Rules Trump Desires in Preschoolers’ Predictions of Group Behavior

The objective of this article is to investigate the way children weigh conventional rules against desires when considering how a group will behave. To do so, two experiments involving a prediction task in which desires were pitted against conventional rules were presented to three‐ to five‐year‐old children. In Experiment 1, four scenarios were established as classroom scenes in which either one protagonist or three protagonists had a desire that went against an explicit conventional rule. In the individual control condition, the choices linked to the rules were at chance whereas, in the group condition, the participants predicted that all the protagonists would end up following the rule. Given that both conditions in Experiment 1 implied four rule followers in the design, Experiment 2 staged not three but seven potential rule transgressors to see whether the desire of the majority might undermine the rule. Results showed no majority effect: participants expected protagonists to act counter to their desire and to follow the rule. Such results suggest that children as young as three‐year‐old favor rules over desires when they have to predict the behavior of a group, whether it be the majority or not. Possible implications of these intriguing findings are discussed.     

Developmental Changes in the Priority of Perceived Status in Childhood and Adolescence

This study examined the degree to which children and adolescents prioritize popularity in the peer group over other relational domains. Participants were 1013 children and adolescents from grade 1 through senior year of college (ages 6–22 years) who were presented with a series of social dilemmas in which attaining popularity was opposed to five other priorities: friendship, personal achievement, following rules, prosocial behavior, and romantic interests. A curvilinear trend was found for the priority of popularity that peaked in early adolescence. At this age especially, participants prioritized status enhancement over other domains. Across the age range of this study, males and majority students were more preoccupied with reputational status than females and minority students. The discussion focused on the developmental functions of reputational status in early adolescence.     

Neighborhood: the “outside” space for girls in urban India

Singh S. Neighborhood: the “outside” space for girls in urban India
Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 206–214 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. This study explores the perspective of adolescent girls on the neighborhood as a social space that plays a role in the formation of their identity and agency. The study applies the ‘identities’ conceptual framework, which is a global, interdisciplinary, theoretical approach to understanding female identity. The study participants were girls enrolled in grades 7–10, from five schools in a district in the Northern State of India, who participated in structured focus group discussions. The study reports on the reduced relevance of neighborhood for girls and illustrates, through quotes, the reasons for their limited interaction.     

Is Unemployment a Health Hazard? Health-related behaviours of a sample of unemployed Sydney youth in 1980

A self-report questionnaire, tapping a variety of areas of health-related behaviours, was administered individually to a hundred young men and women aged between 15 and 24 years, solicited outside the Commonwealth Employment Service Office in Liverpool, New South Wales, in August 1980, all of whom described themselves as having been continuously unemployed for at least four weeks up to the time of interview. The group was divided at its approximate median of five months in terms of duration of current period of unemployment, and the short-term and long-term unemployed groups thus derived were contrasted on all variables. The resultant analysis showed the total long-term unemployed group to be characterized by heavier smoking, reduced participation in sport, and, though not statistically significant, increased drug usage, relative to the short-term group. Within the long-term group, females were drinking more, and visiting the doctor more, than their short-term peers; males were changing their drinking, friendship, eating and sleeping habits in directions indicative of loss of social contact.     

Crime in Our Cities: A Comparative Study

Crime rates in New South Wales are compared with overseas figures. Comparisons are made between Sydney and eight American and two Canadian cities of similar size. Urban-rural crime rates are studied by relating Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to the rest of the State. In both rural and urban areas the rates for homicide, sex offences and other offences against the person are relatively low when compared with American rates. The rates for property offences and car theft are similar to those which exist in America and, and in the case of Sydney, exceed the rate of these offences in the two Canadian cities studied.     

The Nursing Home as Total Institution: A Case Study and Suggestions for the Aged Care System

A symbolic interactionist perspective is used to examine the effects of institutionalization on residents of a Sydney nursing home. The analysis suggests that much of the ‘negative’ behaviour observed among inmates results from the institutional structuring of a dependence role. Implications for long term care of the aged in both community and institutional settings are discussed.     

Comparison of the Polar Decision Rules for Various Types of Distributions

We focus on the dichotomous choice model, which goes back as far as Condorcet (1785; Essai sur l'application de l'analyse a la probabilité des décisions rendues a la pluralité des voix, Paris). A group of experts is required to select one of two alternatives, of which exactly one is regarded as correct. The alternatives may be related to a wide variety of areas. A decision rule translates the individual opinions of the members into a group decision. A decision rule is optimal if it maximizes the probability of the group to make a correct choice. In this paper we assume the correctness probabilities of the experts to be independent random variables, selected from some given distribution. Moreover, the ranking of the members in the team is (at least partly) known. Thus, one can follow rules based on this ranking. The polar different rules are the expert and the majority rules. The probabilities of the two polar rules being optimal were compared in a series of papers. The main purpose of this paper is to outline the results, providing exact formulas or estimates for these probabilities. We consider a variety of distributions and show that for all of these distributions the asymptotic behaviour of the probabilities of the two polar rules follows the same patterns.     

The relationship between lack of control and illusory pattern perception among at-risk gamblers and at-risk cannabis users

The link between lack of control and illusory pattern perception in gambling and cannabis use disorders is important to understand because the role of cognitive distortions as etiological risk factors in the development and maintenance of these disorders remains unclear. In this study, undergraduate students are categorized into five severity groups based on gambling and cannabis problem severity and illusory pattern perception variables are assessed following random assignment to two experimental groups: a lack-of-control and baseline group. In the lack-of-control group, a sense of lack of control is experimentally induced, whereas the baseline group serves as a neutral comparison. The results reveal no differences in illusory pattern perception among the severity groups and only partially and weakly replicate the findings of Whitson and Galinsky (2008), whereby relative to the baseline group, participants in the lack-of-control group perceive more illusory patterns in only one of two illusory pattern perception tasks. As an extension of Whitson and Galinsky, we also find that participants in the lack-of-control group detect more real patterns compared to participants in the baseline group in one of two illusory pattern perception tasks. No differences between severity groups are observed in terms of accuracy for identifying both non-real and real patterns.     

The Right to Take Risks: Alcohol and Older People

This paper examines policy and practice regarding the purchase of alcohol for older clients of home carers in three local authorities in the Greater London area. Data were gathered from interviews with home carers and their managers, focus group discussions, and a postal survey. None of the local authorities had a written policy or written guidance on alcohol purchase or on appropriate responses to the identification of problematic drinking in older clients. The findings illustrate the problem of balancing "rights" and "risks" within a philosophy of community care which emphasizes client choice and autonomy, and show how policy and practice are "tailored" by local contexts. It is suggested that both home carers and other domiciliary workers, as well as their older clients, could benefit from a clear code of practice regarding responses to alcohol consumption and problematic drinking by older people.     

Parenting,family functioning and lifestyle in a new culture: the case of African migrants in Melbourne,Victoria, Australia

This study documented the parenting styles among African migrants now living in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and assessed how intergenerational issues related to parenting in a new culture impact on family functioning and the modification of lifestyles. A total of 10 focus group discussions (five with parents and five with 13–17‐year‐old children; N = 85 participants) of 1.5–2 hours duration were conducted with Sudanese, Somali and Ethiopian migrant families. The analysis identified three discrete themes: (i) parenting‐related issues; (ii) family functioning and family relations; and (iii) lifestyle changes and health. African migrant parents were restrictive in their parenting; controlled children's behaviours and social development through strict boundary‐setting and close monitoring of interests, activities, and friends; and adopted a hierarchical approach to decision‐making while discouraging autonomy among their offspring. Programmes seeking to improve the health and welfare of African migrants in their host countries need to accommodate the cultural and social dimensions that shape their lives. Such programmes may need to be so broad as to apply an acculturation lens to planning, and to assist young people, parents and families in addressing intergenerational issues related to raising children and growing up in a different social and cultural milieu.     

The Use of TGroups in Training Social Workers

Summary It is suggested that T groups might be of value in Social Worktraining as a means of encouraging Social Workers to make greateruse of group techniques. T groups have been criticized on ethicalgrounds and for their tendency to produce psychological disturbancein predisposed individuals. In he context of Social Work trainingT groups have a dual function, promoting self awareness in theparticipants and increasing their knowledge of group dynamics.A procedure is described which emphasizes the necessity of focusingon group behaviour as opposed to individual psychopathology.It is believed that by doing so the psychological hazards arereduced. A brief outline is given of the manner in which materialproduced in the group sessions may illustrate theoretical materialintroduced elsewhere on the course     

Task design as an influence on dialogue and learning: primary school group work with object flotation

Previous studies suggest that group work would yield conceptual gains in physics if tasks specifically promoted dialogue about the factors which determine observed outcomes. This might be done by constraining task items to present critical tests of the effects of individual factors; and, additionally, by requiring participants to generate or select explicit rules about those effects. In order to test this hypothesis, groups of primary school children were asked to work on one of four versions of a task concerning object flotation: Random (i.e. a control in which there were no task constraints), Critical Tests, Rule Generation, and Rule Selection. Learning was assessed via change between a pre-test and two post-tests. Although the effect was delayed, children from the Random and Rule Generation conditions showed an increased awareness of relevant factors which was strongly related to prior group activity. This gain was absent in the Critical Tests and Rule Selection conditions. The results indicate that group dialogue can be productively shaped by task design, but also that its effects may take time to appear, and are negated by overmuch external direction of attention.     

Further Evidence of Racial Disparities in Drug Court Outcomes: Enhancing Service-Delivery to Reduce Criminal Recidivism Rates for Non-White Participants

Abstract

The first drug court began in 1989, and since their inception, they have expanded to over 3,000 in the United States and United States territories. The long-term goal of drug courts is to reduce criminal recidivism rates for nonviolent offenders who have substance use disorders. This study adds to the literature by using secondary data to compare criminal recidivism rates between drug court participants (n?=?163) and probationers who had diagnosed substance use disorders and arrests that were eligible for drug court but they did probation instead (n?=?185). Criminal recidivism was measured up to 36?months post drug court/probation discharge, which provides a more accurate assessment of the long-term effectiveness of drug court. Furthermore, this study identified which drug court participants were most likely to recidivate. Drug court participants were less likely to recidivate than the probation group. However, differences between the two groups may have contributed to the difference in criminal recidivism rates and also suggest that screening criteria may exclude some non-White participants from drug court. Non-white participants were more likely to recidivate than their White counterparts. Implications for future research and drug court practice are discussed, focusing on enhancing the service-delivery of education and employment opportunities to non-White drug court participants.     

Decisions concerning the allocation of scarce medical resources

This paper aimed to determine the criteria participants use to make decisions about scarce medical resources (allocation to use a kidney machine). It varied information about patients on 4 factors (sex, smoking, employment status, community service). It also set out to see if decisions made in groups differed from aggregated decisions of those made alone. In the first study, participants completed a simple questionnaire requiring them to rank-order sixteen hypothetical patients. In the second study, a group discussion (in groups of three participants) preceded the group putting an agreed rating on the identical questionnaire. Participants favoured patients who were employed, non-smokers and participated in community service. This suggests that participants adopted a utilitarian moral ideology. Participants' smoking habits interacted with the hypothetical patients' smoking habits, indicating in-group favouritism. In the second study it was found that when the decision was made in a group of three it amplifies the decision made by an individual. In this sense there was clear evidence of group polarization.     

Characteristics of female perpetrators of domestic violence in group therapy

This report is based on a set of clinical observations that identified unique characteristics of 12 female perpetrators of domestic violence in court ordered 52‐week group treatment. The observations are primarily based on the experiences of two therapists who treated a group of 12 female participants, concurrent with two male groups, each of which consisted of 10 participants. A number of comparative clinical observations are made in relation to the treatment of these male and female perpetrators. The group leaders identified three characteristics specific to female perpetrators of domestic violence: compulsive and premature disclosure by more than half the participants in the woman's group, versus minimal or deferred disclosure in the men's groups; perception of self as perpetrator and ambivalent perception of self as victim in the women's group, versus perception of self as either victim or perpetrator in the men's groups; and devaluation of self in the women's group, versus devaluation of the partner in the men's groups. The group leaders also observed that the perceptions and attitudes of the younger, poorer, less well‐educated participants often conflicted with those of their more affluent counterparts.

Therapists who treat mandated perpetrators of domestic violence in groups must contend with direct expressions of hostility. They must also help clients recognize and understand reasons for their dysfunctional partnerships and begin to think about how they can develop healthier relationships. The clinical observations from this group strongly suggest that psychological and socio‐economic factors interact to significantly influence treatment process and outcomes.     

Citizenship Consciousness,Nonbounded Solidarity,and Social Justice

This article analyzes the concepts of bounded and nonbounded solidarity. It first reviews some fundamental propositions from the sociological literature and then looks at Amnesty International's conception of solidarity. A third part discusses solidarity as it applies to social work with groups. The conclusion raises five questions social workers need to address to make social justice a standard part of social group work theory and practice.     

Drinking and Driving in Western Australia: Perceptions of Practices,Priorities and Preventives

If politics is the art of the possible, then determining what the public will tolerate is an important step in the design of prevention strategies. In this random survey of 1205 residents of country and urban areas in Western Australia, attitudes towards drinking and driving, drink-driving behaviour, and opinions of countermeasures were examined. Drink-driving was seen as an important issue for the community and there was a perception that something needed to be done. Drinking and driving was a well-established behaviour, but there was evidence that for many people ‘other’ people constitute the drink-driving problem. There were popular and unpopular preventives, but, interestingly, those that were deemed popular were often believed to be less effective than those that were less popular. The policy implications of these findings are considered, particularly in the light of the current implementation of random breath testing in Western Australia.     

Mapping social work education in the West Africa region: Movements toward indigenization in 12 countries’ training programs

This article presents the results of a systematic mapping of social work training programs in countries throughout West Africa, a region historically under‐represented in global discussions of the social welfare workforce. The research illuminates how social workers and related professionals are trained to engage in social work practice in a number of West African countries. The research was conducted in two phases. In the initial phase, the research team collected documents from 12 West African countries and conducted phone interviews with relevant individuals. The second phase included field research in five West African countries ? Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal ? where the research team conducted semi‐structured interviews and group discussions with 253 individuals. Framed by indigenization theory, this study describes social service training institutes in West Africa and highlights the varying degrees to which programs have been adapted to indigenous and endogenous realities in the postcolonial era.     

Mindfulness-based forgiveness groups for older adults

ABSTRACT

Interventions that enable individuals to be more forgiving toward themselves and others are important for older adults. This article describes a group intervention for adults aged 60 or older that integrates forgiveness-related skills with a mindfulness approach. The Mindfulness-based Forgiveness Group was designed to meet for eight sessions. The skills taught included: recognizing one’s own expectations and unenforceable rules, broadening one’s perspectives about the context of the transgression, and discovering positive intentions through exercises as well as a variety of meditations to cultivate mindfulness, self-compassion and forgiveness. Data from five Mindfulness-Based Forgiveness Groups were collected. Based on pre- and post-test measures, analyses indicate that participants improved significantly in relation to forgiveness, mindfulness/self-compassion, and mental health. Using qualitative post-test data from participants, we identify elements of the intervention that appear to be helpful. Suggestions are provided for social workers seeking to replicate and build upon this promising intervention.     

The Identity of Displaced Christian Karen in the Context of Resettlement

More than 200,000 displaced Karen from Burma have been “warehoused” in displaced persons' camps on the Thai-Burma border for more than 20 years. Recently, the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) has embarked on the durable solution of resettlement to third countries for these people. In this paper, the experiences and perceptions of resettlement of Christian Karen are explored through the findings from two focus groups with recently arrived refugees, augmented by contextual discussions with Christian Karen community leaders in Australia. Focus group participants displayed a strong and overt sense of identity, both as individual Karen and as part of the Christian Karen community, locally and trans-nationally, indicating that Christian Karen identity remains intact during displacement and strongly influences the resettlement experience for this group.