Three theories of commitment were tested by surveying 92 nursing students 3 times during their first year. The social exchange approach and unmet expectations about nursing careers influenced commitment during the latter eight months. The circumstances surrounding the decision to enter nurse training (behavioral approach) predicted commitment only…

An exploration of the rhetorical contract--i.e., the expectations for appropriate interaction--as it develops in human-computer interaction revealed that direct manipulation interfaces were more likely to establish social expectations. Study results suggest that the social nature of human-computer interactions can be examined with reference to the…

Purpose: The study seeks to examine how a short intervention, aimed at enhancing occupational choice skills, influences turnover during the early stages of organizational membership. It seeks to explore two theoretical rationales for this effect: social exchange and self-determination. Design/methodology/approach: The study is a "constructive…

This study used data from the national study of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) to investigate the impact of college on income, educational aspirations, and educational attainment for students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds compared to those from high-SES backgrounds. The study was based on concepts of…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a cognitive-behavioral peer-facilitated school-based HIV/AIDS education program on knowledge, attitudes and behavior among primary and secondary students in Belize. Students (N = 150) were recruited from six schools in Belize City. A quasi-experimental research design was used to assess the…

Collective teacher efficacy refers to teacher perceptions that they constitute an effective instructional team, capable of bringing about learning in students. Previous research demonstrates that a school staff with a strong sense of collective efficacy is likely to generate high student achievement. This study of 2,170 teachers in 141 elementary…

A study was conducted to examine self-disclosure as a relational control strategy in speech communication. Conversations of seven married couples were coded using L. E. Rogers-Millar's Relational Communication Control Coding Scheme and a self-disclosure coding system developed for the study. A message-by-message comparison of the codes from the…

A major problem in the study of marital interaction has been the lack of attention to contextual determinants of differences within couples' behavioral exchanges. To compare spouses' control behaviors in overt and ongoing communication as a function of both conflict and intimacy situational contexts, and to analyze the influence of spouse's role,…

Inequity theory differs from social exchange theory in its analysis of a worker's reaction to pay by asserting that effects on work performance caused by high or low pay are due to social comparison of fairness rather than principles of direct exchange, such as reciprocity and power. The present experiment held piece-rate pay constant at two…

In this paper, cognitive and behavioral approaches are combined into a theoretical framework for understanding ethnicity. A case study from Yauri, Nigeria, is presented to demonstrate the value of this combined approach. (Author/MC)

This study examined the developmental variations in adolescent close relationships with family members, friends, and romantic partners. Within the context of social exchange theory, the study shows how interdependence and closeness shift from parents to peers and romantic partners, with patterns that differ somewhat for adolescents with and…

The social psychological determinants of adolescent sexual activity were examined using survey data from 288 teenagers and drawing on a power-dependency theory in a social exchange framework. The model was a good predictor of factors associated with the sexual activity of males but not females. Racial differences were also examined. (SLD)

A revision of the Westley-MacLean model of 1957 for communication research accommodates an incorporation of some of the research areas that have blossomed during the last three decades. The revision concentrates on two aspects of the original: (1) organizational features within the advocate, communicator and audience roles; and (2) environmental…

Attitudes and preferences toward mail surveys were studied from the viewpoint of the recipient. Approximately 386 residents of a small rural community in Florida were sent a questionnaire about attitudes toward mail surveys, with half receiving a follow-up card after 4 days. A total of 123 usable questionnaires were returned. Respondents were…

A developmental model is proposed and incorporated with exchange theory to further explain the position of the second generation in considering dependency needs of both the first and third generations. What literature exists deals primarily with dependency needs of children or at best, attitudes toward older people. Questions are raised and some…