Differentiating Contemporary Racial Prejudice from Old-Fashioned Racial Prejudice

The present study addresses the distinction between contemporary and old-fashioned prejudice using survey data from a national sample (n = 600) of self-identified whites living in the United States and interviewed by telephone in 2001. First, we examine associations among indicators of contemporary and old-fashioned prejudice. Consistent with the literature, contemporary and old-fashioned prejudice indicators represent two distinct but correlated common factors. Second, we examine whether belief in genetic race differences uniformly predicts both types of prejudice. As might be expected, belief in genetic race differences predicts old-fashioned prejudice but contrary to recent theorizing, it also predicts contemporary prejudice.     

Censorship and the Australian Public

Recently the authors with the assistance of a research grant from the Sebel Company of Australia, carried out a study of attitudes held by sub-groups within Australian society. One of the topical issues investigated was the desirability of censorship of the mass media. The results of this section of the inquiry, based on a questionnaire administered to 1,455 adults in Sydney and Melbourne, are presented in this article.     

Does poor weight gain identify children in need?

To determine the socioeconomic variables in children with slow growth (failure to thrive), a case–control study was carried out in two economically deprived areas of Newcastle upon Tyne. Three hundred and six children, aged 12–24 months, registered at two health authority clinics, were studied by reviewing their growth charts. Sixty-three had poor growth (weight deviating downwards across two major centiles from the maximum centile attained at 4–8 weeks of age). Five children were excluded because of known organic disease. A matched control group of normally growing children was selected from the same clinics. Study children and controls were examined and their parents interviewed on a range of socioeconomic, health and interactional factors. A health visitor assessment and a record of social work contact was obtained. The slowly growing children differed significantly from controls in being lighter and shorter, while their mothers spent less on food, needed more help with the child, had a poorer home environment and expressed greater concern over their child's health. Four different patterns of poor growth were identified by inspection of the charts: early onset (before 6 months but sustained), late onset (after 6 months), temporary and recurrent. The ‘recurrent’ group was associated with parenting difficulties and the ‘late onset’ group with adverse socioeconomic factors. Slow growth patterns in children under 2 years may be used as a screening tool to identify ‘children in need’ and should be sought on a population basis. Those identified can then be assessed further to ascertain the area where underlying difficulties lie, for intervention to follow as appropriate.     

15 minutes of statistical fame

Tony Lawrance surveyed his email one morning to find an urgent request from the West Mercia Police Authority to give a statistical opinion on a government report recommending the merger of the current 43 police forces into as few as 12. The Authority asked for an independent objective assessment, "even if we don't like the answer." Persuaded by this freedom, he submitted his report within the 2-day deadline and returned, as he thought, to the day job. Well, not quite—a media storm followed.