic districts as static sites and infer passive observers, this study offers a communicative, dialogic approach to studying such sites. Focusing on several contemporary conflicts concerning the meaning of “community” in Ybor City, a national landmark historic district in Tampa, Florida, this study reveals how people actively occupy, struggle over, and use such urban spaces.
Depression and Rejection
Authors: JOINER THOMAS E.
Published: March 2007

Important methodological issues continue to cloud interpretation of results on depression and the response of others. Four such issues−strangers versus acquaintances as respondents, symptom specificity, length of relationship, and gender of target subjects and respondents−were empirically addressed in the present study. Undergraduates and their same-gender roommates completed questionnaires on their views of each other, depressed and related symptoms, and length of relationship, and they were videotaped as they engaged in an observer-rated interaction. Results indicated that (a) depressed targets were rejected by their roommates, whereas anhedonic (i.e., low positive affect) subjects were rejected by observers; (b) rejection effects were relatively specific to depression and anhedonia versus other symptoms; (c) length of relationship did not moderate the target depression-roommate rejection relation; and (d) male targets were more likely than were females to elicit roommate rejection, particularly if depressed, and male judges were no more likely than were female judges to view targets negatively.
A Symbols-And-Meaning Approach to the Organizational Cultures of Banks in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan
Authors: LEE MEIHUA , BARNETT GEORGE A.
Published: March 2007

Under the assumption that organizational culture is highly associated with national culture, this study examines the cultures of an American, a Japanese, and a Taiwanese bank, as well as an American bank operating in Taiwan. Adopting the symbols-and-meaning perspective, this study analyzes their organizational cultures by examining the relationships among representative symbols that constitute the culture of the organizations. Galileo theory is used to display and assess the organizational cultures. The results of the four samples confirm that the banks have different cultures due to the impact of their national cultures. Although the Taiwanese and the American bank operating in Taiwan do not differ significantly in their cultures, they have distinct perceptions of the concept of the United States.
The Impact of Situational Variables on Helpers' Perceptions of Comforting Messages
Authors: JONES SUSANNE M. , BURLESON BRANT R.
Published: March 2007

Research indicates that people consistently perceive highly person-centered comforting messages as providing the most effective and sensitive emotional support. However, research on helping suggests that attributions about the cause of the distressful event (blame) and its solution (control) may influence what people perceive to constitute appropriate help. This study assessed how attributions of blame and control influenced evaluations of comforting messages varying in level of person centeredness. Participants (N = 342) read about a situation in which a sad target was either responsible or not responsible for the problem and either could or could not influence the outcome of the situation. Messages low in person centeredness were viewed as more appropriate with high blame targets, whereas messages high in person centeredness were viewed as more appropriate with low blame targets. Perceptions of situation controllability did not influence evaluations. The study also detected gender differences in perceptions of comforting messages.
Downsizing and Structural Holes
Authors: SUSSKIND ALEX M. , MILLER VERNON D. , JOHNSON J. DAVID
Published: March 2007

Organizational downsizing places many strains on surviving employees. Despite the implicit relationship between changes to communication networks and employee responses, few studies examine downsizing-induced network changes or the impact of these changes on employees. This longitudinal investigation examined fluctuations in structural holes within a hospitality company's corporate headquarters resulting from the loss and gain of communication contacts. Building on Burt's treatise on structural holes, we tested a measurement of structural holes and its relationship to layoff survivors' perceptions of organizational chaos and their willingness to participate in planned, postdownsizing changes. Although the downsizing had a modest impact on surviving employees' structural hole experiences overall, the structural hole index was a significant predictor in longitudinal and within time period comparisons of employees' perceptions of chaos and openness to change.
Mass Media and Interpersonal Influence in a Reproductive Health Communication Campaign in Bolivia
Authors: VALENTE THOMAS W. , SABA WALTER P.
Published: March 2007

This study compared mass media and interpersonal influence during a reproductive health communication campaign in Bolivia using the following six behavior change steps: awareness, detailed knowledge, attitudes, intention, interpersonal communication, and family planning method use. The authors found that the main terms of mass media campaign and personal network exposure were associated with behavior change, whereas the multiplicative interaction term was not. Further analysis showed that the mass media campaign was associated with contraceptive adoption for individuals with personal networks composed of few contraceptive users (as perceived by the respondent) and not for individuals with personal networks containing a majority of users. These findings indicate that the mass media may substitute for personal network influences and speed social change by accelerating the behavior change process.
The Impact of Individual Differences on Message-Production Skill Acquisition
Authors: SASSI MARIANNE S. , GREENE JOHN O.
Published: March 2007

Skill acquisition follows a pattern of rapid improvement early on, followed by decreasing performance increments as the skill continues to be practiced, a pattern captured by the “power law of practice,” (P = BNα). The purpose of these studies was to extend previous research by investigating the impact of individual differences on the course of adult communicative-skill acquisition. In Study 1, participants learned a sequence for describing geometric arrays and then executed 90 performance trials. Individual differences in working memory capacity, speed of information processing, and psychomotor ability were assessed. It was found that counter to expectations, speed of information processing was negatively correlated with overall learning rate and that psychomotor ability was related to asymptotic performance. In Study 2, employing a more complex communication task, speed of information processing was positively correlated with learning rate, working memory capacity predicted initial performance speed, and psychomotor ability was associated with asymptotic performance.
A National Survey of Correctional Psychologists
Authors: BOOTHBY JENNIFER L. , CLEMENTS CARL B.
Published: March 2007

Eight hundred psychologists working in U.S. prison systems were surveyed to provide a comprehensive profile of correctional psychology. The number of prison-based psychologists has doubled in the past 20 years. They are predominantly Caucasian males who work with offenders representing a wide spectrum of security levels and psychological problems. Administrative duties have grown and now occupy about one third of professional time. The authors also report preferred therapy modalities, mental health issues addressed in treatment, use of assessment instruments, and professional issues such as training and predictions of future correctional work. The authors discuss these results highlighting issues of professional identity, concerns about treatment for the severely mentally ill, calls for group-based treatments, and uses of task-specific assessment instruments. The authors also suggest attention be devoted to outcome assessment and to the issues of training and recruiting well-prepared psychologists for the challenging and critical role of correctional psychologist.
The General, Common, and Specific Features of Psychopathology for Different Types of Paraphilias
Authors: LEE JOSEPH K. P. , PATTISON PIP , JACKSON HENRY J. , WARD TONY
Published: March 2007

A close examination of the literature on sexual offending suggests that offenders' problems can be divided into two broad-based constructs: anger-hostility and social-sexual incompetence. In this study involving 64 sex offenders and 33 property offenders, the authors used these constructs in investigating the general, common, and specific features of psychopathology associated with pedophilia, exhibitionism, rape, and multiple paraphilia. A specific approach in design and analysis was also adopted to overcome the methodological problems related to overlapping paraphilic diagnoses. The results indicated that these two constructs were able to distinguish between sex offenders and nonsex offenders and largely between different types of sex offenders. The implications of these results and the specific design and analysis approach are discussed, and ideas for future research are outlined.
Immigration and Crime among Youth in Switzerland
Authors: VAZSONYI ALEXANDER T. , KILLIAS MARTIN
Published: March 2007

The current investigation examined rates and predictors of deviance in a sample of Swiss youth. Data were collected from 3,136 youth; 800 cases were identified as first-generation (35%) or second-generation (65%) immigrant youth. We found that second-generation immigrant male youth were more deviant than Swiss adolescents, second-generation immigrant male youth were also more deviant than first-generation immigrants. Few important differences were found on measures of self-control and measures of perceived sanctions (get caught, shame/guilt, loss of respect) by immigrant status, and the predictive model employed explained between 23% and 51% of the variance in total deviance. Implications for crime and deviance in Switzerland are discussed.
Dangerousness Predictions and the Maligned Forensic Professional
Authors: HALL H. V.
Published: March 2007

Accuracy of dangerousness predictions are typically assessed by subsequent violence related arrests and/or hospitalizations, yet evidence suggests the sole use of these measures excludes all but a small fraction of actual subject violence. As a result, forensic professionals are perceived as poor predictors of violence, perhaps wrongly. Expansion of criterion measures of violence is suggested, and methods for detecting subject distortion of past violence are proffered. Utilization of fake-good/fake-bad assessment methods for uncovering dishonest interview behavior, and concealment of past violence in particular, seems warranted.
The Incarceration Period and Educational Achievements of Juvenile Delinquents
Authors: SHERER MOSHE
Published: March 2007

This study evaluated the effects of incarceration period on the educational achievement of juvenile delinquents. Sixty-one students in a residential institution were studied, using the Metropolitan Achievement Test (Prescott et al., 1978) for measuring educational achievements. The results indicated that students' educational achievements varied according to whether they were in the beginning, middle or end phase of their incarceration.
Scared Straight — California Style
Authors: LEWIS ROY V.
Published: March 2007

Juvenile awareness is a controversial practice that received much impetus after the showing of the TV documentary “Scared Straight” in 1978-1979. Despite proliferation of such programs nationwide, only a handful of research studies have been conducted. This experimental study on serious delinquent youth who attended a moderately confrontive juvenile awareness program at San Quentin Prison in California, showed an improvement in attitudes for experimentals relative to controls. Behaviorally, however, it was clear that the San Quentin Squires Program did not reduce delinquency overall. The only finding overall in favor of experimentals showed those to be arrest-free longer than controls in the study. Subsample findings suggested that certain types of experimentals improved in behavior or were partially deterred from committing certain types of offenses. Other subsample findings showed certain types of experimentals doing worse behaviorally than their controls. Such inconsistency of findings will require further research before the question of effectiveness of juvenile awareness programs for lower risk youth can be fully determined.
Dramatic Cures for Juvenile Crime
Authors: BUCKNER JOHN C. , CHESNEY-LIND MEDA
Published: March 2007

This article describes an evaluation of a prisoner-run delinquency prevention program at Hawaii's major prison. An after-the-fact matched group design was employed to determine the program's effectiveness in the prevention of delinquency in previously arrested youths. Examining the frequency and seriousness of police arrests in the year following exposure to the program, the study found the program had no effect on the delinquent behavior of females. Males who attended the program, however, were arrested at a significantly higher rate than their counterparts who did not hear the prisoners' presentation. The finding of higher recidivism among males who saw the program was further explored, and data are presented to show that this pattern is probably a product of some members of the treatment group's concurrent involvement in long-term delinquency prevention programs, rather than the simple result of exposure to the prisoner-run program itself.