Boards of directors in nonprofit organizations do they follow a life-cycle model?

In this study the authors used data from a survey of Canadian nonprofit organizations to empirically test hypotheses derived from models of nonprofit board “life cycles.” The authors suggest that while formal structural elements of board behavior change in the manner suggested by life-cycle models, the more enacted or behavioral aspects of nonprofit boards do not. The data further suggest caution in the use of life-cycle or age-dependent models to either explain or guide nonprofit board behavior.     

CONVERGENT SERIES EXPRESSIONS FOR INVERSE MOMENTS OF QUADRATIC FORMS IN NORMAL VARIABLES

Using relatively recent results from multivariate distribution theory, a direct approach to evaluating the inverse moments of a quadratic form in normal variables is proposed. Convergent infinite series expressions involving the invariant polynomials of matrix argument are obtained. The solution also depends upon a positive scalar which is arbitrarily chosen. For the solution to converge an upper bound upon this scalar is derived.     

The subpoena and a day in court: guidelines for nurses

Psychiatric nurses or therapists may be subpoenaed to appear as direct or expert witnesses. The response must be carefully prepared, and nurses must be aware that testifying in court can be an anxiety-provoking experience. Testifying often involves being an advocate for a client. Clients who have a mental illness, are developmentally disabled, or have a history of abuse or recent violence deserve a conscientious response. The legal process is the avenue for providing safety or empowerment, for assuring that needs are met, and rights are obtained, and being part of that process is an important role. Being prepared for the role is essential.     

Artificiality in Experimental Sociology*

Les auteurs démontrent que la critique du caractère artificiel de l'approche expéri-mentale en sociologie est fondée sur une fausse compréhension des buts de ce type de recherche. A la lumière des objectifs de la recherche expérimentale, l'article examine sous tous ses angles l'objection de ? l'artificialité?. L'avancé fondamental repose sur le fait que le laboratoire est un cadre d'observation parmi plusieurs autres ou la theorie abstraite peut etre mise à l'epreuve empiriquement. Les avantages et désavantages que ce cadre comporte sont reliés à l'objectif de l'en-quete. On discute les consequences qui découlent de cette prise de position. The criticism that sociological laboratory experiments are artificial, we argue, is based upon a misunderstanding of the purposes of this type of research. This paper is an examination of the “artificiality objection,” in terms of the goals of experimental research. The basic point is that the laboratory is one setting among many in which abstract theory may be tested empirically, and that the advantages and disadvantages of the setting are dependent upon the goal of research. Some consequences of this position are discussed.     

Invariance Theorems for Fisher Information

In multivariate and multi-parameter contexts, new expressions for Fisher Information are derived using the copula representation of the joint distribution of random variables. Invariance of Fisher Information to margins of the joint distribution is then demonstrated.     

Children’s reasoning about unequal gender‐based distributions

Children ages 7 (N = 56, M_age = 7.24, SD = 0.83), 9 (N = 55, M_age = 9.25, SD = 0.52), and 11 (N = 52, M_age = 11.60, SD = 0.79), and emerging adults (N = 50, M_age = 20.76, SD = 0.87) judged distributions of different items to boys and girls, when the items distributed varied by gender valence (related or unrelated to gender norms) and equivalency (equivalent or unequal). Distributions were judged to be acceptable most when the items were consistent with gender norms, especially for participants at ages 7 and 9, indicating that in middle childhood, children judge unequal treatment as fair when it is related to gender norms. Items were judged to be more likable when they were gendered, and likability judgments predicted more positive evaluations of the distributions, even when controlling for age.     

Aids and Bereavement

People bereaved by AIDS are likely to be in special need of support by reason of the social situations that accompany this type of loss and the risk of infection in the survivors. Problems associated with grief, depression, and the misuse of medicinal and other drugs are common. Special problems arise when the bereaved are partners, spouses, or parents of the deceased. Issues requiring special attention include emotional overload in both clients and counselors, judgmental attitudes, secrecy, anger, guilt, and the vicious circles that easily arise and can perpetuate problems.     

A visual methodology in pursuit of liveliness: Looking at Whyte's work

The sight of blood and wounds is described as crucial by individuals who self-injure, especially those who practise self-cutting. An understanding of the visual mode is therefore important to get a deeper understanding of why people choose to cut themselves. In this article, visual aspects of first-hand experiences of self-cutting are investigated. Cutting is understood as having a purpose and a function for people who injure themselves; it releases overwhelming feelings or communicates inner states to the individuals themselves and to others. Material was taken from autobiographical accounts describing cutting episodes and from photographs documenting the act. The analysis was carried out using content and discourse analytic methods. The results were interpreted using a discourse theoretical perspective. A semiotic model is proposed to understand the communicative meaning of the acts. An important finding is the role of conceptual metaphors such as ‘the-body-is-a-container’ and ‘feelings are fluid’, which make self-cutting a logical coping strategy. The role of blood as a central sign in the act was manifest in the written and visual accounts of the self-cutting experience. Blood was related to a wide range of meanings, such as realness and true self, and to feelings such as anger and sadness. Through the drawing of blood, feelings were expressed and understood. Blood was also often aestheticised and rearticulated by self-cutters who acknowledged their deviancy as a group in relation to a hegemonic culture. Concurrent themes were the verbal and visual articulations of cutting in a control discourse as a means to regain control or, sometimes, to give oneself up to an experience of chaos.