Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Many authors have suggested that in making decisions about objects, people combine their evaluations of the facets of the object with the perceived importance of those facets. Others have suggested that evaluations themselves carry importance information based on the extremity of ratings. We sought to examine these positions by examining 6 different impact measures (2 of which were importance scales).

Method

4934 respondents (2585 males, 2349 females) participated, randomly drawn from the Harris Poll Online panel. In an online survey, each rated two concepts for a new fictitious product. Each product had 6 facets rated with 2 evaluative scales (good-bad; like-dislike). In addition, they were assigned one of 6 facet impact scales (5 or 6 category importance scales; 5 or 6 category influence scales; 5 or 7 change in likelihood to buy scales). Four overall criteria were assessed for each product (overall evaluation, liking, purchase intent, recommendation).

Results

We performed a series of regressions, examining the predictive utility of the evaluative scales for the 4 criteria. All models were significant. While the proportion of variance explained using the impact measures alone was generally much less, these models were significant as well (although the change in likelihood to buy scales were more comparable to the results found for the evaluative scales). Then we combined the facet impact information with facet evaluation scales and regressed these combined variables on the criteria. We found no significant gain in variance accounted for in spite of examining a variety of different combinatorial techniques.

Discussion

With regard to the area of new product evaluation, it appears that impact information may not enhance predictive utility above that obtained from evaluative scales alone. We are seeking to replicate these findings in other content areas.

Publication Type: Symposium Paper
Abstract: This article is drawn from a qualitative study of the role that school building leaders play in building parent and community involvement in their schools. The article focuses on four of the principals involved in the study who, with their students, staff, parents, and other community members, developed inclusive, meaningful, and transformative communities of involvement. The article delineates the contours of transformative communities of involvement within a discussion of five models of involvement. Subsequently, the beliefs that appeared to support the leaders work to develop and sustain such communities are examined along with a rich discussion of the role that trust played in their efforts and success.

Publication Type: Paper/Poster Proposal
Abstract: What is issue salience and how can we measure it accurately in survey research? These questions have been hotly debated by psychologists, political scientists, and experts in survey methodology, but we have yet to reach a theoretical or methodological consensus.
In this paper, I offer a new way to measure issue salience, using open-ended questions from the National Election Study, and I demonstrate why I believe this method is more accurate than previous methods. Moreover, the way we measure issue salience has implications for the conclusions we draw about the role issues play in the citizens’ voting decisions. Using previous methods of issue salience measurement, numerous scholars have concluded that issue voting, defined as issue positions having an effect on vote choice that is separable from party identification, does not occur in American elections. Using my method of measuring issue salience, however, I find that a sizeable percentage of the electorate does engage in issue voting.
In the paper, I analyze the historical role that issue voting has played in several previous presidential elections, and I find that in recent times, the propensity of voters to become “single-issue voters” has dramatically increased. For example, using my methodology to analyze the 2000 presidential election, I find that a sizeable percentage of registered Democrats voted for Bush because of his position on abortion. However, I show that using traditional methods of measuring issue salience, we would find abortion having no impact separable from party identification. I replicate this result across a tremendous number of issues and several elections.
My results herein have implications not only for scholars of voting behavior, but also for survey researchers more generally who want to have an improved tool for assessing how consumers weight various factors in decision-making.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Previous research has found a link between personal control, self-efficacy and contraceptive behavior among adolescents. Young people who believe in the efficacy of their own actions may be more likely to take measures to avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. However, because of the gendered nature of sexual relationships and the higher cost of pregnancy to females, the effect of personal control on birth control use may differ for young men and women. As males may generally experience more control in sexual situations as well as feel the ability to make demands and express wishes, a sense of personal control or sexual self-efficacy may not always be necessary for them to take an active role in determining contraceptive risk. Young women, however, may not feel entitled to assert power within a sexual situation or to initiate discussions of safer sex, and a sense of self-efficacy may allow them to negotiate more effectively. This study employs data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine (1) whether personal control and sexual self-efficacy are associated with contraceptive risk among adolescents (engaging in sexual intercourse or not using contraception); and (2) whether these relationships differ for young men and women. Results indicate that personal control and sexual self-efficacy are significantly related to safer sex behavior. In addition, personal control and sexual self-efficacy appear more important for young women than for young men in predicting contraceptive risk.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper addresses why the concept of organizational culture is important to improving the quality of schooling in America, and briefly discusses current conceptualizations of the organizational culture of schools. A new conceptualization of school culture is presented which holds promise for future research in this area. The model posits that school culture is comprised of four dimensions and can be studied on three levels. The model is intended for use in assessing the organizational culture in individual schools and providing practitioners with detailed feedback which may be instrumental in fixing what is broken in their school. It also provides a basis for cross case comparisons of school culture, which could expand the current knowledge base of school improvement.