Dropouts and continuers in Gamblers Anonymous: Part 3: Some possible specific reasons for dropout

This is the third part of a study of dropouts from Gamblers Anonymous, the overall design, aims and rationale of which are outlined in part one. Dropouts who had attended more than one meeting were asked about many specific aspects of their experience in Gamblers Anonymous. These reports are compared with similarly obtained reports from a group of continuing attendees who had not gambled for more than one year in an attempt to explore the viability of many specific hypotheses as to the possible factors in dropout.     

A proposed multi-level plan to market sociological competencies

One main purpose of this paper is to encourage sociologists to fully support their sociological association leaders’ efforts to further develop and implement comprehensive plans to improve the image of sociology, especially among those who can employ our graduates, but also among the general populace. Preceding a proposed multi-level plan is an attempt to integrate and present many of the competencies that sociologists and social psychologists have identified through research into a classification of sociological and social psychological skills. The typology can facilitate the selection of competencies appropriate for academic courses or seminars. In brief, the ten categories of this typology are: (1) Communication Skills; (2) Conceptual Tools; (3) Critical Thinking; (4) Problem Solving Strategies; (5) Special Competencies Applicable to Work Organization; (6) Group Dynamics; (7) Group Counseling; (8) Applied Social Research Methodologies; (9) Consulting Expertise; and (10) Competence in Self-Marketing Skills that Students Need. The several examples of skills within each of the ten classifications could be considered by faculty for possible inclusion in their syllabi. A discussion of the necessity to better inform business, industry, foundations, and government agencies of sociological competencies is provided followed by a multi-level public relations proposal, “A Plan to Put Career Vagueness Behind Us.” The plan presented is not intended to bethe plan. It can serve as a check list or supplement to the strategic plans currently being developed and implemented by the ASA and other sociological associations.     

Rural Community Satisfaction and Attachment in Mass Consumer Society1

Abstract Previous models of community satisfaction and attachment have not included personal economic attitudes and behaviors as independent variables. Their inclusion is theoretically justified when residents of communities are viewed as consumers in a larger social/economic context first and residents of a particular community second. As locally-oriented economic processes—once part of the community experience—were removed to nonlocal markets, local economic and demographic attributes became less important to rural residents' experience of community. In two rural communities with extreme scores on a service center viability index, satisfaction with employment and location of employment are important predictors.