Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This study was conducted to examine whether individuals' love styles were related to their relational dimensions and their perception of a parent’s love style. Three hundred and fifty-four college students completed measures of love styles, relational dimensions, and parental love styles. Results of this investigation indicated that love styles were related to relational dimensions. In fact, significant levels of variance of all six love styles (Eros, Ludus, Storge, Pragma, Mania, and Agape) were explained by the relational dimensions. Results of this investigation demonstrated that participants love styles were significantly different from their perception of their parent’s love style for four of the six love styles measured: Eros, Ludas, Pragma, and Agape. Specifically, participants rated their own Eros and Ludas love styles to be significantly higher than their parents, while they rated their own Pragma and Agape love styles to be significantly lower than their parents.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: A style of regulation in Europe is changing. When James Q. Wilson in his classic book Bureaucracy compared differences between European and American styles of policy making, he compares the European style to a prizefight and the American style to a barroom brawl. Today the arguments are made that this very distinction is less clear and that European states are changing theiry style of policy making. The old, state interventionism is being replaced by a new model, often described as a regulatory state model. Several forces have contributed to such changes: globalization, european integration, decline of public ownership and of keynesianism in economic sphere. The regulatory state is replacing the positive, interventionist state both on national and European level.
Basic features of the positive state were public (state) ownership of strategic industries and public utilities and a highly disrectionary style of economic regulation based on the doctrine of keynesianism. Key players were central governmental authorities such as parliaments, governments with a substantial amount of disrection in making econimic and other policies. International competition, globalization, european integration, and decline of model of public ownership in 80s brought important changes seriously undermining the very foundations of the positive state. The changes include a widespread process of privatization and liberalization of public utilites and strategic industries, reorientation from previous »tax and spend« policy to a form of indirect regulation of economy, often called a regulatory state. Public ownership, state interventionism, discretionary economic management, tax and spend economic policy are being replaced by governance by rules. Regulatory state has its foundations on regulating by rules. rulemaking becomes a major tool of regulatory policy making. Regulatory state respresents a distinct style of regulation. Previous, highly disrectionary style of policy making is replaced by a rule-bound and legalistic style of policy-making. Key players in this new world of regulation are independent regulatory agencies (IRAs), parliamentary committes and courts. Independent agencies regulate now privatised industries and utilities through rule-making. As Levi-Falur argues, there are four important characteristics that signify a shift from the positive, interventionist to the regulatory state. Rule-making is becoming more important than spending; delegation of authority to institutionally autonomous regulatory agencies; change in the relations between regulators and regulated, expressed in increasing formalization of rules and codification of responsibilities; the proliferation of new forms of regulation, such as enforced self-regulation and metaregulation. At least two more factors should be added: global expansion of judicial power and juridification of administrative process.(Wright).
Majone argues that the regulatory state became a new mode of governance in Europe. The article looks at these changes and argues that while there are several features of the regulatory state indeed present in the European context, it is far less if a regulary state is replacing the old model.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Considerable research has been conducted on methods for improving response rates to surveys. Several key factors are known to affect response rates, including salience of the survey, survey mode, monetary incentives, and multiple contacts. A response-maximizing approach to multi-modal surveys, as best articulated by Dillman (2000) includes up to five contacts with survey recipients, stamped return envelopes, personalized correspondence and a token financial incentive.

Survey researchers must balance resources against expected returns. Before beginning a recent survey of Medicare beneficiaries, we searched the literature for articles based on large surveys, that measured the additional increment in response rate achieved by each step in the process, as well as the costs of each sequential step. We were unable to locate much specific research that would guide decisions about a third mailing, a second reminder postcard, whether Priority Mail yields more response than regular mail, etc.

This article describes a survey based on an enhanced Dillman-style multi-modal approach, and the questionnaire completion rates and costs associated with each step in the approach. The survey was conducted as part of a larger evaluation of a new Medicare insurance option and concerned experiences with insurance. This article focuses on survey methodology and completion rates rather than on the substance of the survey itself. Each of 7 steps in the process is described, with resulting response rates and costs. This work validates many (but not all) of the axioms of survey research, in a much-studied population, and offers survey researchers benchmarks for what they can expect to achieve with each additional step in such a process.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This investigation identified general tendencies of college students' learning-style preferences and compared traditional vs. nontraditional age students and males vs. females at nine diverse institutions in various nations.

Publication Type: Abstract
Abstract: Background: It is relevant for pharmacy students to understand their conflict management style (CMS) as they prepare for practice experiences. The objective of this study was to assess student CMS to determine 1) which style(s) are prevalent, 2) how they relate to student characteristics (gender and communication apprehension), and 3) what associations they have with student outcomes (overall course grade and patient counseling exercise grade).

Methods: Students (n = 242) in the 1st and 2nd professional years completed the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument which identifies presence of skills for five CMSs (competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating). Students also completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA). Descriptive and analytic statistics (Pearson correlation, independent samples t tests, ANOVA) were applied.

Results: Students were 68.2% female with mean counseling exercise grade of 91.7% (sd = 5.2) and mean overall course grade of 93.1% (sd = 3.2). Mean PRCA score was 63.76 (sd = 16.4). The CMS most prevalent was compromising, followed by avoiding, accommodating, collaborating and competing. Males were significantly more likely to use competing skills; females, compromising skills. Those who used collaboration skills were more likely to have a higher course grade; those using accommodation skills had a significantly lower course grade. Higher PRCA was negatively associated with competing (r = -.17) and positively associated with avoiding (r = .15) (p < .05).

Discussion: The course grade includes group exercises/projects; those whose CMS is collaboration do well in the course and perhaps with patients, physicians and colleagues in practice.