The emotional terrain of parenting and marriage: Emotion work and marital satisfaction

This study examines how the division of labor surrounding emotion work relates to the marital satisfaction of husbands and wives. The analysis is performed on data from a random sample of couples with at least one child from a northern city in a western state (N = 96 couples). Results suggest that for both husbands and wives the emotion work received from and performed for their spouse is significantly and positively related to marital satisfaction. Results also suggest that the marital satisfaction of husbands is enhanced when they are involved in performing emotion work for children, but if their levels of emotion work for children begin to approach or exceed that of their wives then their marital satisfaction tends to decline. Implications of the study are discussed.     

Testing the qualitative differences between empathy and personal distress: Measuring core affect and self-orientation

In two studies the emotional valence, the level of arousal and self-orientation of empathic concern and personal distress are tested. The empathic concern prevalence versus personal distress prevalence is induced through pictures in Study 1 (N = 62) and perspective-taking instructions in Study 2 (N = 60). Results of Study 1 show that participants in the personal distress-prevalence condition report significantly more negative emotional valence (d = .65), higher arousal (d = .48), and higher self-orientation (d = .57) than participants in the empathic concern-prevalence condition. Results of Study 2 show that participants in the self-oriented condition report the highest arousal, followed by participants in the other-oriented condition, and the objective condition (η_p² = .58). Concerning the increase of self-orientation, results show that it is mediated by the personal distress induced by self-perspective instructions. Similar results in emotional valence were found between self- and other-oriented conditions.     

Currents in a Stream: College Student Identities and Ethnic Identities and Their Relationship with Self‐Esteem,Efficacy, and Grade Point Average in an Urban University*

Objectives. We investigate how college student identities and ethnic identities vary among black, white, and Asian students and among immigrant, second‐, and third‐generation students at a large public urban university (in counterpoint to recent studies at highly selective schools). In addition, we explore how those identities are related to college students' sense of self‐esteem and efficacy and their academic performance. Methods. We use survey data from a sample (N=652) of students attending a large diverse public urban university to create new indexes for several dimensions of college identity and ethnic identity and use existing self‐esteem and efficacy indexes to compare black, white, and Asian students, as well as immigrant, second‐generation, and third‐generation students. Results. Among several significant identity differences, we find: (1) whites are lower than blacks on college identity indexes, and immigrant students are higher than subsequent‐generation students on college student identity measures; (2) whites are lower than blacks and Asians on ethnic identity measures; only the ethnic activities index declines linearly from immigrant to second‐ to third‐generation students; (3) blacks have higher self‐esteem and efficacy than whites or Asians; whites have higher GPAs than blacks or Asians, while immigrant students have higher GPAs than third‐generation students; and (4) at least one college student identity dimension and one ethnic identity dimension is related to self‐esteem, efficacy, and GPA. Conclusions. How young adults conceive of themselves as college students and the way they formulate their own racial‐ethnic identities is related to their self‐esteem, efficacy, and academic performance. Moreover, the pattern that these relationships take is somewhat different at a large diverse public urban university than at highly selective universities.     

Pluralistic media ignorance: Presence and causes

This study examines the presence and causes of pluralistic media ignorance - incorrect estimation of media content in a way that creates the impression that popular broadcasting is overabundant with morally controversial material. Using the appearance of sexual content in television advertising in Israel as a case study, we compare survey estimates (N = 305) of the prevalence of this material with its actual level according to the findings of a content analysis of commercials (N = 752). Pluralistic media ignorance emerges as a predominant norm, when viewers are requested to estimate the prevalence of “soft core” content like kissing and partial nudity, but it is a minor phenomenon, when estimating the share of more explicit material such as intercourse, homosexuality and rape. The most prominent predictors of pluralistic media ignorance are disapproval of the inclusion of objectionable content in popular media and extended recall of media exemplars that contain such content. Religiosity, ethnicity and sex are only partly predicting the emergence of pluralistic media ignorance. Media consumption, fear of media influence and other demographics are not predicting it at all. Public policy implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are given.     

Civil society in Canada: A case study of rural and urban planning contexts

This paper explores the political concept of civil society and its emergence in multi-level rural and urban planning contexts. The first section conceptualizes civil society in the broader context within which it develops and we discuss global civil society to establish the need for a more local and regional focus. We then present considerations for assessing civil society and outline the research approach. The second section presents two case examples: (1) rural civil society in British Columbia, Canada focusing on the socio-political environment that enabled a shift away from conventional top-down, state-led forest management to devolved local control, and; (2) urban civil society in Waterloo Region, Ontario, which illustrates the response of local organizations to the wider socio-economic problems of housing provision in the Region. In both rural and urban contexts, there was longstanding tacit local support for each cause but significant triggers were needed to open policy windows and enable civil society organizations to help shift management ideologies in the forestry and housing sectors. Empowering civil actors through, for example, the devolution of decision making and responsibilities, and the redistribution of resources, helped to foster forms of legitimacy needed for emerging local and regional civil society organizations and networks.     

The Role of Emotional Reactivity,Self‐regulation,and Puberty in Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors

This study was designed to examine the roles of emotional reactivity, self‐regulation, and pubertal timing in prosocial behaviors during adolescence. Participants were 850 sixth graders (50 percent female, mean age = 11.03, standard deviation = .17) who were followed up at the age of 15. In hierarchical regression models, measures of emotional reactivity, self‐regulation, pubertal timing, and their interactions were used to predict (concurrently and over time) adolescents' prosocial behaviors in the home and with peers. Overall, the findings provide evidence for pubertal and temperament‐based predictors of prosocial behaviors expressed in different contexts. Self‐regulation was positively related to both forms of prosocial behavior, concurrently and longitudinally. Emotional reactivity showed moderately consistent effects, showing negative concurrent relations to prosocial behavior with peers and negative longitudinal relations (4 years later) to prosocial behavior at home. Some curvilinear effects of temperament on prosocial behaviors were also found. Effects of pubertal timing were found to interact with gender, such that boys who were early maturers showed the highest levels of prosocial behavior at home concurrently. Discussion focuses on the role of temperament‐based mechanisms in the expression of prosocial behaviors in different contexts in adolescence.     

Development and validation of a Biodata Inventory as an alternative method to measurement of the five factor model of personality

The present study was designed to test the effectiveness of using a biographical inventory as an alternative to a traditional personality inventory in measuring the five factor model of personality. A combination of empirical and rational strategies were incorporated in the development and scoring of the biodata items. All (N = 383) participants completed the newly developed Biodata Inventory and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the goodness of fit of the five factor structure from the respondents’ data. All participants completed a letter cancellation task, reported grade point averages, and SAT scores. Predictive validity was assessed for both instruments’ scores. Results indicate that the five factor model fit the data from the biodata and personality inventories. Predictive validities of both inventories’ scores were consistent with many other research results. The relationship of the Conscientiousness biodata scores to grade point average and task completion performance were statistically significant.     

Labor force participation among Asian immigrant women: Findings from the 2007 American Community Survey

Using a nationally representative sample of Asian immigrant women in the USA (N = 33,032), we examined ethnic variations in labor force participation and different predictors of labor force participation among six Asian ethnic subgroups, including Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese. Our findings indicated that having a higher level of education, fewer children under age 5, US citizenship, a longer length of residence in the USA, and a better English proficiency were significantly related to higher rates of labor force participation among certain ethnic subgroups. The different predictors of labor force participation by ethnic subgroups were further analyzed in cultural contexts.     

Difficulty in seeking information about health care quality and costs: The field of dreams fallacy

While government agencies and health organizations have increased efforts to provide online information about health care quality and costs, we know little about whether individuals seek out or understand this information. Using results from a Louisiana telephone survey (N = 1030), we examine intent to use a website devoted to information about health care quality and costs and self-reported difficulty in finding this information. Intent to use a website is driven primarily by prior Internet use while difficulty in learning about health care quality is associated with greater choice in health care providers and dissatisfaction with current care.     

The impact of inheritance experiences in orphans and vulnerable children support in Zimbabwe: A caregivers' perspective

Despite the predominant contemporary and traditional coping strategies adopted in Zimbabwe in the past three decades and beyond, challenges and issues related to inheritance continued to affect the livelihood of both orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their caregivers. This article is a qualitative phenomenological study seeking to examine the perceptions, views, and feelings of the OVC and their caregivers on their lived experiences in OVC care and support in Zimbabwe. The study focusses on the caregivers' perspectives of the impact of the inheritance experiences in OVC care and support within their tribal local rural communities. In‐depth narrative interviews were conducted with 30 caregivers, corroborated with 10 OVC purposively sampled in the Gutu District of Zimbabwe. The results showed that although the caregivers are doing their best in executing their strategies for OVC care and support, the manipulation and misappropriation of the inheritances from deceased parents or grandparents that were meant to benefit the OVCs are still widespread in the rural communities of Zimbabwe. In conclusion, the study recommends the need for an integrated stakeholders' approach in educating the local rural communities about their inheritance rights.     

Within- and between-person associations among internalizing and externalizing problems during middle childhood

Internalizing and externalizing problems are likely to co-occur in childhood and are related to concurrent and prospective mental health outcomes. We examined the longitudinal relations among internalizing and externalizing problems during middle childhood utilizing the Random Intercept – Cross Lagged Panel Model. We investigated three research questions: (1) how overall levels of internalizing and externalizing problems are related, (2) whether internalizing and externalizing problems predict each other longitudinally, and (3) whether girls and boys show different longitudinal associations among internalizing and externalizing problems. Mother-reported internalizing and externalizing problems were used through first to sixth grade (N = 1364). Results showed positive random intercepts and positive within-time correlations of internalizing and externalizing problems. Further, internalizing problems predicted externalizing problems at the within-person level. Although previous research mostly has shown a significant effect from externalizing problems to internalizing problems, the current study shows that when within- and between-person variance are disentangled, internalizing problems also may predict externalizing problems.     

The impact of child and parental age on protective factors against child maltreatment

Although young age for both the parent and child is implicated in incidences of maltreatment, little is known about the association between parent or child age and protective factors related to child maltreatment prevention. With a sample of parents receiving child maltreatment prevention services in Kansas ( N  = 1993), we used regression analyses to examine whether the interaction of child and parent age influences family‐level protective factors over time. We found mixed support for each hypothesis, indicating that the age of parents and children differentially impacts family‐level protective factors. Implications for the Strengthening Families approach and child maltreatment prevention are discussed.     

Empathy to action: Child and adolescent out‐group attitudes and prosocial behaviors in a setting of intergroup conflict

The paper explored how to promote constructive intergroup relations among children and young people in a context of protracted conflict. Across two studies, the Empathy–Attitudes–Action model was examined in middle childhood and adolescence. More specifically, we tested the relations among dispositional empathy, out‐group attitudes, and prosocial behaviors for youth born after the peace agreement in Northern Ireland. In one correlational (Study 1: N = 132; 6–11 years old: M = 8.42 years, SD = 1.23) and one longitudinal design (Study 2: N = 466; 14–15 years old), bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that empathy was associated with more positive attitudes toward the conflict‐related out‐group, which in turn, was related to higher out‐group prosocial behaviors, both self‐report and concrete actions. Given that out‐group prosocial acts in a setting of intergroup conflict may serve as the antecedents for peacebuilding among children and adolescents, this study has intervention implications.     

What drives successful social networking services? A comparative analysis of user acceptance of Facebook and Twitter

This study identifies perceived mobility, security, connectedness, system and service quality, usefulness, attitude, and flow experience as key motivational factors for using social networking services (SNSs), and develops a theoretical model that explicates the process in which users adopt Facebook and Twitter by integrating these factors with the technology acceptance model (TAM). While results of structural equation modeling (SEM) on the collected data (N = 2,214) verified the validity and reliability of the research model, Facebook and Twitter users were found to emphasize different motivational factors when deciding to use SNSs. The implications of notable findings and directions for future studies are discussed.     

The effects of multiracial identification on students’ perceptions of racism

This paper compares the differing perceptions of racism reported by White (n = 222), Black (n = 99), and White–Black multiracial (n = 45) students at an urban campus of a Southern university. Using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), we examine the differences between the racial groups in three campus contexts—campus in general, with instructors, and with other students. Items chosen for analysis included behaviors or actions experienced by at least 4% of the respondents. In nearly all areas, the multiracial student group reported the most experience with prejudice. We employ standpoint theory to discuss these findings.     

Residential Patterns of Black Immigrants and Native‐Born Blacks in the United States*

Objective. Although high levels of black‐white residential segregation have long been observed, relatively little is known about the residential patterns of black immigrants. This analysis examines the role of nativity and Hispanic ethnicity for the residential patterns of blacks in the United States. Methods. This article uses data from the 2000 Census to calculate dissimilarity indexes and conduct regression analyses. Results. We find differences in the extent of segregation of blacks from whites, with Hispanic blacks and non‐Hispanic black immigrants exhibiting higher levels of segregation from whites than U.S.‐born non‐Hispanic blacks. Conclusions. The strength of nativity and socioeconomic status provides some support for spatial assimilation theory. Metropolitan context also plays a role in explaining residential patterns: one reason foreign and Hispanic blacks are very segregated from whites is that they tend to reside in metropolitan areas where black‐white segregation has generally been high. Despite the role of these factors, race itself remains of great importance in explaining residential patterns, as segregation from whites is high among all black subgroups.     

The limits of inequality: Public support for social policy across rich democracies

Does public opinion react to inequality, and if so, how? The social harms caused by increasing inequality should cause public opinion to ramp up demand for social welfare protections. However, the public may react to inequality differently depending on institutional context. Using ISSP and WID data (1980?2006), we tested these claims. In liberal institutional contexts (mostly English‐speaking), increasing income inequality predicted higher support for state provision of social welfare. In coordinated and universalist contexts (mostly of Europe), increasing inequality predicted less support. Historically higher income concentration predicted less public support, providing an account of the large variation in inequality within the respective liberal and coordinated contexts. The results suggest opinions in liberal societies – especially with higher historical inequality – reached the limits of inequality, reacting negatively; whereas in coordinated/universalist societies – especially with lower historical inequality – opinions moved positively, as if desiring more inequality.     

Measuring “gender ideological identity”: Vignettes for young men and women

Authors have noted the difficulty inherent in empirically documenting gender as a personal identity, which is frequently mis-operationalized as an ideology. In this paper I build on the pioneering work of Kroska (2000) and discuss the development of a set of character vignettes to measure “gender ideological identity.” Whereas Kroska's original vignettes were created for middle-age adults already established in marital and parental roles, these vignettes were collaboratively developed using the help of undergraduate sociology students and target a younger audience of men and women in the early stages of family formation. Construct validity of the vignettes is done using data collected from undergraduate students (N = 482) and is followed by a discussion of the findings.     

Fostering supportive interactions in the neighbourhood: Using visualized narratives

The use of art (e.g. visualized narratives) in social work may stimulate dialogue between community members about family support in their neighbourhood. The Visualized Narratives on Parenting Interactions in the Neighbourhood (VN-PIN) were developed in order to foster this dialogue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the VN-PIN in social work practice and to gain insight in mechanisms that stimulate dialogues supported by visualizations. A qualitative process evaluation was conducted to explore the use of the VN-PIN in various urban settings. We observed meetings (N = 14) where the VN-PIN was applied and interviewed professionals and community members (N = 81). The results of this study show that the VN-PIN intervention gives parents a voice and allows them to recognize and reflect on their own parenting behaviour, thereby contributing to mutual exchanges in a supportive community. The conclusion of this study is that the VN-PIN is a useful intervention that social work professionals can use to foster dialogues about parenting within diverse contexts in super-diverse neighbourhoods. The intervention fosters a supportive structure to share experiences of various community members. Future research is needed to further evaluate the experiences and satisfaction of community members with the intervention.