The Learning Organization: Adult Learning and Organizational Transformation

The concept of the ‘learning organization’, with its roots in self-development and action-learning, has recently caught the imagination of many organizations and researchers. However, emerging definitions are creating ambiguity. There is, therefore, a need to add substance to them, and widen our understanding of what the concept means, by concentrating on what is meant by ‘learning’, and focusing on exactly how adults learn. Understanding and facilitating adult learning in organizations is, by and large, a confused activity that fails to connect with an individual's other experiences and needs, and with what modern psychology and research have to teach us. In particular, learning and skills need to be linked to the questioning of purpose and value in an organization.     

Interaction between gaze and legitimacy of request on compliance in a field setting

It was hypothesized that experimenter gaze would lead to increased compliancewith a legitimate request and decreased compliance with an illegitimate request. Subjects (95 males, 73 females) in Experiment 1 gave more dimes for a phone call to gazing rather than non-gazing female experimenters. Experimenter gaze did not influence dimes given by subjects for a candy bar. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 with a different legitimacy manipulation and with an additional treatment including both gaze and touch. A significant interaction showed that subjects (56 males, 58 females) gave more dimes for a legitimate request (phone call) when they received gaze alone or gaze and touch from a female experimenter. Subjects gave more dimes for an illegitimate request (buying gum) when the experimenter did not gaze at or touch them.Data from this experiment were presented at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Seattle, 1977. The author expresses thanks to David A. Kenny for his generous advice and assistance with data analysis. Appreciation is also extended to the following Wheaton College students who served as experimenters: Priscilla Brown, Nancy Boucher, Ali Chase, Wendy Churchill, Gail Gilmore, Rena Loderhose, Susan MacIntire, Wendy Minsky, Liz Popieniuck, Diane Riddle, Ann Sears, Lisa Shea, Debbie Swenson, Amy Zemsky.     

Analysis Of Variance In A Descriptive Context: A Geographic Example

This paper is designed to introduce students in the 16–19 group to Analysis of Variance. It takes as its subject a political-geographic issue, namely electoral districting, or gerrymandering. The topic of gerrymandering is outlined, and the distribution of boundaries for the 1979 EEC elections in London examined. Different gerrymanders are then explored, using Analysis of Variance to describe various types of solution, according to the distribution of the Labour vote both within and between constituencies.     

HOMEWARD BOUND: THE RETURN MIGRATION OF SOUTHERN-BORN BLACK WOMEN, 1940 TO 1990

A major demographic trend of the twentieth century has been the dramatic decrease in the percentage of African Americans residing in the South. The Great Migration reduced the percentage of Blacks living in the South from 90 percent at the turn of the century to 53 percent in 1990. However, since at least 1940 there has been a measurable North to - South counterstream of migrants , and since about 1970 there has been net in - migration of Blacks to the South . This in - migration includes northern - born Blacks, as well as former migrants returning to the South. Prior research on the Great Migration, and its more recent reversal, has tended to overlook the experiences of Black women. In this study, we use the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series to describe the return migration patterns of southern - born Black women in 1940, 1970, 1980, and 1990. Our analysis has four primary objectives: (a) to provide a broad overview of trends in return migration to the South for Black women during the last 60 years of the twentieth century, (b) to determine the selectivity of female return migrants from the larger population of southern migrants residing in the North, (c) to compare female return migrants with southern - born women who had remained in the South, and (d) to help set an agenda for future research on female return migration. Although the focus throughout the article is on the return migration of African American women, parallel information is presented for Whites to provide a comparative perspective.     

The Power of Silver: Age and Identity Politics in the 21st Century

Pensioner political movements emerged in the interwar years in America and Europe. Documentary and empirical analyses confirm the influential role such movements played in helping shape the postwar social security systems of Western societies. Pensioner movements, qua pensioner movements, have failed to retain their influence, despite that “old age” and its demographic significance have become more salient. We propose three explanations for this: the first concerns the failure of old age to connect with the generational ethos of identity politics; the second reflects the nature of the actors now involved in the governance of old age; and the third concerns the individualization of retirement as a phase of life.     

Are There Differing Patterns of Health Care Access and Utilization Among Male Sexual Minorities in the United States?

Disparities in health care access and utilization among male sexual minorities in the United States were explored using data from the National Survey of Family Growth (N = 8,846). Bisexual men had a small disadvantage in health insurance coverage but no differences were found in health insurance or consistency of coverage between gay and heterosexual men. Gay men were more likely to have a usual place of care, but were not more likely to utilize services. The current study provides inconclusive evidence for systematic disparities in health care access and utilization among gay and bisexual men in the United States.     

Assessing Community Needs of Sexual Minority Youths: Modeling Concept Mapping for Service Planning

Research devoted to interventions and other attempts to buffer the negative experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (GLBTQ) youths is lacking. This study used Concept Mapping to explore the psychosocial support needs of diverse sexual minority youths served in a GLBTQ youth-focused center and brings youth voice to currently limited literature on GLBTQ service planning. Conceptual maps generated represent the types of supports youths believe are needed to meet their needs. Three primary areas for service planning—developing protective supports, mental health-related supports, and culturally relevant services—were identified from the 58 statements and 5 clusters generated.