Reactions to research participation in vulnerable subgroups

This paper describes the extent to which vulnerable individuals (defined by economic, social, psychological, physical health, and child maltreatment status) react to research participation. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, participants (N=896) completed a lengthy and intrusive in-person interview and provided a small amount of blood through finger pricks. At the end of the interview, participants were asked eight questions about their reactions to the research experience. Vulnerable individuals in general agreed more strongly about having an emotional reaction, but were not less willing to continue to participate. In addition, psychologically vulnerable individuals more strongly agreed they would continue to participate, were treated with respect and dignity, and found their participation meaningful. Compared to whites, nonwhites reported stronger agreement about the meaningfulness of the research and the belief that their responses would be kept private. Like others, individuals vulnerable by virtue of their prisoner status or homelessness (past or current) agreed more strongly about having an emotional reaction to the interview, but otherwise did not differ in their reactions. These results suggest that researchers and institutional review boards should not be deterred from conducting research on sensitive topics with potentially vulnerable populations.     

Value similarity about human resources,competitiveness and social responsibility: A study of organizational and suborganizational differences

This study explored the perception of value similarity between employees and top management. Three types of organizational values were identified including values concerning the use of human resources, the competitiveness of the firm, and the importance of social responsibility. Two organizations and two subpopulations within one organization were examined to determine if differences exist in the way different groups configure their values. The results revealed that the importance of value similarity on the use of human resources was univocal or common to both organizations and subpopulations. In contrast, similarity on competitiveness values and social responsibility values were found to vary and thus operate uniquely for different organizations and subgroups. The implications of these findings for the universality versus uniqueness debate within the culture literature and the future measurement of organizational value constructs are discussed.     

Understanding human ambivalence about sex: the effects of stripping sex of meaning

We offer a theoretical perspective to provide insight into why people are ambivalent about sex and why cultures regulate sex and attach symbolic meaning to it. Building on terror management theory, we propose that sex is problematic for humankind in part because it reminds us of our creaturely mortal nature. Two experiments investigated the effects of reminding people of the similarity between humans and other animals on their reactions to the physical aspects of sex. In Study 1, priming human-animal similarities led to increased accessibility of death-related thoughts after thinking about the physical but not romantic aspects of sex. In Study 2, when participants were reminded of similarities between humans and other animals, mortality salience resulted in decreased attraction to the physical but not romantic aspects of sex. In each study, priming thoughts about how humans are distinct from animals eliminated the association between sex and death.     

Dynamic Pricing in e‐Services under Demand Uncertainty

High volatility of the e‐services market, due to increasing competition, low life cycle of products, and easy availability of information about competing service offerings to customers, makes the demand for service offerings quite uncertain. Revenue management in such markets calls for real‐time techniques to learn the demand and its dependence on both the price and the service level associated with the service offering. We assume firms reply on exploratory approaches for demand estimation, in which firms experiment with different service offerings in order to simultaneously learn the demand while doing business. Such exploration and learning process can be costly without supervision. As reported by Rothschild (Journal of Economic Theory, 9 185‐202, 1974), traditional Bayesian dynamic control approaches may conclude with suboptimal offerings. We propose a novel demand learning approach that is guaranteed to converge to the optimal offering. The approach combines simulated annealing algorithm with Bayesian learning. We further present intelligent techniques that adaptively reduce the effort of exploration on suboptimal service offerings so as to improve the long‐run average profit.     

Narrative stability in interview accounts

We identify and discuss the phenomenon of narrative stability, in the context of current methodological literature on interviewing. It derives from two independent studies, undertaken fifteen years apart, of members of the same genetics research group who were interviewed by different researchers. The first (‘Discovery’) interviews were collected very soon after the breakthrough was first published. The second (‘Legacy’) interviews were based on informants looking back at those events. Some strikingly similar narrative episodes across those accounts suggest strong narrative stability. In the course of interviews, informants reproduce biographical stories that are well sedimented. Not all interview materials, therefore, should be thought of exclusively in terms of co-production between interviewer and informant.     

Gender differences in substance use and initiation of sexual activity

Even though widespread efforts have focused on educating young adults about HIV and AIDS, many individuals continue to engage in behaviors that place them at risk. These behaviors include frequent experimentation with alcohol and other drugs prior to sex, engaging in sexual activity with different partners, and inconsistent safe sex practices (Butcher et al. 1991). The combination of these risky behaviors causes increased concern about the spread of HIV among those of college age. This study focused on two behaviors by examining the relationship between substance use during adolescence and early initiation of sexual activity in a sample of 950 subjects aged 19–21 in a mid-sized southern city. Results indicate that early use of alcohol and marijuana relates to earlier initiation of sexual activity and subsequent risky sexual behavior among young adults. Also, gender differences were observed for frequent users of marijuana and alcohol with males engaging in riskier sexual practices. Recommendations for interventions are made.     

The Effect of Attachment Theory in the Development of Eating Disorders: Can Symptoms Be Proximity-Seeking?

The relationship between attachment theory, proximity seeking behaviors and the development of eating disorders was investigated in three groups of adolescent females from various settings; 44 individuals with eating disorders, 28 clinical controls, and 36 non-clinical controls. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and the Parental Attachment Questionnaire were both used in this study and both found that the clinical groups demonstrated a weaker sense of attachment quality compared to their non-clinical counterparts. This study also expands upon John Bowlby's concept of proximity seeking, to offer a possible explanation of the function for eating disorder symptomatology. A new measure, the Proximity-Seeking Scale, found that self-reported changes in both the physical and psychological proximity needs of those with eating disorders had transpired since the clinical diagnosis of the disorder.     

Social work with African refugee children and their families

This article explores the issues and dilemmas that arise when social workers attempt to work with African refugee and asylum seeking children and their families. There is a complex interplay between social workers’ skills and knowledge in this area and the prevailing social attitudes towards these groups of service users. By initially setting the context of mass movement of peoples from situations of danger in their countries of origin, the discussion highlights the key issues and shows the tensions of practice intervention in this area. Drawing on a small‐scale research study with social workers and discussions with immigration officers and workers in voluntary agencies working with refugees and asylum seekers, the article draws some conclusions about the lessons that can be learnt in order to improve practice.     

Peer Led Focus Groups and Young People

Peer led focus groups, a qualitative social science research method, and their use with young people are examined. The paper outlines three developments that have contributed to their emergence, namely: traditional focus groups, peer education and participatory research. Drawing on a study in progress, the advantages and challenges associated with peer led focus groups are discussed. A key benefit is that the power differential between the adult researcher and the researched is removed, at least at the point of data collection, rendering peer led focus groups one of few research contexts in which young people can speak collectively with no adult present.     

Getting Off: Development of a Model Program for Gay and Bisexual Male Methamphetamine Users

An evidence-based gay-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT) intervention for methamphetamine-using gay and bisexual men was adapted for use in a community-based setting, thereby moving research into practice. The 48-session, 16-week GCBT intervention was revised to 24 sessions requiring 8 weeks and renamed Getting Off: A Behavioral Treatment Intervention for Gay and Bisexual Male Methamphetamine Users. GCBT was modified for implementation within the limited resources and capacity of community-based organizations while also retaining drug use and HIV risk reduction outcomes. Since 2007, Getting Off has been sustained with public health funding at the community site and has been adopted by multiple community-based sites.