Authenticity and the disclosure of the information preserve: The case of adoptive parenthood

This paper explores the processes whereby people disclose information that is potentially stigmatizing but relatively inaccessible to others as a tactic to maintain personal authenticity. This general issue is examined by investigating how 71 infertile adoptive mothers manage information about adoption within and outside the family. Attention is also given to the codes of conduct regarding adoption advocated by professionals and their relevance for disclosure of a potentially stigmatizing attribute. Respondents acknowledge differences in their families in public (as advised by practitioners), but covertly reject difference by disavowing deviance. Thus, adhering to professional codes for achieving authenticity appears to create, instead, a personal sense of inauthenticity. The relevance of the disclosure of private information for a sense of personal authenticity is considered in other areas of social life.This research was supported by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and from the Government of Ontario.     

The European delay in transition to parenthood: the Italian case

A delay in the transition to parenthood is common to all European countries, but Mediterranean and North European young people follow different pathways of transition to adulthood, which are described in the article. Since 2003, we have conducted four social inquiries in Italian urban contexts involving male and female young people with and without children and the article is therefore focused on Italy. The principal purpose of this research programme is to interpret the determinants of the Italian phenomenon of delaying the birth of the first child. The interpretative axes for conceptualizing the problem are intergender and intergenerational comparisons. In particular, the results of these inquiries indicate that in Italy the delay of the parenthood transition is linked to the policy-makers' ‘delay’ in realizing that the decision to postpone having children is not strongly linked to any ‘crisis of family values’. The real problem is that since the beginning of the twentieth century, the present younger generation is the first to suffer from a general decrease in social opportunities as compared with the previous one. The mechanism is illustrated by Bourdieu: the new generation's members continue to form their life expectations on the basis of their parents' situations without considering the changes in conditions (e.g. inflation of study titles) that restrict their access to social resources. According to our results, the delay in the assumption of the parental role is an unintentional effect of a set of intentional actions aimed at creating and consolidating life conditions supporting self-realization. ‘Delayers’ continually try to resist the distressing sensations of precariousness, instability, vulnerability and uncertainty recognized by influential sociologists as distinctive features of contemporary life. Consequently, the delay in the family-building process takes on an active connotation: the attempt is to fill the gap in life chances related to gender and generational memberships. The last part of the article is dedicated to a comparison of European countries' social policies in support of parenthood.     

The prominence of formal theory in sociology

In sociology, work in formal theory is more extensive and intensive today than at any time in the past, but remains invisible to some, including S. Zhao [(1996) “The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning: The Theory Construction Movement Revisited,” Sociological Forum, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 305–318]. I trace the growth of formal theory in sociology focusing on theoretical research programs and show that, whereas formal theory came after the books on theory construction, it was not based on them. Elementary Theory's research program provides an example of that discontinuity. Some misunderstandings concerning formal theory can be traced to the Maryland Theory Conference of 1990 and a critique of selected ideas of that Conference is offered.     

Generalizing from social media data: a formal theory approach

ABSTRACT

Researchers increasingly draw on social media data to answer big questions about social patterns and dynamics. However, as with any data source, social media data present both opportunities and significant challenges. One major critique of social media data is that the data are not generalizable outside of the platforms from which the data originate. Problems of generalizability stem from non-universal participation rates on various platforms, demographically biased samples, as well as limited access to data based on infrastructural constraints and/or user privacy practices. We suggest that instead of empirical generalizability, social media data are theoretically generalizable in the formal theory tradition. Through a case example in which we use YouTube comments to test and extend a key tenet of identity theory, we show how social media data can instantiate theoretical variables and thus generalize to theoretical propositions. Mediated through formal theory, social media data maintain the capacity to address broad social questions while upholding methodological integrity.     

Toward a dual motive metaeconomic theory

In light of recent findings in neuroscience and experimental economics research, as well as new understandings about Adam Smith and Darwin, the paper seeks a new synthesis in a “metaeconomic” theory that recognizes dual motives. The “meta” suggests the need to go beyond and transcend microeconomic theory while still retaining its main features. New findings suggest it is human nature to not only have the tendency to pursue self-interest but to also condition that pursuit with the sentiments, as Smith suggested. In modern terms, this means to condition the egoistic–hedonistic tendency with the empathetic–altruistic tendency. This also means individuals seek the survival of not only self but also the group, as Darwin understood it. Metaeconomics recognizes the inherent conflict in doing both simultaneously. The economic goal shifts to maximizing peace of mind both within and among individuals rather than maximizing one of the interests. Value emerges on a higher plane.     

Toward a theory of alienation: futurelessness in financial capitalism

Theory and Society - There is an extensive body of literature detailing the forces behind and experiences of alienation in a modern capitalist world. However, social scientific interest in...     

Toward a theory of choice: Socially embedded preference construction

We present a boundedly rational model of choice that makes room for individual values and social influences in a process of preference construction. It takes from the subjective expected utility model the notion that people assess their options in terms of expected outcomes, referenced to personal values, but it presumes that individuals assess sharply truncated lists of relevant options, outcomes and values and apply a classification logic rather than a calculative one. Such a model is consistent with the nature of evolved human cognitive abilities. The model treats cognitive heuristics and various forms of social influence as determinants of selection of the truncated lists and it treats moral norms as classification rules activated when certain actions and outcomes become salient. The model has implications for understanding how political rhetoric affects individual and social preferences and how “hot cognitions” fit into human choice and for developing improved methods of collective decision making.     

Toward a dialogic theory of public relations

This essay clarifies the concept of dialogue in public relations. As public relations theory and research move toward a two-way relational communication model, many scholars and practitioners are increasingly using the terms “dialogic” and “dialogue” to describe ethical and practical approaches to public relations. The concept of dialogue is deeply rooted in philosophy and relational communication theory. Its inclusion in the public relations vocabulary is an important step toward understanding how organizations can build relationships that serve both organizational and public interests. This essay traces the roots of dialogue, identifies several over-arching tenets, and provides three ways that organizations can incorporate dialogue into their communication with publics.     

Mother-infant interactive play: theory and practical application

Mother-infant interactive play during the first 18 months of life is discussed in terms of its genesis, development, character, and function. Interactive play is considered as an “organizer” which reflects four interrelated lines of development. It is further regarded as a prototype for the infant's negotiations with the world at large, a precursor of representational play, and a foundation for developing a sense of mastery and competence as well as ego strength and self-esteem. Specific interactive play patterns (including father-infant play) are described within the context of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. The mother's multifaceted role in interactive play is described in accordance with the developmental stages, as the infant moves from a dependent, receptive mode to an active, initiating position. Interactive play is also considered as a window through which one can observe maladaptive as well as adaptive patterns. The conceptual framework for understanding interactive play suggests a number of practical applications.     

Toward a theory of disintegration in communication networks

This article explores the nature of organizational dissolution by utilizing the terminology and logic of graph theory. More specifically, the role of communication in network decay is studied. It is argued that as an organization dissolves, it is marked by an increasing number of cliques and factions leading to network stratification. Both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the communication relation are found to influence network disintegration.     

Toward a scheduling congruity theory of family resource management

This article presents the elements of a theory to explain the dynamic construction and execution of production processes. The theory takes into account both the cognitive underpinnings and observable streams of purposive action necessary for managerial behavior. It attempts to explain both the consciously planned and executed action of individuals and the more routine, repetitive activities which dominate most resource allocation behavior. Further, it provides a framework within which goal directed actions of individuals may be translated into goal directed actions of groups of individuals.The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article.Rosemary J. Avery is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Consumer Economics and Housing at Cornell University, 103 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853. She received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1988. Her research areas include family management and time use, family decision making, and family formation via adoption.Kathryn Stafford is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Resource Management at The Ohio State University, Campbell Hall, Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210. Her research focuses upon management by families who generate income at home, and she has also done work in the areas of family time use and household production. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1978.     

Clients' relational conceptions of conjoint couple and family therapy quality: a grounded formal theory

Based upon a qualitative metasynthesis of 49 articles centered on clients' experiences of their conjoint couple and family therapy, the investigators constructed a grounded formal theory of Clients' Relational Conceptions of Conjoint Couple and Family Therapy Quality. The theory suggests from pretherapy conceptions to posttherapy reflections, clients' perceptions of conjoint couple and family therapy quality appear to consist of clients' constructed meanings regarding a series of interrelated relationships between clients and their therapists and therapy environments, between clients and themselves, between clients and other family members, and between process and outcome both inside and outside therapy. Within and across these relationships, clients appear to focus on expectations, connections, balance, and change when evaluating the quality of their clinical experiences. Based upon this theory, the investigators recommend that researchers continue to explore this clinical phenomenon and that therapists regularly seek clients' conceptions of quality in therapy.     

Toward a grounded theory of lesbians' recovery from addiction

This article presents the results of a qualitative study on lesbians' recovery from addiction. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 20 lesbians in recovery from addiction and was analyzed using grounded theory method. The central theme that emerged was self-acceptance, both as a lesbian and as a recovering alcoholic/addict, with considerable interaction between the two. Categories that contributed to this theme were learning to recover, relationships with other people, and relationship with something bigger than self. The discussion addresses how this information can be used to assist lesbians trying to recover from addiction.     

Explorations on mediated communication and beyond: Toward a theory of social media

Although robust theories of radio, television, cinema, journalism, and other areas of mass media already exist, the social media sphere has received relatively little original theorizing. Modeled after Berger and Calabrese’s (1975) seminal “axioms of human communication” article, this essay takes stock of the existing research on social media, and uses the same approach to theorizing about social media, advancing 7 axioms and 21 theorems, and exploring how the propositions chronicled can be used to build social media theory and improve public relations practice.     

Toward a normative social media theory for public relations

Social media might represent the greatest social innovation/revolution in the history of communication, fundamentally altering how humans communicate, and the practice of public relations, journalism, advertising, marketing, and business. Dozens of theories and concepts including dialogue, engagement, identification, social presence, uses and gratifications, conversational human voice, and many others inform social media. However, what has commonly taken place in social media contexts and public relations has been the importation and application of other theories and concepts, rather than exploring and clarifying the unique features and capabilities of social media per se. This essay argues that social media represent a new communication paradigm, and this essay takes up the challenge of building social media theory for public relations by identifying features of social media that have emerged from existing research as fundamental to understanding social media, and eventually developing a theory(s) of social media for public relations.     

Globalizing social movement theory: The case of eugenics

Transnational social movements are affected not only by national-level factors, but also by factors that operate at the global level. This article develops two conceptual tools for analyzing global factors: international political opportunity and global culture. The conduciveness of both factors appears to be important in understanding eugenics activity, which this article examines as a transnational social movement. The lack of international political opportunity before World War I and the hostile climate of global culture after World War II hindered eugenic mobilization during these periods, while the emergence of opportunities and cultural conduciveness during the Interwar period was associated with movement growth and effectiveness.     

A formal theory approach to lawsuits and corporate deviant behavior: building a more efficient system

This paper discusses the problems in the efficient implementation of tort reform. Current, and many proposed reforms, fail to provide a Pareto optimal solution. The problems with current policies lie in the fact that they only alter the incentive structures of one actor in the tort system. A truly efficient system needs to alter incentive structures for both potential litigants and potential defendants. Using economic modeling, the paper argues that efficient tort reform can be achieved by utilizing decoupled tax incentives.