The search for and generation of causal explanations required by the task of explaining an initial impression, appear to be sufficient to raise the subjective likelihood of the event explained and to result in the persistence of the initial impression. Generating supporting and counter arguments with respect to the event does not result in an…

Social theories (beliefs about relationships between variables in the social environment) are often used in making judgments, predictions, or decisions. Three experiments on the role of explanation processes in the development and use of social theories were conducted. The first experiment assessed the effects of explaining a hypothetical…

Describes a survey of U.S. public television programers which identified 11 factors perceived as important in making programing decisions; however, it was found that about 70 percent of total variance was explained by five of the factors: audience measures, personal feedback, program strategy, station resources, and intuition. The questionnaire is…

Analysis of data from 53 medical students found a gender-specific correlation between faculty evaluations of clinical clerkships and eventual female student choice of that rotation's specialty and between high mini-Board scores by male students and male selection of that specialty. Substantially more women chose pediatrics residencies than…

This paper describes a quantitative method to investigate the enrollment motives of students, and reports on the application of the method at the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands). The paper discusses environmental, educational/organizational, and image factors influencing a student's choice of a particular university. A quantitative…

Before there can be an understanding of politics, policy, and action in education, there must be an understanding of the value systems of policymakers. Policymakers, in their talk, in their choices of symbols and metaphors, in their choices of strategies for dealing with conflict, reveal their own needs, their role orientations, their group…

Appropriate and inappropriate uses of the strategic planning concept are identified, and significant literature on the subject is reviewed that gives both conceptual and practical guidelines. Included is a series of very simple to more complex planning models that colleges and universities can adopt or modify, depending on their circumstances, to…

Reductions in resources and increases in external demands place schools under pressure that can be relieved to some extent by organizational changes. When resources are sufficient, these changes may take the form of technical rationality--that is, decisions concerning policy and practices are made on the basis of neutral, measurable data rather…

Factors influencing teachers' decision making in the classroom were studied. Fourteen elementary school teachers in five schools were observed and interviewed. Observations focused on formal, organized classroom activities, and interviews centered on what basis, or for what reason, a particular procedure or curriculum material was employed. Types…

Students (n=300) referred for special education and diagnosed as learning disabled, mentally retarded, or not eligible were examined to determine the differential contribution of sociocultural variables on eligibility decisions within the context of intelligence test factors. Factors analyzed included verbal comprehension, perceptual organization,…

Describes and illustrates the interaction between personal, policy, and organizational factors that influence teachers' decisions regarding content and teaching methods. Specifically questions how this information might be used in determining the efficacy of educational reforms. Includes verbatim comments from teachers and a sample of interview…