Proposes a model of ethnic behavior that describes group behavior as constrained by the following aspects of social structure: demographic opportunity, economic opportunity, and cultural heritage. Tests the model by comparing the single ancestry rates of the following ethnic groups: Italian, Polish, Slovak, and Hungarian. (Author/BJV)

Contrasts work of Leontiev and Vygotsky. Suggests that Leontiev concentrated on social activity as a whole, whereas Vygotsky made semiotic mediation through culturally developed symbols a central aspect of his analysis. Maintains that they shared a philosophical base and that Leontiev used Vygotsky's ideas as a starting point to explore human…

The concept of rhetorical community is employed in this paper as a starting point for the study of community. Since the clarity of the concept "rhetorical community" is insufficient for purposes of building theories, the paper offers a more precise conceptual definition: a rhetorical community is a group of people who identify themselves with a…

The work of Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard on life-cycle leadership was compared and contrasted to three studies on group phase theories. The studies on group phases were conducted by Robert Bales and Fred Strodtbeck in 1951, Thomas Scheidel and Laura Crowell in 1964, and B. Aubrey Fisher in 1970. The two theoretical approaches were found to…

Some of the major contingency theories of leadership are reviewed; some results from the author's study of Fiedler's contingency model are reported; and some thoughts for the future of leadership research are provided. (Author/MLF)

Illustrates the value of theoretical concepts from Feminist Therapy in the group treatment of women survivors. Theoretical underpinnings are supported using data taken from clinical experience and by examining group themes and out-of-group contact developed from the case sample. Principles regarding feminist groups are proposed. (RJM)

Reviews the literature on the selection of members for and the composition of psychotherapy groups. Discusses viewpoints on inclusion-exclusion criteria as well as theories on group composition. (Author)

Outlines some of the advantages in using a group approach for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Reviews the published literature on group behavioral treatment for OCD and discusses the unique therapeutic factors associated with group treatment that provide a rationale for developing a group approach for this disorder. (RJM)

Combining childhood roles and interpersonal theory produces a schematic model that includes all adult children of alcoholics, enhances understanding of the group dynamic, and suggests specific group treatment strategies. (Author)

A symbolic interactionist approach to evaluation views the evaluator as an observer of group behavior in which individual action aligns with collective action. The evaluator attempts to discover what is actually going on in the program being evaluated. Though the interactionist approach frees the program manager from having to articulate goals, it…

Three types of conduct disorder behavior are described: group, solitary aggressive, and undifferentiated. Behaviors exhibited by the solitary aggressive youth who operates alone are characterized by violence, acting out, and refusing direction. This behavior type is regarded as particularly problematic for teachers. (JW)

This review includes recent research that manipulated features of cooperative learning as well as studies of the relationship between interaction in small groups and outcomes. The analysis examines the kinds of discourse that are productive for different types of learning and moves toward studies of task and interaction. (SLD)

Values can and should be a part of small group communication instruction. Discourse is value laden and to understand the communication process, the role of values must be understood. Many students come to the classroom not understanding values, and not being aware of the role of values in decision-making. Their lack of understanding requires that…

"Outlier studies" identify items for which extreme differences in performance by contrasting groups occur; these extreme items are the "outliers" referred to. Review of the studies conducted on tests receiving major use in higher education reveals that though one cannot make a priori classifications of outliers with confidence,…

Emphasizes the desirability of pregroup preparation to establish norms early in the life of the group. Describes three methods of preparation: (1) cognitive, (2) vicarious experience, and (3) behavioral. Discusses the effects of each method on group members. (Author/JAC)