title: The effects of sex and sex-role typing behaviour on children’s problem-solving behaviour and outerdirectedness

authors: Ho, Robert

abstract: The effects of sex and sex-role typing behaviour on children’s problem solving ability and glancing behaviour (outerdirectedness) were investigated. Two hundred and fifty five subjects were tested in a series of six experiments. 
Experiment I was a pilot study involving adult student subjects whose glancing behaviour and problem solving skills were tested in three experimental tasks - the Rod and Frame Test, the object assembly tasks and the card game. In Experiments II and III, children were categorized into various sex roles by means of the Children’s Androgyny Scale (C.A.S.), and the effects of sex and sex role typing behaviour on their problem solving ability and glancing behaviour were studied using the RFT and object assembly tasks. In Experiments IV and V, the effects of sex and sex role typing behaviour were investigated under the more ‘social’ condition of the concept identification task. In Experiment VI, the learning strategies utilized by different types of subjects were investigated by means of the discrimination task. 
The findings from Experiment I revealed that adult student subjects, regardless of sex, engaged in very little glancing behaviour and its restricted range resulted in the non-significant difference in glancing behaviour between male and female subjects. As a result of this failure to demonstrate this important difference between the sexes, it was decided to abandon the use of adult subjects and to utilize children as subjects for the remainder of the research. 
The findings from Experiment II failed to demonstrate any effects of sex role typing behaviour on subject’s performance on the RFT. The introduction of external cues in the experimental procedure in Experiment III yielded results that partially supported the hypotheses that children’s problem solving ability and glancing behaviour can be differentially affected by their sex role typing behaviour. In Experiments IV and V, the subjects were tested with task problems that included ‘social’ cues, and the results supported the hypothesis that children’s problem solving ability can be differentially affected by their sex role typing behaviour by demonstrating both the adaptability of the androgynous subjects and the behavioural restriction of the sex typed subjects in their performance on the experimental tasks. No effect of sex role typing behaviour on subject’s glancing behaviour was demonstrated. The results also indicated that subjects of different sex and sex role orientation have different problem solving strategies. From the results, it appears that the female feminine subject’s task approach orientation was characterized by a cue learning (reliance on external cues) strategy while the male masculine subject’s task approach orientation was characterized by the problem learning (task oriented) strategy. The androgynous subject’s task approach orientation appeared to be more flexible, varying between cue learning and problem learning depending on the nature of the situation. Experiment VI was designed to investigate these different learning strategies utilized by different types of subjects, and the findings corroborate the findings from Experiments IV and V that female feminine subjects do indeed use a cue learning strategy in their problem solving. The performance of the androgynous subjects of both sexes indicated that they were able to use either strategy effectively.
Overall, the results of the research supported the hypothesis that sex and sex role typing behaviour by children do result in differential problem solving skills, with androgynous subjects being better problem solvers than sex typed subjects at tasks designed specifically to elicit masculine or feminine responses. The findings were attributed to the differential socialization process for males and females. Implications of the findings were discussed.

text: The effects of sex and sex-role typing behaviour on children’s problem-solving behaviour and outerdirectedness The effects of sex and sex-role typing behaviour on children’s problem solving ability and glancing behaviour (outerdirectedness) were investigated. Two hundred and fifty five subjects were tested in a series of six experiments. 
Experiment I was a pilot study involving adult student subjects whose glancing behaviour and problem solving skills were tested in three experimental tasks - the Rod and Frame Test, the object assembly tasks and the card game. In Experiments II and III, children were categorized into various sex roles by means of the Children’s Androgyny Scale (C.A.S.), and the effects of sex and sex role typing behaviour on their problem solving ability and glancing behaviour were studied using the RFT and object assembly tasks. In Experiments IV and V, the effects of sex and sex role typing behaviour were investigated under the more ‘social’ condition of the concept identification task. In Experiment VI, the learning strategies utilized by different types of subjects were investigated by means of the discrimination task. 
The findings from Experiment I revealed that adult student subjects, regardless of sex, engaged in very little glancing behaviour and its restricted range resulted in the non-significant difference in glancing behaviour between male and female subjects. As a result of this failure to demonstrate this important difference between the sexes, it was decided to abandon the use of adult subjects and to utilize children as subjects for the remainder of the research. 
The findings from Experiment II failed to demonstrate any effects of sex role typing behaviour on subject’s performance on the RFT. The introduction of external cues in the experimental procedure in Experiment III yielded results that partially supported the hypotheses that children’s problem solving ability and glancing behaviour can be differentially affected by their sex role typing behaviour. In Experiments IV and V, the subjects were tested with task problems that included ‘social’ cues, and the results supported the hypothesis that children’s problem solving ability can be differentially affected by their sex role typing behaviour by demonstrating both the adaptability of the androgynous subjects and the behavioural restriction of the sex typed subjects in their performance on the experimental tasks. No effect of sex role typing behaviour on subject’s glancing behaviour was demonstrated. The results also indicated that subjects of different sex and sex role orientation have different problem solving strategies. From the results, it appears that the female feminine subject’s task approach orientation was characterized by a cue learning (reliance on external cues) strategy while the male masculine subject’s task approach orientation was characterized by the problem learning (task oriented) strategy. The androgynous subject’s task approach orientation appeared to be more flexible, varying between cue learning and problem learning depending on the nature of the situation. Experiment VI was designed to investigate these different learning strategies utilized by different types of subjects, and the findings corroborate the findings from Experiments IV and V that female feminine subjects do indeed use a cue learning strategy in their problem solving. The performance of the androgynous subjects of both sexes indicated that they were able to use either strategy effectively.
Overall, the results of the research supported the hypothesis that sex and sex role typing behaviour by children do result in differential problem solving skills, with androgynous subjects being better problem solvers than sex typed subjects at tasks designed specifically to elicit masculine or feminine responses. The findings were attributed to the differential socialization process for males and females. Implications of the findings were discussed.

year: 1978

title: Systems of queues parallel, series and network queueing systems with applications to communications and computing

authors: Camden, Mike D.

abstract: The need for understanding of various real-life queueing situations has caused the theory of queues to grow in various directions. One of these directions treats the class of systems where more than one service is available to, or required by, each customer, The theory for this class has progressed along a central path from which various developments branch. Multichannel poisson queues constitute the first part of the path; series and then networks of poisson stations follow. The branches from the path involve models with non-poisson or general assumptions, models with limited waiting room or limited numbers of customers, models with nonzero transit times, and others. The path leads to models for communication networks, and hence to models for computer networks. The theory of computer timesharing branches from the beginning of the path. 
The dissertation attempts to outline the present state of the theory for those models which occur on this path or its branches. The derivation of probability distributions for queue length and waiting time are presented in full for models on the central path, and in brief for the other models.

text: Systems of queues parallel, series and network queueing systems with applications to communications and computing The need for understanding of various real-life queueing situations has caused the theory of queues to grow in various directions. One of these directions treats the class of systems where more than one service is available to, or required by, each customer, The theory for this class has progressed along a central path from which various developments branch. Multichannel poisson queues constitute the first part of the path; series and then networks of poisson stations follow. The branches from the path involve models with non-poisson or general assumptions, models with limited waiting room or limited numbers of customers, models with nonzero transit times, and others. The path leads to models for communication networks, and hence to models for computer networks. The theory of computer timesharing branches from the beginning of the path. 
The dissertation attempts to outline the present state of the theory for those models which occur on this path or its branches. The derivation of probability distributions for queue length and waiting time are presented in full for models on the central path, and in brief for the other models.

year: 1972

title: A critical interruption in the governance of a New Zealand state high school

authors: L'Huillier, Barbara Marie

subjects: governance

abstract: The governance of contemporary Western education aspires to serve the intertwining values of human emancipation and social inclusiveness in both the organisational form of educational institutions and their pedagogical direction. In New Zealand (NZ), what is understood as ‘good’ governance of education has varied over time according to economic conditions and political interests. The fourth Labour government (1984-1990), which undertook a widespread, rapid commitment to neo-liberal principles, reorganised the provision and governance of education along quasi public-private sector lines, explicitly using a business approach to guide practice, yet retaining hegemonic characteristics. This commitment to neo-liberal principles has been continued by all subsequent NZ governments. The intended transformation of the education system from a centrally-governed bureaucracy to a community-governed process has not been easy. Underpinning the new governance regime is an implied notion that school communities share a common understanding of what is meant by education, processes of representation, and of ‘good’ governance. However, due to the different aspirations members of school communities’ can hold for their respective schools this commonality of meaning can be a false dichotomy resulting in schools being governed in a state of tension. This tension serves to highlight contradictions and disconnections between the espoused aims of devolved governance and a State-mandated process that works to exclude certain factions of a school community. Increasing numbers of NZ school Boards of Trustees are experiencing these tensions and contradictions resulting in an interruption in school governance. The interruption I am interested in takes the form of the commodification of education that has been taking place in NZ since the mid 1980s. I argue this to be an interruption with profound effects on both the flourishing of individuals and the cohesion of communities and usefully serves to draw attention to the disconnection between the broad ideals of education, as articulated by the early promoters of a State-funded education system, and the neo-liberal re-visioning of State education. Fairfield College is a NZ State high school where the tensions and contradictions surrounding the meaning of education, processes of representation, and of good governance have generated a crisis resulting in a critical interruption in school governance. The school’s Board of Trustees received considerable media coverage between 2008 and 2009 regarding a critical interruption to their governance. This interruption presented a unique research opportunity to explore how the words used to frame the problems facing the Board of Trustees, the words used to explain and justify State intervention in the governance of the school, and the words used to propose solutions to perceived problems were invested with meaning. With my interest in connotative meaning, I illustrate how these words were used to encourage and endorse actions that comply with prevailing public policy. In this case study I examined how the school’s direction has been reconfigured according to the principles of corporate governance using a companion lexicon of business. Directives have been devised by various NZ governments to align education with the neo-liberal principles that have prevailed in the governance of this country since 1984. The multiple meanings attributed to ‘governance’ and ‘corporate governance’ in the relevant literatures, and the various implications for applied governance processes and dynamics, influenced my decision to adopt the dual orientation of social constructionism and critical theory to underpin this research. Social constructionists focus on how individuals and groups produce, disseminate, and validate their perceptions of reality. Critical theorists aim to create awareness of constraints to emancipatory potential and inclusiveness. They seek to expose the contradictions between espoused aims of justice and the flourishing of individuals and that which is practised, with the intention to contribute to changes that would enhance justice and the flourishing of individuals. One such contribution is to give voice to those who feel their voices are not being heard. Both theoretical schools regard the use of language as pivotal in the construction of social processes in which meaning is continually negotiated and re-negotiated by the stakeholders. In this research I engaged in audio-recorded semi-structured interviews with members from four stakeholder groups involved in the governance of Fairfield College: the Whānau Support Group (a predominantly Māori special interest group), parents and caregivers, teachers, and those previously or currently charged with governance responsibilities for the school. These narratives were then analysed using thematic analysis to provide important insights into how ‘governance’ of the school was interpreted, challenged, and/or endorsed. My research at Fairfield College indicates that the different constructions of ‘governance’ are associated with identifiable overlapping issues arranged in a hierarchy. The foundational tier represents the outcome of various NZ governments’ preference for market-generated principles of organisation at a macro State level, namely the commodification of public services – in this instance education. The middle tier addresses concerns raised by some stakeholders regarding their notion of inclusiveness and the vulnerability of the democratic process as experienced at community level. The top tier encompasses the twin issues of communication and consultation processes at a management level that appear to demonstrate a conflict between the State’s espoused principles of good governance and their application at Fairfield College. As a result of examining the critical interruption to the governance of Fairfield College I conclude that when viewed through the lens of a social constructionist orientation informed by critical theory, ‘governance’ in the education sector can be interpreted as a process supporting neo-liberal preferences for market-orientated approaches to education. Such preferences overshadow any other ideals held by members of the school’s community and, according to a critical understanding of neo-liberalism, weaken the principles of emancipation and inclusiveness. The insights generated from this research provide a basis for further research into the governance of other organisations with emancipatory and inclusive aspirations.

text: A critical interruption in the governance of a New Zealand state high school The governance of contemporary Western education aspires to serve the intertwining values of human emancipation and social inclusiveness in both the organisational form of educational institutions and their pedagogical direction. In New Zealand (NZ), what is understood as ‘good’ governance of education has varied over time according to economic conditions and political interests. The fourth Labour government (1984-1990), which undertook a widespread, rapid commitment to neo-liberal principles, reorganised the provision and governance of education along quasi public-private sector lines, explicitly using a business approach to guide practice, yet retaining hegemonic characteristics. This commitment to neo-liberal principles has been continued by all subsequent NZ governments. The intended transformation of the education system from a centrally-governed bureaucracy to a community-governed process has not been easy. Underpinning the new governance regime is an implied notion that school communities share a common understanding of what is meant by education, processes of representation, and of ‘good’ governance. However, due to the different aspirations members of school communities’ can hold for their respective schools this commonality of meaning can be a false dichotomy resulting in schools being governed in a state of tension. This tension serves to highlight contradictions and disconnections between the espoused aims of devolved governance and a State-mandated process that works to exclude certain factions of a school community. Increasing numbers of NZ school Boards of Trustees are experiencing these tensions and contradictions resulting in an interruption in school governance. The interruption I am interested in takes the form of the commodification of education that has been taking place in NZ since the mid 1980s. I argue this to be an interruption with profound effects on both the flourishing of individuals and the cohesion of communities and usefully serves to draw attention to the disconnection between the broad ideals of education, as articulated by the early promoters of a State-funded education system, and the neo-liberal re-visioning of State education. Fairfield College is a NZ State high school where the tensions and contradictions surrounding the meaning of education, processes of representation, and of good governance have generated a crisis resulting in a critical interruption in school governance. The school’s Board of Trustees received considerable media coverage between 2008 and 2009 regarding a critical interruption to their governance. This interruption presented a unique research opportunity to explore how the words used to frame the problems facing the Board of Trustees, the words used to explain and justify State intervention in the governance of the school, and the words used to propose solutions to perceived problems were invested with meaning. With my interest in connotative meaning, I illustrate how these words were used to encourage and endorse actions that comply with prevailing public policy. In this case study I examined how the school’s direction has been reconfigured according to the principles of corporate governance using a companion lexicon of business. Directives have been devised by various NZ governments to align education with the neo-liberal principles that have prevailed in the governance of this country since 1984. The multiple meanings attributed to ‘governance’ and ‘corporate governance’ in the relevant literatures, and the various implications for applied governance processes and dynamics, influenced my decision to adopt the dual orientation of social constructionism and critical theory to underpin this research. Social constructionists focus on how individuals and groups produce, disseminate, and validate their perceptions of reality. Critical theorists aim to create awareness of constraints to emancipatory potential and inclusiveness. They seek to expose the contradictions between espoused aims of justice and the flourishing of individuals and that which is practised, with the intention to contribute to changes that would enhance justice and the flourishing of individuals. One such contribution is to give voice to those who feel their voices are not being heard. Both theoretical schools regard the use of language as pivotal in the construction of social processes in which meaning is continually negotiated and re-negotiated by the stakeholders. In this research I engaged in audio-recorded semi-structured interviews with members from four stakeholder groups involved in the governance of Fairfield College: the Whānau Support Group (a predominantly Māori special interest group), parents and caregivers, teachers, and those previously or currently charged with governance responsibilities for the school. These narratives were then analysed using thematic analysis to provide important insights into how ‘governance’ of the school was interpreted, challenged, and/or endorsed. My research at Fairfield College indicates that the different constructions of ‘governance’ are associated with identifiable overlapping issues arranged in a hierarchy. The foundational tier represents the outcome of various NZ governments’ preference for market-generated principles of organisation at a macro State level, namely the commodification of public services – in this instance education. The middle tier addresses concerns raised by some stakeholders regarding their notion of inclusiveness and the vulnerability of the democratic process as experienced at community level. The top tier encompasses the twin issues of communication and consultation processes at a management level that appear to demonstrate a conflict between the State’s espoused principles of good governance and their application at Fairfield College. As a result of examining the critical interruption to the governance of Fairfield College I conclude that when viewed through the lens of a social constructionist orientation informed by critical theory, ‘governance’ in the education sector can be interpreted as a process supporting neo-liberal preferences for market-orientated approaches to education. Such preferences overshadow any other ideals held by members of the school’s community and, according to a critical understanding of neo-liberalism, weaken the principles of emancipation and inclusiveness. The insights generated from this research provide a basis for further research into the governance of other organisations with emancipatory and inclusive aspirations.

year: 2011