Structure, Agency, and Context: The Contributions of Geography to World-Systems Analysis

The interaction of geography and world-systems theory has created two groups of work. The first body of work uses world-systems theory as its theoretical framework with minor levels of critique or change. The second body of work attempts to inform world- systems theory by explicitly including a geographical perspective. Human geographers attracted to world-systems theory provide a perspective that highlights the role of agency in what is widely perceived to be a rigid structuralist approach. Key geographical concepts of region and place are viewed as social constructs created within an overarching context of structural imperatives. By conceptualizing places, states, and the macroregions of core, semiperiphery, and periphery as geographical scales, the role of agency in creating and maintaining the important structures and institutions of the capitalist world-economy, such as hegemony, is illustrated. The geographer's interest in the creation of geographical scales results in analysis of the dynamism of the contemporary world-system.     

THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG SELECTED SUPERVISOR,THERAPSIT, AND CLIENT BEHAVIORS*

This study examined the extent to which supervisory phone-ins were related to change in both immediate therapist behaviors and subsequent change in resistant behaviors of client family members. Of specific interest was whether the congruence of supervisor and therapist behaviors (referred to as isomorphism by some family therapy authors) would be related to immediate change in client resistance. The quality of supervisor's Support and Teach behaviors was foundj to be significantly related to the change in the quality of the threrapists' Support and Teach behaviors. Moreover, in instances where both supervisors and their supervises demonstrated effective Support and Teach behaviors, clients generally tended to either remain cooperative or become cooperative more frequently than when both effective supervisor and supervisee behaviors where not present.     

A view from above: The evolving sociological landscape

How has sociology evolved over the last 40 years? In this paper, we examine networks built on thousands of sociology-relevant papers to map sociology’s position in the wider social sciences and identify changes in the most prominent research fronts in the discipline. We find first that sociology seems to have traded centrality in the field of social sciences for internal cohesion: sociology is central, but not nearly as well bounded as neighboring disciplines such as economics or law. Internally, sociology appears to have moved away from research topics associated with fundamental social processes and toward social-problems research. We end by discussing strategies for extending this work to wider science production networks.     

Hitler's Willing Executioners: What does “willing” mean?

Theory and Society -     

What inhibits the mere-exposure effect: Recollection or familiarity?

The mere-exposure effect is the formation of a positive affective reaction (PAR) to repeated or single exposure to a stimulus, even in the absence of awareness. The mere-exposure effect indicates that communication effects go beyond “explicit memory”, measured with the traditional measures of (aided) recall and recognition. “Implicit memory” indicates latent communication effects, e.g., liking, for persons exposed to particular stimuli. The mere-exposure effect in the absence of awareness represents implicit memory. In this study, the mere-exposure effect is observed by using a new type of divided-attention method with Chinese participants responding to Chinese characters. The prediction by the two-factor model of mere-exposure effect is confirmed. Recognition (“explicit memory”) may inhibit the mere-exposure effect. Recognition memory is a dual process with two aspects: recollection and familiarity. Employing the process dissociation procedure (PDP) (Jacoby, L.L., 1991. Journal of Memory and Language 30, 513–541), it is found that familiarity of above-chance recognition is greater than that of chance recognition. It is the high level of familiarity and not recollection of abovechance recognition that inhibits the mere-exposure effect. The implications of these findings are that a high level of familiarity inhibits the primary affective reaction and “replaces” this reaction with a more conscious and cognitive evaluation. With the two-factor model, with wear-in (habituation) and wear-out (satiation) factors, the optimal level of exposure may be determined in order to increase the affective reaction. The study shows the robustness of the mere-exposure effect, also for familiar stimuli.     

Risk and value at risk

Increasingly complicated tools known as financial derivatives have been introduced in recent times to manage the market risk arising from floating exchange rates. The rapid development of the derivatives markets has in turn introduced new risks into the business of finance - witness the highly-publicised trading losses at Metallgesellschaft and Procter and Gamble. A principal method for measuring and reporting market risk in the portfolios of banks and their clients is ‘value at risk’ (VaR).Fred Stambaugh explains the concept of ‘value at risk’ and describes three principal approaches to calculating it - correlation matrix, historical simulation and Monte Carlo simulation; they are alternatives, not competitors. As well as setting out their uses, he considers those situations that go beyond ‘value at risk’, i.e. dire events that lie beyond the confidence level of VaR. Techniques for portfolio stress testing are discussed.     

Compulsive gambling and the changing military law

Military courts have had to face the issue of compulsive gambling in criminal court-martial proceedings. The military recently switched from the liberal ALI definition of insanity to the much more stringent standards of the federal Insanity Defense Reform Act. However, military courts have not even allowed in expert testimony, holding the relevance of compulsive gambling has not been generally accepted in the scientific community. The rules involving extenuation or mitigation in sentencing allow much more leeway. Although compulsive gambling cannot be used as the basis for a defense of insanity in military courts, defense lawyers will continue to raise the issue in attempting to obtain lesser punishments for their military clients.B.S. Loyola College, J.D. Univ. of MD, Active duty Judge Advocate General's Corps, four years currently selected for promotion to Colonel, USAR. Partner, Stark and Little.B.A. 1982, Gettysburg College; J.D., 1987, Univ. of Balto.; Associate, Stark and Little, Baltimore, MD; member of the Baltimore City, Md. State, and Am. Bar Associations.     

REVIEWS

PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Dreunlin, D., Schwartz, R., & MacKune-Karrer, B. (1992). Metaframeworkds: Transcending the models of family therapy.
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Ammerman, R. T., & Hersen, M. (Eds.). (1992). Assessment of family violence: A clinical and legal sourcebook.
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Potter-Efron, R., & Potter-Efron, P. (1991). Anger, alcoholism, and addiction: Treating individuals, couples, and families.
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Duncan, B., L., & Rock, J. W. (1991). Overcoming relationship impasses: Ways to initiate change when when your partner won't help.
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Hoorwitz, A. N. (1992) The clinical detective: Techniques in the evaluation of sexual abuse.
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Snider, M. (1992). Process family therapy. Needham Heights
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Campell, D., Draper, R., & Huffington, C. J. (1991). A systemic approach to consultation.
GENERAL INTEREST BOOKS: Colby, A., & Damon, W. (1992). Some do care: Contemporary lives of moral commitment.
GENERAL INTEREST BOOKS: Pasick, R. (1992). Awakening from the deep sleep: A powerful guide for courageous men.
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Couples: The Relationship Game. (1992). (A series of weekly contents designed to be played by partners in a relationshp over a period of one year).
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Ziegler, R. G. (1992). Homemade books to help kids cope.
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Margulies, S. (1992). Getting divorced without ruining your life.
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Packer, A. J. (1992). Bringing up parents: The teenager's handbook.