Predictions From Early Adolescent Emotional Repair Abilities to Functioning in Future Relationships

This study examined adolescents' ability to utilize emotional repair—to actively change negative moods to more positive moods—as a predictor of the quality of their developing peer and romantic relationships over time. Utilizing observational data and partners' reports, adolescents (N = 184), their close peers, and their romantic partners were followed from ages 15–19. Adolescents with initially stronger emotional repair abilities were rated as increasingly socially competent over time, and both displayed and experienced increasingly positive interactive behaviors with close peers over time. These adolescents' romantic partners also reported more positive relationships, with enhanced communication, and fewer critical, blaming, or hostile interactions. Implications for the role of emotional repair abilities in the development of successful relationships during adolescence are discussed.     

Systematic Interviewing Microskills and Neuroscience: Developing Bridges between the Fields of Communication and Counseling Psychology

Originating in 1966-68, Microcounseling was the first video-based listening program and its purposes and methods overlap with the communications field. This article presents history, research, and present applications in multiple fields nationally and internationally. Recent neuroscience and neurobiology research is presented with the important point—“counseling and communication change the brain and encourage the development of new neural networks.— Multicultural issues are important in the microskills framework. Over 500 databased Microcounseling studies exist with translations in 21 languages. The authors suggest that the communication studies field might wish to consider itself also a mental health profession as the teaching of listening skills and effective communication is central to well-being. Furthermore, communication studies can do much to increase multicultural understanding and cross-cultural communication.     

Elderly Jews and happiness with locale

This study analyzes neighborhood attachment and satisfaction within the foundations of preference theory—that is, utility analysis. This framework considers an individual's utility function, a construct that relates attachment and satisfaction to the consumption of goods and services. We demonstrate that utility functions can help to predict the individual's bond to the neighborhood. The sample population includes 268 elderly Jews residing in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Bonds to place increase with increasing age. Bonds decrease when residents perceive the neighborhood to be unsafe during the day. The percentage of Blacks is a significant predictor of bonds to place.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Allen C. Goodman, Center for Metropolitan Planning and Research, Shriver Hall, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218.This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association on August 26, 1982, in Washington, D.C. This research was supported in part by a contract from Associated Jewish Charities and Welfare Fund, Incorporated, of Baltimore, Maryland, but the results and conclusions do not represent the opinions of AJC. The authors thank Sally Shumaker for her helpful comments.     

The effect of verbal content on children's encoding of paralinguistic affect

This study examines the accuracy with which 6th-grade children communicate affect as a function of consistency and inconsistened between the verbal and paralinguistic channels. Accuracy was determined by comparing the level of affect that children intended to encode with ratings made by judges. Two independent variables were manipulated: (1) literal content of the child's verbal message (positive/negative), and (2) encoder's intended level of vocal intonation (extremely unfriendly, moderately unfriendly, neutral, moderately friendly, and extremely friendly). The hypothesis that paralinguistic encoding would be more accurate when literal content and intended affect are consistent (rather than inconsistent) was confirmed. The hypothesis that positive verbal/negative paralinguistic inconsistenc would bet more accurately encoded than negative verbal/positive paralinguistic inconsistency was also confirmed. Also, male children were more accurate encoders than female children.The authors appreciate the assistance of Linda B. Brideau in dealing with statistical problems in this study.The research was supported by the Wisconsin Research and Development Center for Cognitive Learning of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, by funds from the National Institute of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Center Contract No. NE-00-3-0065).     

Unions,corporations, and political campaign contributions: The 1982 house elections

Because legislation affects so many aspects of the labor market, unions have long considered the political arena to be a major battleground. This paper investigates fund raising, a primary ingredient of this political activity. Specifically, the pattern of campaign contributions from labor PACs (and corporate PACs) is explained as an interaction of supply and demand. The results suggest that the demand for funds depends on the tightness of the race, the tenure of the incumbent, and ideology. Contributors are more willing to support ideological allies, expected winners, and powerful candidates.     

Unit costs,legal shocks,and unionization in construction

I develop an econometric model to examine three potential causes of the decline of unionization in the construction industry in the 1970s and 1980s: increased cost relative to the open shop, reduced coverage by prevailing wage laws, and expanded double-breasting in response to NLRB decisions. The results show that relative cost was the decisive factor in the 1970s, whereas double-breasting was the most plausible explanation in the 1980s. Research support was provided by North Carolina State University. I am deeply indebted to Barry Hirsch for estimating the union-nonunion wage gaps for 1983–1991. An appendix describing the definitions and sources of the variables used in this analysis is available from the author.     

Participatory action research on HIV/AIDS through a popular theatre approach in Tanzania

A participatory theatre approach stimulated communities to break the silence about sexual and cultural practices leading to HIV transmission, and then to openly discuss what they could do to reduce transmission. Participants were district officials, artists, village and ward leaders, youths, and entire communities. Community theatre specialists trained young community members in participatory research and theatre. These artists then researched and encouraged people in their communities to discuss and evaluate the factors contributing to HIV transmission in their communities. Discussion results were transformed into community and district level performances. This was a very successful IEC effort that identified key risk behaviours and locally developed culturally appropriate, relevant materials, delivered in a popular way. People reflected upon their situation and behaviour, and community leaders addressed harmful practices. Feedback sessions were held with co-ordinators and artists to record lessons learned and make recommendations for improving and expanding the programme.