National Styles of Science and Technology: A Comparative Model*

This essay articulates a comparative approach to the sociology of science. It suggests that even historically there have been numerous scholars interested in the national components of scientific knowledge. I develop a model which allows me to compare the differences in scientific growth in Sweden and Denmark. My model consists of three interrelated levels: metaphysical bias, national scientific interests, institutional structures. The comparison between the two countries shows them to be markedly different on all three levels. Finally, I suggest how the model can be applied to contemporary material.     

Family Therapy and the Theory of Logical Types

This paper re-examines the theory of logical types as it relates to family therapy. It examines the problems of Russell and Whitehead's original theory and the way in which it can provide an understanding of the nature of psychotherapy. Recent theoretical advances are discussed and some techniques specifically informed by the theory of logical types are discussed with reference to case material.     

The effect of task differences,attention and personality on the frequency of body-focused hand movements

A hypothesized relationship between apparently irrelevant self or object manipulatory hand movements and attentional demand was investigated by observing the frequency of these hand movements during the performance of three tasks: a monologue, mental arithmetic, and rest. The attentional demand of each task was assessed by means of a simultaneous reaction time probe task. The monologue task had both the highest frequency of hand movements and the highest level of attentional demand. However, correlations between these measures were not significant for any of the tasks. The influence of the task differences on movement frequencies was much greater than the effect of individual differences. Correlations of trait anxiety and field dependence measures with movement frequencies varied markedly with task differences. The nature and significance of these movements is considered by reference to similar observations in nonhuman species.     

THE SOCIAL PRODUCTION OF IDENTITY: METATHEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS*

Identity has emerged as a powerful contemporary concept for social and psychological approaches to the perennial question of defining the human individual. This article attempts to ground the understanding of identity by a discussion of its modes, sources, and metadynamics from a pragmatic social constructionist orientation.     

From safety contract to safety agreement

1. Confusion and controversy continue to surround the definition and use of safety contracts. 2. A safety agreement based on Orlando's Nursing Theory may be a more practical, concise, and nurse-patient friendly means to promote patient safety. 3. The key ingredients in a safety agreement are identifying patients' immediate safety needs and decreasing patients' immediate distress related to safety through the nurse-patient relationship. 4. The value of a safety agreement lies not in the tool itself but in its promotion of a nurse-patient relationship that involves communication and collaboration.     

Bonding to Youth Clubs and Delinquency

Youth clubs and their relationship to delinquency has received surprisingly little attention in the literature. The applicability of social bonding theory, a prominent sociological theory of delinquency, to the experiences of youth in their clubs is the primary focus of this research. The reliability and validity analysis of indices specifically created to assess club bonding suggest the legitimacy of this approach. Belief in the rules and the regulations of the club is found to be negatively correlated with delinquency. Surprisingly, weekly involvement in the club is found to be positively associated with delinquency. Implications for practice and/or intervention are discussed.     

Getting home on time: predicting timely permanence for young children

The timelines of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) (P.L. 105-89) require increased attention to the timing of permanent placement, regardless of the type of placement outcome. This study examines the multivariate predictors of timely permanence for children served by Colorado's Expedited Permanency Planning (EPP) project. EPP has used an intensive concurrent planning model aimed at reaching permanency within 12 months of initial placement for children aged 6 and younger. The EPP requirement that children be living in the permanent home by 12 months postplacement is more stringent than the technical ASFA requirements. This article uses qualitative interviews with child welfare and court personnel to identify critical barriers to and supports for effective permanency planning.