Continuities in Support for Racial Equality, 1972 to 1976

Capitalizing upon the panel component of the 1972–1976National Election Study, we explore change in white Americans'support for racial equality. Two general propositions regardingindividual change are examined: frustration-aggression theory,which attributes change to the stresses and strains of privatelife; and realistic group conflict theory, which attributeschange to the tangible threats blacks pose to whites' privateinterests. We find intermittent support for the first and virtuallyno support for the second. Much more impressive is the durabilityof opinion on racial equality, the insulation of racial opinionfrom the ostensibly powerful predicaments of private life.     

EMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE PARTICIPATION AMONG WOMEN

The model makes a distinction between "voluntary" and "involuntary" welfare receipt. the findings suggest that among female heads of households, the increase in welfare receipt that occured between 1967 and 1979 was almost completely attributable to an increase in involuntary unemployment and an increase in the proportion of the population that was eligible for welfare (due to changes in program parameters). The passage of time, used as a proxy for changes in the stigma associated with receiving welfare, appears to be a secondary importance. The labor supply response to welfare programs is small, and possibly diminishing over time.     

EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE JOB CREATION STRATEGIES

This paper examines the costs of job creation under a wide range of programs that the government has at its disposal. The framework chosen for the analysis is a standard neo-classical model which allows for pockets of unemployment (created by structural imperfections in the operation of the labor market) but not cyclical unemployment. A general conclusion that emerges from the analysis is that job creation programs which are tightly targeted at disadvantaged workers (the structurally unemployed) are much less costly methods of creating additional employment than are untargeted programs.     

Improving the Interpersonal Skills of Social Work Students: The Problem of Transfer of Training and What to do About it

Correspondence to Dr David Dickson, Head, SST Centre, Dept of Communication, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Co Antrim, N Ireland, BT37 0QB. Summary Interpersonal skills which enable the worker to engage meaningfullywith the client, lie at the heart of effective social work practice(Cournoyer, 1991). The acceptance of this proposition has importantand obvious implications for the preparation of would-be socialworkers. While the increasing popularity of structured approachesto training in this domain has been commented upon (Sowers-Hoagand Thyer, 1985), it is, perhaps, surprising that relativelylittle has been published by way of a systematic explorationof current social work education/training provision in promotingskilled professional interaction. This paper critically reviews some of the research investigatingthe effects of structured training on interviewing performance.While reported outcomes have been largely positive, methodologicalweaknesses are identified and discussed. The issue of trainingeffects persisting and being applied outwith the training environmentis dwelt upon. Contrasting paradigmatic perspectives on theprocess, reflected in such labels as ‘transfer of training’and ‘generalization of outcome’, are considered.These differing conceptualizations are synthesized in the illuminationof factors that seem to be pivotal in the transfer process.Finally, recommendations are made for improving interpersonalskill training procedures for social work students.     

Youth Gambling Problems: Examining Risk and Protective Factors

This study examined the relationship between several pre-examined risk factors for youth problem gambling, a number of potential protective factors for youth problem gambling, and the development of adolescent problem gambling. The sample consisted of 2179 students, ages 11–19. The results of analyses of variance revealed that lower family and school connectedness are associated with adolescent problem gambling. Further, an examination of the effect of potential protective factors on a set of risk factors predictive of adolescent problem gambling suggests that lack of family cohesion plays a role in predicting at-risk and problem gamblers. The results are framed in terms of a general model of risky behaviour and implications for prevention are outlined.     

INTEGRATION IN MANUFACTURING: AN INFORMATION THEORETIC PERSPECTIVE

Integration is a buzzword in manufacturing strategies for global competitiveness. However, some fundamental questions have yet to be answered scientifically; namely, what is integration, why integrate, and what should be integrated? How do existing integration models approach the problems of integration and to what extent are they successful? A theory-based model of information requirements for integrated manufacturing is needed to answer these questions properly. Such a model can unify hitherto narrowly defined and domainoriented approaches. We suggest a paradigm of parallel formulation and use it to formulate the information requirements for integration, including data and knowledge classes, decision spaces, and logical interactions.