Problems of secondary education in rural Iran: An anthropological view1

Statistics on implementing secondary education in rural Iran indicate that such a process has not been successful. Data gathered by the author during 1974/75 fieldwork support such a conclusion. It is suggested that lack of success of secondary education in rural Iran may be attributed to some cultural and economic factors which vary for men and women. The importance of the modesty code and observation of purdah (seclusio?) may account for the low enrollment of females in secondary education in rural areas. However, the need for agricultural laborers in the villages may account for the low attendance of males. Background to the development of modern education is presented.     

The measurement of physical activity in young children

Two studies were conducted to determine the validity of various measures of physical activity in young children. In Study 1, 21 preschool children were utilized to explore how well measures of children's activity obtained from parents, teachers, and the children predicted observed behavior at school and in the home. Study 2 (n = 51 preschool children) focused on the predictive validity of the Caltrac motion sensor. In both studies, detailed minute-by-minute ratings of children's activity in Study 1 were generally ineffective in predicting observed physical activity. Children's activity preferences, however, were significantly related to the proportion of high intensity physical activity performed. In Study 2, there was a significant relationship (r = .86, p less than .0001) between Caltrac readings and observed physical activity. This correlation was similar for boys and girls, normal and overweight children, and younger and older children. These findings suggest that the Caltrac monitor may provide a valid index of individual differences in physical activity in young children.     

The Conversational Geography of Word-of-Mouth Communication and Marketing Practices

This study was a test of the utility of a diary-based methodology for revealing how word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing agents perceive their campaign and non-campaign-related WOM communication episodes. A modified version of the Iowa Communication Record, originally designed for presenting the “geography of everyday conversation,” was the base for the collection of 2,088 self-reports of the agents' WOM episodes. Data were subjected to a principal components factor analysis. The resulting factors—communication quality, value, impact, relational change, and conversational control—served to gauge differences attributable to the institutional nature of the WOM, sex of respondent and conversational partner, relationship type, and day of week.     

The effects of self-monitoring and reinforcement on exercise adherence

Two behavioral techniques were assessed to determine their effects on subjects' adherence to unsupervised exercise. The subjects were 35 moderately fit persons who had just completed an adult fitness program (AF group) and 42 sedentary individuals who were recruited through the campus newspaper (NEWS group). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) self-monitoring, (b) reinforcement supplied by another person, or (c) control. All subjects were given instructions on how to exercise and asked to exercise on their own for 18 weeks. Self-monitoring subjects kept written records of their exercise behavior, while reinforcement subjects verbally reported their exercise behavior to another person who periodically administered rewards. Pre- and posttreatment tests on the NEWS group revealed no significant treatment or interaction effects. However, the reinforcement group had an 11% improvement in predicted max VO2 and a 9 bpm improvement in exercise heart rate compared to 7.8%, 5 bpm for the self-monitoring (SM) group and 5.3%, 6 bpm for the control group. T-tests indicated that reward and SM groups improved significantly on these variables, whereas the control group did not. SM (M = 2.07) and reinforcement (M = 2.29) groups reported a significantly higher frequency of exercise per week than the control (M = 1.36) group. The AF subjects were able to maintain their fitness level (with the exception of a small increase in body fat) over the 18-week period. The behavioral interventions had little differential effect on adherence by AF subjects who were already regular exercisers.     

Communication during job promotions: A case of ongoing assimilation

This interview study examines communication during job promotions as part of the ongoing assimilation process. Results suggest promoted employees experience phases similar to those experienced by newcomers or transferees: a Pre‐Promotion Phase during which they gain experience; a Shifting Phase in which their communication changes as they develop and negotiate their new roles; and an Adjustment Phase when they feel comfortable in their new roles. Results indicate that those promoted must develop new communication relationships and skills despite remaining in the same organizational location. Unlike others making role transitions, those promoted frequently experience testing or hazing, but also appear to have more ability to change and influence their organizations.