Role category questionnaire measures of cognitive complexity: Reliability and comparability of alternative forms

The measure of cognitive complexity (construct differentiation) based on the standard two‐peer version of Crockett's Role Category Questionnaire (RCQ) was found to have high four‐week test‐retest reliability under conditions of either strict enforcement of a time limit for completion of the RCQ ("timed” version) or no such enforcement ("untimed"). Additionally, for subjects who completed both a timed and an untimed version at a four‐week interval (with order varied), the correlation of timed and untimed differentiation scores was high.     

Digitally Savvy Citizenship: The Role of Internet Skills and Engagement in Young Adults' Political Participation around the 2008 Presidential Election

Popular narratives assume that digital media play a central role mobilizing voters and especially young adults. Based on unique survey data of a diverse group or young adults from Spring, 2009, we consider the relationship between differentiated internet uses, and online and offline political engagement around the time of the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Thanks to our rich data set, we are able to consider both online and offline activities while taking into consideration more traditional measures. Our findings suggest that online forms of political engagement complement offline engagement. The pathways to young adults' political participation remain relatively stable. We also find an association between Internet skills, social network site usage and greater levels of engagement. These findings imply that although Internet usage alone is unlikely to transform existing patterns in political participation radically, it may facilitate the creation of new pathways for engagement.     

Journalism (except writing; see page 141)

Michael F. Wendland's The Arizona Project: How a Team of Investigative Reporters Got Revenge on Deadline (Kansas City: Sheed Adrews & McMeel, 1977—$9.95)

David Frost's "I Gave Them a Sword:" Behind the Scenes of the Nixon Interviews (New York: Morrow, 1978—$9.95)

Tom Wicker's On Press (New York: Viking, 1978—$10.95),

Donald L. Shaw and Maxwell E. McCombs' The Emergence of American Political Issues: The Agenda-Setting Function of the Press (St. Paul, Minn.: 'lest Publishing, 1977—$10.95, paper)

Michael Tracey's The Production of Political Television (London and Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1977—$10.00, paper)

Donovan H. Bond and - I. Reynolds McLeod, eds. Newsletters to Newspapers: Eighteenth-Century Journalism (Morgantown: West Virginia University School of Journalism, 1977—$10.00, paper)     

Popular Music

Donald M. Marquis' In Search of Buddy Bolden, First Man of Jazz (Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State University Press, 1978—$9.95)

David A. Jasen and Trebar Jay Tichenor's Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History (New York: Seabury Press, 1978—$14.95)

Arnold Shaw's Honkers and Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm and Blues (New York: Macmillan, 1978—$19.95/9.95)

Robert Stephen Spitz's The Making of Superstars: Artists and Executives of the Rock Music World (Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1978—$8.95)

Vivian Claire's Judy Collins, and Linda Ronstadt (New York: Quick Fox (33 West 60th St.), 1978—$3.95, each, paper)

Edward Greenfield, Robert Layton, and Ivan March's The Penguin Stereo Record Guide (New York: Penguin Books, 1977—$8.95, paper)     

A refined view of download time impacts on e‐consumer attitudes and patronage intentions toward e‐retailers

Abstract

The following paper is a case study analysis of the Sony Corporation; a leading transnational media corporation in the production and sale of consumer electronics, music and film entertainment and videogame technology. There are two main parts to this study. Part I, examines the history and development of the Sony Corporation. This paper argues that the business strategies and corporate culture of a company are often a direct reflection of the person (or persons) who were responsible for developing the organization and its business mission. Part II. examines the Sony Corporation from the standpoint of business strategy. Special attention is given to the subject of organizational culture and strategic decision‐making. A second argument of this paper is that while Sony is a transnational media corporation, the organization is decidedly Japanese in its business values. The significance of this research lies in its revelations concerning the complex changes facing a company that was once historically Japanese in its origins but is tecoming increasingly transnational ïn scope and operations.     

Testing the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model: Fatness and Fitness as Enabling Factors

As the prevalence of childhood obesity increases, it is important to examine possible differences in psychosocial correlates of physical activity between normal weight and overweight children. The study examined fatness (weight status) and (aerobic) fitness as Enabling factors related to youth physical activity within the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model (YPAP). Youth ages 9–11 years (N = 1,103) completed the Children’s Physical Activity Correlates survey and the Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships among variables. Overweight children reported lower scores on global self-esteem, perceived competence, attraction to physical activity, and parental influence (Cohen’s d ranging from .23 to .45 for girls; Cohen’s d ranging from .31 to .43 for boys). Weight status showed a small positive direct effect on physical activity (standardized path coefficient = .11), but did not show effects on psychosocial correlates (p > .05). Furthermore, aerobic fitness proved to be a stronger Enabling factor (standardized path coefficient = .26) than weight status within the YPAP model. Future research using the YPAP model may extend its utility as an evaluation framework for youth physical activity intervention studies.     

The impact of school choice and public policy on segregation: Evidence from Chile

Advocates argue that vouchers can make improved educational opportunity available to disadvantaged students. Critics contend that vouchers increase the risk of stratification. Researchers have found that Chile's voucher program has lead to increased socioeconomic school segregation. What has been overlooked, however, is segregation between schools within a sector and variation within private for-profit and non-profit school sectors. I find that public schools are more likely to serve disadvantaged students than private voucher schools. I also find that disadvantaged students are more segregated among private voucher schools than among public schools. While between and within sector segregation levels vary across private voucher school types, the differences are not always consistent with theory. The data also suggest that policies can either mitigate or exacerbate the stratifying effects of educational vouchers.