Knowledge and Opinions About the Iranian Crisis: A Reconsideration of Three Models

This paper tests Gamson and Modigliani's enlightenment, mainstream,and cognitive consistency models of the linkage between knowledgeand foreign policy opinions. Data from a survey of Lexington,Kentucky residents shortly after the seizure of the Americanembassy in Teheran, Iran in late 1979 indicate that althoughthe mainstream model performs somewhat better than its two competitors,none of the Gamson-Modigliani models adequately explains publicopinion concerning American policy options. Concluding discussioncenters on the possible reasons for the weak showing of themodels.     

ESTIMATING COMMUNITY STANDARDS: THE USE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE EVIDENCE IN AN OBSCENITY PROSECUTION

Elements of the legal test for obscenity of sexually explicitmaterial indicted in a criminal case are examined. A cross-sectionof residents of Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) were randomlyassigned to view either one of the sexually explicit films andthe sexually explicit magazine charged in the criminal case,or a control film. Before and after the viewing, residents judgedthe materials' appeal to a prurient interest (a shameful, morbid,unhealthy interest in sex) and patent offen siveness (communitytolerance for such material). The results indicated that therespondents felt that the films and magazine did not appealto a shameful, morbid, or unhealthy interest in sex, nor didthey perceive these materials as going beyond the level of toleranceregarding depictions of sexual conduct for the average adultin that community. A lower percentage of subjects thought thecommunity tolerated the materials they had just viewed thanwhen they were asked to report on what they personally tolerated.Fewer people felt the films appealed to a shameful, morbid,or unhealthy interest in sex after they had an opportunity tosee them than before viewing. The advantages of providing jurorsin obscenity cases with information about community standardsbased on summations of personal tolerance for materials actuallycharged in these cases, rather than hypothetical judgments aboutthe community and obscenity, is discussed.     

Independent Living Schemes: Organization, Resident Characteristics and Outcomes

Correspondence to David Phillips, Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN. Summary This paper presents the findings of a major follow-up studyof independent living schemes (ILSs) for people with mentalhealth problems and people with learning difficulties. The surveywas undertaken in four local authority areas and covered 171schemes accommodating 481 residents. Information was gatheredon the characteristics of the schemes and their occupants, withparticular reference to the suitability of the ILSs in meetingresidents' needs. It was found that mixed-sex ILSs and ILSsrun by voluntary bodies in cooperation with statutory agencieshad higher than average success rates.     

Maximizing product mix profitability - what's the best analysis tool

This paper takes a look at product mix profitability and compares several alternative methodologies for selecting the optimal product mix. It is argued that the optimal product mix is not determined using traditional accounting methodologies and that dropping marginally profitable products based on the accounting rules will give you less than optimal profitability. This paper looks at two different ways for coming up with the optimal product mix: one using theory of constraints (TOC) and another using linear programming.