Presents propositions fundamental to a comprehensive Marxist theory of personality: five premises about the ontological nature of the person and four about underlying expresssive personality characteristics. Differences between the proposed theory and traditional theories are discussed in terms of sociohistorical influence, the nature of…

Argues that the individualism-collectivism dichotomy overlooks values that inherently serve both individual and collective interests, ignores values that foster the goals of collectives other than the ingroup, and promotes the mistaken assumption that individualist and collectivist values form opposing syndromes. Suggests refined value types. (FMW)

Examines the state of educational policy analysis, discussing the field's history, conceptual approaches to policy, areas of policy that have been studied, and methodological issues. Concludes with speculation on the future of policy research. (MCG)

The empirical support for three theoretical approaches to infant intervention is reviewed, including direct intervention via nonsocial means, direct intervention via social means, and indirect infant intervention via social support to the family. For each approach, underlying theoretical assumptions are identified, and for each assumption,…

Discussed is a study which triangulates the relationship between the patriarchal system, capitalism, and ecology using ethnomethodology. Relates a feminine idealogical set to general environmental sensibility. (CW)

The National Network of Women's Caucuses first biennial meeting saw over 50 participants come together to discuss a broad range of issues affecting women in the disciplines and professions. One set of discussions included panelists Dorothy O. Helly, Elizabeth Kamarck Minnich, Sandra Coyner, Leslie Hill-Davidson, and Betty Schmitz. The discussion…

The ambivalent relationship between political theory understood as a sub-discipline within political science and political theory as an interdisciplinary theoretical activity with a long-standing historical tradition has been well documented. The schism between political theory and political science is seen by some as a recent tragedy within…

Seven school superintendents in the state of Washington with varying levels of exposure to Iannacone and Lutz's dissatisfaction theory of democracy as well as varying degrees of experience with electoral conflict in their careers were interviewed to determine the level of their understanding of the theory, their acceptance of it, their ability to…

Traditionally, social psychology has conceptualized sex and gender as subject variables with sex as a biological substrate and gender as a sociocultural consequence of sex. These ideas rest on the assumption of two distinct biological categories. However, gender is better thought of in dialectical rather than oppositional terms. Gender is both…

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…

This paper distinguishes between two ecological perspectives on organizational evolution: population ecology, which limits investigation to evolutionary change in established populations, and community ecology, which focuses on the rise and fall of populations themselves as basic units of evolutionary change. These perspectives produce contrasting…

Examines the following theories proposed by social psychologists to explain popular resistance to affirmative action strategies: (1) the naivete explanation; (2) the symbolic racism theory; and (3) the "realistic" group-conflict theory. Argues that social psychology ignores the public's perception of Blacks as members of a social underclass. (FMW)

Discusses the relationship of ideology, social theory, critical analysis, hegemony, and objectivity in the work of educational historians. Comments that the training of educational historians often neglects intensive ideological analysis of historical research. Argues that study of historiographical methodology and consciousness of its dimensions…

Individuals tend to hold on to initial impressions even after the data upon which they have formed the impression have been discredited. To partially replicate and extend a previous study (Ross et al., 1977) on belief perserverance, in which subjects were told they were to act as clinical psychologists attempting to understand and predict…

Rural sociology needs a conceptualization of social change and its implications for the discipline. Scientifically adequate conceptualization would enable rural sociologists to understand their own and others' social roles as activities which are aspects of social change. With this understanding the rural sociologist could conceive of his…