College courses and changes in dogmatism

To observe the impact of an experimental human relations course and to compare changes occurring in students in this course with changes in students having other University experiences, most University of Minnesota entering freshmen were asked to complete the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale before the beginning of the school year in 1970, and selected groups were retested at the end of the first quarter. Mean dogmatism scores for all groups, including the experimental group, declined. In terms of dogmatism, the results did not suggest that the experimental course had a unique effect on students. Students selecting varying college experiences differed extensively at both times of testing and retesting.The author expresses his appreciation to James Rounds, who assumed much responsibility for the collection and analysis of the data.     

Audience Studies

NATURAL AUDIENCES: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH OF MEDIA USES AND EFFECTS edited by Thomas R. Lindlof (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1987—$37.50)

COMMUNICATION, GENDER, AND SEX ROLES IN DIVERSE INTERACTION CONTEXTS edited by Lea P. Stewart and Stella Ting-Toomey (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1987—$35.00)

QUESTIONNAIRES: DESIGN AND USE by Doug R. Berdie, et al. (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1986—$22.50)

CHILDREN AS CONSUMERS: INSIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS by James U. McNeal (Lexington, MA: Lexington/Heath, 1987—$24.95)     

A recent study of graduate assistants

University administrators, college deans, department chairpersons and directors, faculty members, graduate assistants, and undergraduate students were mailed questionnaires concerning the roles of and attitudes toward graduate assistants at the University of Minnesota. Basic agreement was found to exist among the six groups surveyed with regard to many aspects of graduate assistantships. Graduate assistants were found to have little knowledge of many departmental concerns that directly affect them. The number of formalized policies regulating graduate assistantships was found to vary with the classification of assistantship.Copies of the complete report may be obtained from Measurement Services Center, University of Minnesota, 9 Clarence Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414.