Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Economic Impact Of Increasing Agricultural Production In A Peri-Urban Environment, Ronald L. Marbeiter

Masters Theses

The intention of this study is to investigate the economic impact of increasing agricultural production in a peri-urban environment. The Rural Development Area Program (RDAP) in Swaziland is aimed at increasing rural income through improved agricultural practices. The mathematical technique of linear programming is applied to two distinct farmer categories, i.e., cattle owners and non-cattle owners, in order to ascertain information pertaining to the inability of expanding crop production in an area which offers higher renumeration in the urban sector.

Both farm categories have ample labor to expand agricultural production, but the non-cattle owners have limited access to land and …

Informal Helping Networks And Social Service Changes: A Community Perspective, Charles Hoch, George Hemmens, Rojean Madsen, Wim Wiewel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Interviews with 112 household respondents and 58 social service agency directors in three ethnically and racially distinct Chicago neighborhoods provided a comprehensive assessment of -- household helping relationships in a community context. Reliance on informal helping greatly exceeded use of formal agencies at the household level. Households were twice as likely to give help as receive it in a complex variety of ways, while agencies struggled to add new functional programs in a time of retrenchment. What households gave and got did not overlap with agency programs in any coherent way. Further, household respondents and agency directors disagreed in their …

Predictors Of Depressive Symptoms And Unemployed Black Adults, Diane R. Brown, Lawrence E. Gary

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from a probability based survey of unemployed Black adults residing in an urban area, this study explores factors related to the presence of depressive symptoms. Findings indicate that depressive symptoms are less among unemployed persons with higher levels of income, education, religiosity, age and satisfactory social support. Age, however, is the single best predictor of depressive symptoms among unemployed Blacks. There were no significant differences by gender.

Issues In Assessing Community Resources For The Leisure-Time Needs Of The Elderly, Jordan I. Kosberg, Juanita L. Garcia

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The growth of leisure-time, following retirement, is potentially problematic for the elderly and can result in such adversities as depression, problem drinking, loneliness, and boredom. Leisure-time resources include recreation, education, volunteerism, training, voluntary associations, familialism, and solitary activities. The use of resources for leisure-time needs of the elderly are influenced by idiosyncratic differences; cultural background, financial resources, geographic variations; and the characteristics of programs and services. There is a need to better prepare individuals for the use of leisure-time. Each community must ensure that leisure-time resources exist and do not exclude any elderly from possible involvement, for either structural, programmatic, …

The Social Support Networks Of Indochinese Refugees, Peter J. Pecora, Mark W. Fraser

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Refugee sponsors and social service staff of agencies serving Indochinese refugees in Utah were surveyed to determine the relationship between social support and economic self-sufficiency among refugees. Agency staff and refugee sponsors rated contacts by family, work, school, and sponsors who are family members as most useful, with differences emerging between the two groups regarding other sources of social support. Respondents who had been refugees rated some forms of social support higher than nonrefugee respondents. Mutual Assistance Associations were seen as underutilized resources for helping Indochinese refugees build and maintain networks of social support.

Instructional Control Of Leniency In Self-Appraisals, Maria Barnum Nelson

Masters Theses

Self- and supervisor ratings were obtained on four classifications of non-teaching public school employees across two instructional conditions. Self-ratings showed more leniency in the condition where employees were instructed not to meet with the supervisor to discuss the ratings; self-ratings showed less leniency in the condition where employees were instructed to meet with the supervisor to discuss the ratings. Despite foreknowledge of the research question and instructional conditions, supervisors showed a tendency to rate employees differentially according to the instructional conditions. The results of the analyses demonstrate the potency of instructional control on rating behavior by employees and supervisors. Questions …

The Effect Of Task Responsibilities On Assistant Principals' Roles, Sandra B. Sirotti

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that increased responsibilities had on the assistant principal's role. Because of increased responsibilities, it was believed that the assistant principals had been forced to become more task and less person oriented as a result of inadequate time to deal with both tasks and people. The study was designed to ascertain whether there had been growth in task responsibilities and, if so, whether the growth had caused the role to become more task than person oriented.

The sample consisted of 400 Michigan assistant principals. From this sample, 67% of the administrators …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 12, No. 4 (December 1985)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Feminist Theory and Social Policy or Why is Welfare So Hard to Reform? - DOROTHY C. MILLER - pp. 664
• Addressing Socio-Legal-Problems: A Unifying Perspective for Social Workers - RAYMOND ALBERT - pp. 691
• Informal Helping Networks And Social Service Changes: A Community Perspective - CAHRLES HOCH, GEORGE HEMMENS, ROJEAN MADSEN, WIM WIEWEL - pp. 712
• Predictors of Depressive Symptoms Among Unemployed Black Adults - DIANE R. BROWN, LAURENCE E. GARY - pp. 736
• Issues in Assessing Community Resources for the Leisure-Time Needs of the Elderly - JORDAN I. KOSBERG, JUANITA L. GARCIA - pp. 777
• Demographic …

The Effect Of Changes In The Federal Disability Programs On State And Local General Assistance Programs, Courtney Scherer Petersen, Eric R. Kingson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Since early 1981, there has been a large-scale removal of persons from the SSI and Social Security disability programs as a result of the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980. This article reports on the findings of a national survey designed to determine whether the removal of persons from the federal disability programs had an impact on state and local General Assistance programs and the extent to which older recipients of General Assistance are in need of long-term income assistance for health and other reasons.

Some states and jurisdictions have noticed an increase in applications as a result of federal …

Demographic Understanding Of Volunteerism, David F. Gillespie, Anthony E. O. King I

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A large sample of volunteers from a midwestern city chapter of the American Red Cross were studied to identify demographic correlates of the reasons given for volunteering. The findings suggest that the reasons people give for doing volunteer work are conditioned by their age, sex, and marital status. Implications for volunteer programs and future research are discussed.

Social Development In Nigeria: A Case Analysis, Gloria Mead Jinadu

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Nigeria is plagued by a social poverty that continues to escalate dramatically, in spite of the rapid economic growth associated with the "petrol naira." Efforts to check this deterioration and ensure development are hindered by the lack of culturally rooted structural and conceptual supports in the social development sector. These support components have been, and still are absent and until they are established, economic growth and ideological choices will be irrelevant to any rational effort to halt the escalation of social poverty and enhance the quality of life enjoyed by Nigerians.

Reinforcement Increases The Strength Of An Elicited Response, Michael D. Peters

Dissertations

A response initially produced by noncontigent fixed-time delivery of brief electric shock was strengthened by reinforcement. Following the fixed-time shock baseline condition, response contingent shock absence (avoidance) was programmed for the lower probability of two response options for one group of squirrel monkeys. For the other group the interposed history was variable-interval food reinforcement. When responding was reliably maintained reinforcement was discontinued and a return made to fixed-time shock conditions as programmed prior to reinforcement. Upon a return to original conditions, rates were substantially elevated over baseline with the elevation sustained for many sessions. The avoidance group showed the most …

Predicting Agency Survival As A Function Of Constituency Support In The Michigan Mental Health System, R. Dee L. Woell

Dissertations

Two public facilities for the mentally ill, Michigan Institute for Mental Health and Lafayette Clinic were examined, using a framework provided by Douglas R. Boulter (1983). The basic research question was, why did Lafayette Clinic survive while Michigan Institute did not?

The following research propositions were explored: (1) Organizations that receive strong constituency and media support are more likely to survive than those which do not; (2) Program success or failure is dependent on the decision-maker's perception of the sum of public support; (3) The media serves both as a carrier of opinion and as an influential actor in its …

The Intuitive Dimension Of The Therapist's Consciousness: A New Paradigm, Bonnie Marie Truax

Dissertations

The major purpose of this study was the examination of the incidence and nature of the intuitions of therapists. A secondary purpose was to create and evaluate an alternative approach to the study of human subjective experience. The research was completed in three phases.

Phase 1 involved creating a paradigm about intuition based on historical perspectives and viewpoints. Sixteen basic theoretical constructs about intuition were developed following an extensive synthesis and integration of philosophic and psychological literature.

In Phase 2, the paradigm was evaluated using the constant comparative method of qualitative analysis, which allows for the continual emergence of new …

Behavioral Toxicology Of A Glucocorticoid: Analysis Of Selected Behavioral And Physiological Effects Of Repeated Prednisolone Treatment, Robert G. Sewell

Dissertations

Glucocorticoids are used medicinally for numerous chronic ailments. While dramatically effective, glucocorticoid treatment is replete with psychiatric complications. The behavioral toxicology of glucocorticoids, however, remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, 13 laboratory studies were performed to analyze the influence of prednisolone, a representative glucocorticoid, upon varied behavioral and physiological endpoints in rats. Experiments 1-3 showed prednisolone to produce marked hypodipsia, body weight loss, selective adrenal gland atrophy, hyperactivity, hyperalgesia, altered grasping responses, hyperglycemia, enhanced predation, and conditioned taste aversion. Most of these findings were directly dependent upon dose, and where explored, number of treatments. The remaining ten studies examined both acute and …

The Implementation Of Deterrence: A Multi-Approach Assessment Of The Impact Of Recent Changes In Anti-Drunk Driving Legislation On Reducing Alcohol-Involved Fatalities, Josef R. Soper

Dissertations

The objective of this study is to determine if anti-drunk driving legislation, enacted between January 1979 and December 1983, has significantly reduced the number of alcohol-involved traffic fatalities.

At the macro-level, 60 consecutive months of alcohol-involved fatality data were requested from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Sixteen states supplied the requested data. The Box-Jenkins technique for interrupted time-series analysis was used to determine if a change in the state's drunk driving law impacted the frequency of alcohol-involved fatalities in that state. Results are discussed in relation to the statewide impact of anti-drunk driver legislation.

At the micro-level, …

Humanistic Perspectives In Criminology, Ronald C. Kramer, Stuart L. Hills

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the past two decades, the field of criminology has changed dramatically. Mainstream criminology, which focused primarily on the etiology of behavior taken for granted as criminal, has been successively challenged by a number of different sociological theories and perspectives. These challenges have come from the labeling or interactionist perspective, various pluralistic conflict theories, and a number of radical, critical, or Marxist approaches. Although there are many differences among these theoretical developments, they share a common set of humanistic concerns. All of these perspectives attempt to combine a theoretical explanation of crime and social control with a practical concern for …

Social Justice Vs Criminal Justice: An Agenda For Critical Criminology, T. R. Young

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper presents an overview of the features of crime and the criminal justice system in the United States. It notes the great disparities in use of five systems of justice. It discusses the amount and variety of corporate crime, political crime, street crime, white collar crime as well as organized crime. It emphasizes the inadequacy of current theories of crime in so far as corporate, white collar and political crime are concerned. The author argues that social justice is a far better way to prevent crime than are criminal justice systems and points to other societies with low crime …

Humanistic Criminology: Is It Possible?, Clayton A. Hartjen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A humanistic criminology is one that would be oriented to human betterment and fulfillment, as opposed to conventional criminology oriented to the control of crime and suppression of offenders. Some of the obstacles that stand in the way of developing a humanistic criminology, as well as some of the reasons why these obstacles do not necessarily preclude its being established, are addressed. Some reasons why humanistic criminology is desirable are suggested. Given that humanistic criminology is viable a critique of contemporary schools of criminology/criminal justice is offered and a number of suggestions are made regarding what an academic department of …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 12, No. 3 (September 1985)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Humanistic Perspectives In Criminology - RONALD C. KRAMER, STUART L. HILLS
• Humanistic Criminology: Is It Possible? - CLAYTON A HARTJEN
• Defining the Concept of Crime: A Humanistic Perspective - RONALD C. KRAMER
• Humanistic Criminology: Roots From Peter Kropotkin - LARRY L. TIFFT, LOIS E. STEVENSON
• Organizational Deviance: A Humanist View - DAVID R. SIMON
• Social Justice vs Criminal Justice: An Agenda For Critical
• Criminology - T.R. YOUNG
• Criminology As A Force for Human Tolerance - HAROLD E. PEPINSKY
• Humanistic Criminology: Future Prospects - ERDWIN H. PFUHL, JR.

Defining The Concept Of Crime: A Humanistic Perspective, Ronald C. Kramer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper argues that the traditional definition of crime is too narrow and unnecessarily constrictive of criminological work. Definitions more in accord with the objectives of a humanistic criminology must be developed. The traditional debate over the definition of crime has not been grounded within the context of the more fundamental images of crime that actually guide criminological work. By clarifying these underlying images (paradigms) and displaying the value questions and domain assumptions contained within them, we are in position to develop first order and second order definitions of crime which are more suitable to the task of humanistic criminology.

Humanistic Criminology: Roots From Peter Kropotkin, Larry L. Tifft, Lois E. Stevenson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Kropotkin's extensive writings on criminological issues have been almost totally neglected. Through critical historical and macro-structural analyses Kropotkin assessed institutional arrangements disclosing how they were or were not meeting human needs. Our exploration focuses on Kropotkin's theoretical contributions, his feelings-based criminology and his extremely insightful dualistic conceptualization of "human nature". His contributions to penology, and his assessment of social arrangements which would meet the complex and ever-changing needs of humankind are briefly examined. Kropotkin's analytic framework provides an insightful and provocative base from which to synthesize criminological thought and research and from which to take action to alter social arrangements …

Organizational Deviance: A Humanist View, David R. Simon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The sociological paradigm proposed by C. Wright Mills is advocated as a basis (model) for the study of elite deviance of an organizational nature. The relationship between social structure and social character within organizational environments is examined utilizing central concepts regarding both social character (i.e., alienation, other-directedness, and inauthenticity) and bureaucratic structural characteristics (e.g., routinization and fragmentation of tasks, dehumanization and groupthink, the construction of guilt neutralizing ideologies, and front activities). The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of this approach for a humanist study of crime.

Criminology As A Force For Human Tolerance, Harold E. Pepinsky

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Criminology traditionally has been the study of twin forms of intolerance--crime and punishment. Punishment can only increase crime. Criminology ought to become a study of how to alleviate crime and punishment by engineering tolerance of greater varieties of human behavior, where "social control" takes on positive connations. A framework is outlined for making criminology a force for human tolerance.

Humanistic Criminology: Future Prospects, Erdwin H. Pfuhl

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The present paper focuses on several prominent organizational and ideological aspects of academic criminology and the criminal justice system in an effort to assess the prospects of developing a criminology that is informed by humanistic concerns. The conclusion is that, for the immediate future, the prospects are minimal.

A Cinematographical Analysis Of The Execution Of Three Types Of Pitches Using The Windmill Style Softball Delivery, Bonni L. Kinne

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to identify the specific kinematic and kinetic variables associated with a successful fast ball, drop ball, and rise ball using the windmill style softball delivery. The subjects chosen for the investigation were female pitchers who participated in the Women's National Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament held in Buffalo, New York from August 17, 1984 to August 24, 1984.

After analyzing the data obtained from these subjects, the investigator concluded that: (a) there is a great deal of variability between the fast ball pitching mechanics of elite windmill style softball pitchers; (b) the success of a drop …

Use Of A Supervisory Safety Checklist And Safety Meetings To Reduce And Prevent Hazardous Safety Conditions In An Automotive Plant, Todd Alan Brighton

Masters Theses

Hazardous safety conditions and incidents were operationally defined for an assembly division at an automotive plant. The conditions were observed and recorded on two different employee shifts for an 11 week period. The experimental design used had three distinct phases. In the first phase baseline data were recorded on the number of hazardous safety conditions by two safety observers. In the second phase two shift supervisors used the safety checklist to record hazardous safety conditions. In the last phase data were taken but the supervisory safety checklist was not used. The data from all observations were discussed in safety meetings …

The Use Of Job Aids As An Alternative To Training New Employees, William D. Powers

Masters Theses

Lack of knowledge required to perform a job, has often been dealt with by implementing some sort of training program. However, some businesses cannot afford to implement training. This study tested the effectiveness of using job aides as an alternative to training two new employees at a small business which had no training program. Step-by-step instructional aids were developed for rebuilding Series 40 MT Delco starters and Series 10 SI Delco alternators. A multiple-base-line between subjects design, with an ABABAB reversal, was used.

The data showed the average time required by the new employees to rebuild Series 40 MT Delco …

The Prehistory Of The Birch Run Road Site, Saginaw County, Michigan, Caven P. Clark

Masters Theses

The Birch Run Road site (20SA393), located in the archaeologic ally complex Saginaw Valley, was partially impacted by the extension of Birch Run Road across the Flint River. In many respects typical of Saginaw Valley sites as a whole, the Birch Run Road site produced artifacts attributable to the Early Archaic, Late Archaic, Late Woodland and historic periods. The prehistoric occupations are evaluated with special attention to the context and form of lithic raw materials, and use of projectile points in determining temporal placement. The Late Woodland component, ca. A.D. 800-1100, represents the most intensive occupation of the site. Physical …

Applied Undergraduate Training In Psychology And Career Choice, Nancy S. Hinga-Wright

Masters Theses

The present investigation evaluated the relation between additional undergraduate practical training in psychology (other than standard course credit) and the graduate school or career choice of graduates with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Based on data from questionnaires and university student records, the results indicated a positive, significant relation between graduate school choice and subsequent career choice, although there was no significant relation between additional applied training and career choice. The results also showed no significant relation between grade point average and career choice, and sex and career choice. The conclusions suggested several outside variables that may influence students' decisions …