Gender Differences in Reactions to Viewing Pornographic Vignettes

Abstract

A dilemma in the current pornography literature is whether one can classify some types of pornography as “degrading” and then accurately gauge individuals' motivations and reactions. One feature commonly cited as the best example of such degradation is the “cum shot.” In the current study, 375 male and female undergraduate volunteers were shown one of four video tapes: the original/unaltered condition, one that omitted visual images of ejaculation, and two that had the soundtrack altered to accentuate either degradation or acceptance themes. After viewing, participants completed the Ratings of Sexual Arousal (Mosher, 1987), Rating of Enjoyment, and Ratings of Degradation and Acceptance scales. Results revealed that men reported greater sexual arousal and enjoyment to all the videos and rated them as both more accepting and less degrading; the degrading voice-over decreased sexual arousal and enjoyment; and sexual arousal and enjoyment were positively related to ratings of acceptance. These results imply that an individual's interpretation of pornography has a strong impact on their subjective reactions.     

Serial Order Preference in Survey Research

Serial order preference was examined over a range of attitudinalmeasurements. The ordering of the response options did not havea substantive effect on either single-item measures or attitudescales. Continued attention to serial order preference in surveyresearch does not seem warranted     

Survey Research on Taiwan

In recent years, a number of the obstacles to survey researchon Taiwan have been overcome. The growing but still limitednumber of surveys conducted show a populace with relativelymoderate levels of satisfaction following a period of spectaculareconomic growth. Increased living standards are widely appreciated,but levels of aspiration also have risen, particularly amongthe educated. Deep ambivalence seems to be felt toward the socialand political changes accompanying industrial growth and towardWestern social, political, and moral ideas in general. At present,the island offers fruitful opportunities for the study of publicopinion in a relatively nondemocratic state.     

Evaluating the Use of Residential Mailing Addresses in a Metropolitan Household Survey

On-site enumeration is generally regarded as the most comprehensivemethod for developing sampling frames for area household surveys.However, the time and expense associated with on-site enumerationoften precludes it from being a viable option for many householdsurveys. Residential mailing lists provide an alternative thatenables in-person surveys to be done cheaper and faster thanis possible with on-site enumeration. The primary drawback ofmailing lists is that the completeness of the lists is unknown.In this article, we evaluate the coverage of mailing addressesthat were used as a sampling frame for a probability-based surveyof 15,000 households in Dallas County, TX. The addresses wereobtained from the Delivery Sequence File (DSF) offered by theU.S. Postal Service (USPS) through a nonexclusive license agreementwith private companies. The DSF is a computerized file thatcontains all delivery point addresses serviced by the USPS,with the exception of general delivery. To evaluate the coverageof the mailing addresses, we used Kish's Half-Open Interval(HOI) procedure to search for missed housing units in the intervalbetween the selected address and the next address in deliverysequence order. A total of 46 missed addresses (1.9 percent)were found among the 2,380 HOIs randomly selected for examination.In addition, we discovered that the vast majority of personswho maintained a residential P.O. box also have mail deliveredto their street address. Finally, the mailing addresses yieldeda 90 percent occupancy rate, which is consistent with metropolitanhousehold surveys that use on-site enumeration methods.     

The Construct of Identity and Its Use in Career Theory and Research

Erikson's construct of identity has received much attention in the contemporary literature on adolescent development (e.g., Archer, 1989a, 1989b; Blustein & Palladino, 1991). In the vocational literature Bordin (1984) and Holland (1985) have made significant efforts to incorporate a construct of vocational identity into their theories. Although most contributors to the career development literature has acknowledged Erikson as the intellectual father of the construct of identity, none have succeeded in formulating a construct of identity that is more than a caricature of Erikson's thinking. In this article, I suggest that what is needed is a serious look at the requirements for formulating a viable, dynamic, developmental conceptualization of the construct of vocational identity.     

Survey Research and Southern Politics: The Implications of Data Management

With an identical data base—the SRCICPS election studiesconducted over the 1952–1976 period—scholars arriveat conflicting conclusions about the future politics of theSouth. One problem is alternative regional definitions—thesurvey category Solid South (which includes the states of theformer Confederacy minus Tennessee) or the combined categoriesSolid South and Border South. Another problem is the choiceto analyze native whites, whites, or all election participants.Based on data presented here, these choices are not neutral;rather, they influence the research findings. If the intentis to build upon the aggregate data-based research of Key andothers, one should use the Solid South definition. Moreover,if the intent is to predict about the future politics of theSouth, one should analyze all election participants.     

Social Survey Research1 in Japanese Sociology

Abstract: In this paper, we look at the history of social survey development in Japanese sociology. First, the history of social research in Japan before World War II is explored. Second, the introduction of survey research to Japan during the American occupation after World War II is examined, and third, the present state and roles of social survey research in Japanese sociology is discussed. Social research was introduced as an administrative tool for the government. Sociology and social research were developed under British empiricism and American pragmatism, but Japanese academia has been based on a metaphysical approach. Social research introduced as a practical tool long had difficulty in being accepted by Japanese academia. For this reason, most sociologists in universities did not use social survey research for practical purposes, but pursued qualitative methodologies for analyzing data to gain academic prestige even after Social Stratification and Mobility (SSM) and Sabro Yasuda's research projects spread social survey methods in the field of Japanese sociology. Such academics did not think that findings acquired through qualitative case studies had to be confirmed through quantitative data to serve a practical purpose, nor did they believe that quantitative data could be better understood when examined along side qualitative data. Social survey methods have been opposed by those who have favored case‐study analysis methods in Japanese sociology. Needless to say, this opposition is fruitless. I propose that professional sociologists in Japanese universities should use social survey research for practical problems more frequently. This is the best way to establish sociology and social research as a science in Japanese society.     

Research in the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Survey

Directors of and faculty teaching research/statistics in undergraduate social work programs were surveyed to (1) determine research requirement for undergraduates; (2) characterize those faculty teaching research; and (3) ascertain directors' and faculty perceptions of student attitudes toward research. Results revealed that most undergraduate programs required from 3 to 6 semester hours in research; course objectives varied widely from program to program; sociology faculty taught most of the research courses; and students were perceived as being negative toward research. Findings generally were consistent with prior surveys of MSW programs and practitioners. Dilemmas in teaching research are discussed.     

The Research Component of the Master's Degree Curriculum in Social Work: A Survey Summary

This paper reports on a survey conducted on formal research requirements in the master's degree program of accredited schools of social work. Requirements were found to vary widely in type and extent among the sixty-seven reporting schools, ranging from schools that required only a single research course to those that required courses in research and statistics and an empirical research project as well. In terms of the proportion of total graduation credit devoted to research-related requirements, the spread was from 24 to 5 percent, with a mean of 12 percent. Issues and implications for social work education are noted.     

Trends in Attitudes Toward and Participation in Survey Research

This study, now in its sixth wave, examines trends in consumers'willingness to be surveyed as well as attitudes toward beinginterviewed and toward the survey research industry in general.The results raise some important questions in terms of multipleparticipation and its effect on the validity of survey data.They also challenge researchers to examine their own standardsand practices in order to enhance the relationship between researchersand the participants.     

The Use of the Talmudic Format for the Presentation of Qualitative Research

In this article, I propose to adapt the Talmud, a Jewish religious text, for the written representation of qualitative research. The form and the style of argumentation in and engendered by the Talmud can be adapted to present qualitative methods in a way that transcends the limitations of conventional formats. In addition, this format requires even greater participation in the act of reading. Because the Talmudic format uniquely addresses the difficulties involved in representing everyday life, I argue that adapting the format of the Talmud is ideal for giving voice, for presenting multiple and competing narratives alongside documents, and for further problematizing any simple notion of truth and authority.     

Vignettes of Communities in Action: an exploration of participatory methodologies in promoting community development in Nigeria

Three interconnected arguments are explored in this article.It begins by a reconsideration of community development, notfrom official and agency definitions but from what makes developmentreal and satisfies not only physical needs, but also the spiritualas well as psychological. The second part looks at Theatre forDevelopment (TFD) as a system of actualizing the participatoryagenda so direly required, so often talked about and very consistentlyignored in community development. I argue that TFD in its performativeapproach to discussing issues, forging alliances and communitycohesion contributes to community development. In this instance,we witness TFD as a community art for instigating participationand change. I also talk about how in combination with otherparticipatory methods, TFD can be empowering. This combinationis what I call methodological conversation and the aestheticsthat defines this conversation involves respect, dialogue, inclusionand flexibility. The case study section narrates the way inwhich this methodology has been applied in the turbulent environmentof the Niger Delta in Nigeria. I argue that TFD, ParticipatoryLearning and Action (PLA) and Questionnaire methods were thetriumvirate of approaches that allowed us to understand issuesand for communities to listen to us. The challenge remains howto define and develop an enduring relationship between researchers,community and government who may have the wherewithal for action.     

Home production and wages: evidence from the American Time Use Survey

Using data from the American Time Use Survey for the years 2003–2006, this paper finds that housework has a negative relation with wages for both women and men. The negative relation between housework time and wages is not likely to arise from omitted working conditions that are correlated with housework, nor from omitted effort. For women, the negative relation between housework and wages appears in most occupations, including professional and managerial occupations. The connection of housework time to the ‘lack of interest’ argument proposed by defendants in class action sex discrimination cases is examined and is not supported by the evidence.

我国城市和谐社区建设的实证调查与研究

回顾了我国社区建设的历程及和谐社区建设的提出,通过对和谐社区内涵的分析,构建和谐社区指标体系,进而通过问卷调查了解当前我国城市社区和谐社区的基本状况及存在差异的成因。     

Replications, Significance Tests and Confidence in Findings in Survey Research

It is now common for survey researchers to use comparable datafrom two or more surveys in studies which have no temporal dimension.However, they rarely do independent replications with the datafrom the different samples, in spite of the greater confidencein findings that testing the significance of statistics froma series of replications affords. A simple method of combiningprobabilities from two or more replications is described andillustrated, and a table of critical values to facilitate itsuse is provided.     

The Use of Students in Admissions Interviewing

This paper examines the role of second-year MSW students in group preadmission interviews as cointerviewers with faculty members. The initial findings of these experiences indicated that the ratings of applicants for entry into the MSW program by both students and faculty were very similar and that most applicants, student cointerviewers and faculty saw such a process as valuable in selecting candidates for the program.     

The Use of Polling in Congressional Campaigns

This study examines successful 1974 congressional campaignsthat used public opinion polling. The primary focus of the researchwas on where and how polling was used in the campaign and thefactors that influenced its use. Polling was most common inhighly competitive, well-financed races involving younger, lesspolitically experienced candidates. Surveys were typically begunquite early in the campaign and emphasized candidate standingand determined which issues were most salient to the electorate.The way polling was used was influenced primarily by party affiliation,the hiring of a professional polster and campaign expenditures     

The Use of Remittance Income in Mexico

Immigration affects sending countries through the receipt of remittance income. The impact of these cash transfers on households and communities has brought attention to remittances as a development mechanism. This study attempts to understand the degree to which household consumption is affected by the receipt of remittance income and the ways in which the broader communities may be impacted. Using household income and expenditure data for Mexico, expenditure patterns of remittance‐receiving households are analyzed. Regression analysis indicates that remittance‐receiving households spend a greater share of total income on durable goods, healthcare, and housing.