Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Depressive Realism?




The more realistic you are about your future - usually the more depressed you are.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Sunday, May 27, 2007

A NYT story about narrative psych!


Remember: The universe isn't made of atoms, it's made of stories.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

What make a society prone to rape? A Sociological View

I found this old talk announcement on my computer.

What makes a society prone to sexual assault and rape? Professor Peggy Reeves Sanday addressed this question this morning with students in a combined session of two classes, one in sociology and one in philosophy. Sanday is a distinguished anthropologist who teaches at the University of Pennsylvania.
Professor Sanday did research on 95 band and tribal societies to see whether rape is a universal phenomenon. It is not, according to Sanday's results. She conducted her study in the late 1970's and published it in 1981 as the lead essay in a special issue on rape in the _Journal of Social Issues_. Rape is not universal. Of the 95 band and tribal societies she studied, Sanday found 47% to be rape-free and 18% rape-prone, with the remaining 35% difficult to classify as one or the other.
The rape-free societies, in which sexual assault is rare, exhibited common characteristics. In them, (1) there are explicit codes emphasizing the importance of consent and choice in sexual relations. (2) Women and men are both conceived as active sexual agents, neither passively available for the other at the other's wishes. Both men and women are seen as potential initiators of sexual activity and intimacy. Finally, (3) the same standards of sexually appropriate behavior apply to both women and men. That is, there is no double standard, for example, where women are thought sexually dirty and men sexually normal for the same level of sexual activity.
In the rape-prone societies, there is clear evidence (1) that men rape women regularly or (2) that forced intercourse is considered normal sex. Also, (3) men may use ceremonies or rituals of rape or group sex to (a) punish women for violating sexual norms, (b) to introduce boys and young men to their sexuality, or (c) to display male sexuality, especially to other men. In such societies, commonly, all-male groups have social hegemony or dominate social life through controlling certain important social ceremonies or rituals. These all-male groups may show strong aversion to homosexual or bisexual men and may engage in activities designed to deny unequivocally any such inclinations of their own.
Professor Sanday offered several explanations for the difference between these two types of society. In rape-prone societies, (1) there is a high level of interpersonal violence. (2) There is a pervasive ideology of male toughness and a polar opposition between masculinity and femininity. (3) Women are not respected as fully enfranchised public citizens and have relative low status socially, politically, and/or economically. (4) There are high levels of sexual segregation (and male identity is often represented with centrally displayed phallic symbols). (5) There is social support or at least tolerance, either explicitly or implicitly, for rape and for men who commit rape. Finally, (6) great importance is placed on maintaining a sexual code defining appropriate from inappropriate sexual relations. In societies with these characteristics, rape is more frequent, more likely, and more condoned.
Sanday will give a lecture this afternoon at 4pm in Kissell titled "No Means No." Her visit to Wittenberg is being sponsored by the Departments of Sociology and Philosophy, the Women's Studies Program, the Women's Program Committee, and the Office of the Provost.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Not Just at Euro Disney ...

From The New York Times's article, Not for Kids Only: Seeking Buccaneer Bliss -

Ms. Treadwell has sailed these waters here and at other Disney theme parks for more than two decades — once even dragging a boyfriend from Moscow to Euro Disney outside Paris for a weekend of riding Pirates of the Caribbean. “There are profound differences between the rides,” she noted. “Here, the pirates chase the women for food and booze, while at Euro Disney they chase women for sex.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney has always bothered me regarding the scene described above. In one scene, pirates are chasing women around. In 1997, after complaints about this rape scene, Disney added pies to the women's arms to show that the pirates were chasing the women for the pies. Still on the ride is a latter scene where there is an auction of women and a pirate says something like "take one of these wenches as yea wife."

This is an example of the rape myth is our culture and the normalization of rape. The rape myth, according to Burt, is a set of beliefs centered around the idea that rape is not a serious crime because some (most) women desire to be raped. The rape myth is a necessary foundation for the normalization of rape - a process where are culture adopts the rape myth.

Another example of the commonplace-ness of this rape myth are the Pepe LePew cartoons. In these cartoons, Pepe (an sexually acting out skunk) stalks and gropes a female cat. In many cartoons, another aspect of the rape myth is seen: after repeatedly rejecting Pepe's sexual advances, the cat turns the tables on Pepe and chases Pepe - showing that the female really wanted Pepe to rape her.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

How I do library research

Last year, almost as a lark, I did a very simple analysis of charitable donations after the 2004 Asian Tsunami. I presented this analysis at EPA's conference last spring and then thought about writing it up.

Out of the blue, I get an email from Princeton asking me to present my work at a by-invitation-only conference on the Psychology of Charitable Giving. That's coming up in July. My reactions to this upcoming event are a mixture of joy, pride and mind-numbing fear. I decided that I needed to do a more extensive literature review on charitable giving.

First, I created a journal. This is important to keep track of what I did and need to do.

Here is the Journal.








Thursday, May 17, 2007

PsychInfo search – charitable giving


ILL
Title:
Find More Like ThisTraditional and Health Related Philanthropy: The Role of Resources and Personality.
Author(s):
Bekkers, René, Department of Sociology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands, r.bekkers@fss.uu.nl
Address:
Bekkers, René, ICS/Department of Sociology, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS, Utrecht, Netherlands,
r.bekkers@fss.uu.nl
Source:
Social Psychology Quarterly, Vol 69(4), Dec 2006. pp. 349-366.

Title:
Find More Like ThisDoes a 'Norm of Self-Interest' Discourage Prosocial Behavior? Rationality and Quid Pro Quo in Charitable Giving.
Author(s):
Simpson, Brent, bts@sc.edu Irwin, KyleLawrence, Peter
Address:
Simpson, Brent, Department of Sociology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, US, 29208,
bts@sc.edu
Source:
Social Psychology Quarterly, Vol 69(3), Sep 2006. pp. 296-306.
Title:
Find More Like ThisIs philanthropy strategic? An analysis of the management of charitable giving in large UK companies.
Author(s):
Brammer, Stephen, School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, United KingdomMillington, Andrew, School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, United KingdomPavelin, Stephen, Department of Economics, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
Source:
Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol 15(3), Jul 2006. pp. 234-245.




Source:
Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol 15(3), Jul 2006. pp. 234-245.




Full text – but can’t open link
Title:
Find More Like ThisIndividualism and Good Works: Cultural Variation in Giving and Volunteering Across the United States.
Author(s):
Kemmelmeier, Markus, U Nevada, Dept of Sociology, Reno, NV, USJambor, Edina E., U Nevada, Reno, NV, USLetner, Joyce, U Nevada, Reno, NV, US
Source:
Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol 37(3), May 2006. pp. 327-344.

Title:
Find More Like ThisThe Role of Brand Personality in Charitable Giving: An Assessment and Validation.
Author(s):
Venable, Beverly T., Columbus State University, US, venable_beverly@colstate.edu Rose, Gregory M., University of Washington, Tacoma, WA, US, rosegm@u.washington.edu Bush, Victoria D., University of Mississippi, University, MS, US, vbush@bus.olemiss.edu Gilbert, Faye W., J. Whitney Bunting School of Business, Georgia College and State University, US, faye.gilbert@gcsu.edu
Address:
Venable, Beverly T.,
venable_beverly@colstate.edu
Source:
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol 33(3), Sum 2005. pp. 295-312.
Publisher:
US: Sage Publications
ISSN:
0092-0703 (Print)
Digital Object Identifier:
10.1177/0092070305276147
Language:
English
Keywords:
nonprofit organizations; brand personality measurement; organizations; social ideals; nonprofit marketing; charitable giving
Abstract:
Marketing concepts such as corporate identity, image, and branding are important strategies for nonprofit organizations. In particular, brand personality has been advocated by practitioners but has not been empirically investigated in the nonprofit context. According to social exchange theory and trust, the authors argue that nonprofit stakeholders perceive nonprofit organizations at an abstract level because of the organizations' intangibility and social ideals. This study develops and refines a parsimonious measure of brand personality specifically for the nonprofit context. The authors conduct a series of six multimethod studies of nonprofit stakeholders to validate the role of brand personality in nonprofit organizations. The results yield four dimensions of brand personality for nonprofits: integrity, nurturance, sophistication, and ruggedness. Thus, current and potential donors ascribe personality traits to nonprofit organizations and differentiate between nonprofits on the basis of the organizations' personality. Finally, nonprofit brand personality may influence potential donors' likelihood to contribute. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)(from the journal abstract)
Subjects:
*
Altruism; *Brand Names; *Marketing; *Nonprofit Organizations; *Organizational Behavior
Classification:
Marketing & Advertising (3940)Organizational Behavior (3660)
Population:
Human (10)Male (30)Female (40)
Location:
US
Age Group:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older) (300)Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs) (320)Thirties (30-39 yrs) (340)Middle Age (40-64 yrs) (360)
Methodology:
Empirical Study; Qualitative Study; Quantitative Study
Publication Type:
Journal, Peer Reviewed Journal; ElectronicFormat(s) Available: Electronic; Print
Document Type:
Original Journal Article
Release Date:
20051011
Accession Number:
2005-06070-003
Number of Citations in Source:
59
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2005-06070-003&site=ehost-live
Database:
PsycINFO
View Links:
Find it options at CUNY






find dissertation

Title:
Find More Like ThisA multidisciplinary model of monetary donations to charitable organizations.
Author(s):
Drollinger, Tanya L., Purdue U, US
Source:
Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, Vol 59(1-B), Jul 1998. pp. 0458.
Publisher:
US: ProQuest Information & Learning
ISSN:
0419-4217 (Print)
Order Number:
AAM9821734
Language:
English
Keywords:
A multidisciplinary model of monetary donations to charitable organizations (donations, volunteerism)
Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to examine factors that influence a person to donate to a charitable organization using a multi-disciplinary approach. Economic (permanent income hypothesis), sociological (symbolic interactionism), and psychological (self extension) theories were used in order to explain charitable giving. To test the hypotheses the 1992 Survey of Consumer Finance and 1994 Giving and Volunteering surveys were used. Logistic regression and tobit procedures were conducted to examine lifecycle and demographic characteristics of donors and non/donors. The results of the regression models reveal that demographic and financial characteristics are good indicators of the amount given to a charity. A structural equation model on the likelihood of a person donating to charity was developed and tested. The results indicated that income and education were good indicators of the likelihood of someone being a donor. Further education was also positively and significantly related to being a volunteer. Being affiliated with a religious organization and having pro-social experiences as a youth were also positively and significantly related to the likelihood of being a donor. Religious affiliation, past pro-social experiences, and favorable attitudes toward charitable organizations were statistically significant and positively related to being a volunteer. Age was not significantly related to the likelihood of donating, volunteering or holding positive attitudes regarding charities. This finding warrants further research into the economic status of elderly persons who do and do not donate, other informal types of helping behavior that older persons participate in that may serve as substitutes, and general cohort effects regarding attitudes toward charitable organizations. Volunteerism was found to be statistically significant and positively related to donating to charity. The results of the structural equation model support the conjecture that the decision to donat (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
Subjects:
*
Charitable Behavior; *Demographic Characteristics; *Income (Economic); *Money; *Sociocultural Factors
Classification:
Social Psychology (3000)
Population:
Human (10)
Age Group:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older) (300)
Methodology:
Empirical Study
Publication Type:
Dissertation Abstract
Release Date:
19980101
Accession Number:
1998-95014-153
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=1998-95014-153&site=ehost-live


did all of this search


° ° °

next – donations.


ILL

Title:
Find More Like ThisExploring conspicuousness in the context of donation behaviour.
Author(s):
Grace, Debra, Griffith University, QLD, Australia, d.grace@griffith.edu.au Griffin, Deborah, Griffith University, QLD, Australia
Address:
Grace, Debra, Department of Marketing, Griffith Business School, Griffith University, PMB 50, GCMC, QLD, Australia, 9726,
d.grace@griffith.edu.au
Source:
International Journal of Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Marketing, Vol 11(2), May 2006. Special issue: Advances in nonprofit marketing. pp. 147-154.

Title:
Find More Like ThisTsunami: Understanding mental health consequences and the unprecedented response.
Author(s):
Ghodse, Hamid, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom, hamid.ghodse@stgeorges.nhs.uk Galea, Susanna, Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, Sussex, United Kingdom, sue.galea@lineone.net
Address:
Ghodse, Hamid, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom,
hamid.ghodse@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Source:
International Review of Psychiatry, Vol 18(3), Jun 2006. pp. 289-297.
Title:
Find More Like ThisDoing good for self and society: Volunteerism and the psychology of citizen participation.
Series Title:
Routledge studies in social and political
Author(s):
Synder, Mark, U Minnesota, Dept of Psychology, Minneapolis, MN, US, msnyder@umn.edu Omoto, Allen N.
Source:
Cooperation in modern society: Promoting the welfare of communities, states and organizations. Van Vugt, Mark (Ed); Snyder, Mark (Ed); Tyler, Tom R. (Ed); Biel, Anders (Ed); pp. 127-141.New York, NY, US: Routledge, 2000. xiv, 245 pp.

Next to do!
Ø Retry articles I can’t download
Ø dissertation





As I was searching PsychInfo I noticed that a subject term "DE" was charitable behavior. After finishing one search I searched "charitable behavior." It had over 100 hits, so I looked just for literature reviews (AND MR "literature reviews"). Whenever I'm looking at a new area I always look for a lit review - I let someone else introduce me to the area.

Notice that I listed:

  • what psychinfo searches I did
  • what I ordered from interlibrary loan (ILL) - sometimes order stuff that never comes and I need to know what I didn't get - I'll try to get it from the author or some other way
  • what I tried to download but didn't get
  • and what I should do next.

I didn't list the articles which were online and I successfully downloaded. Those will be printed and I'll read them and write a paragraph description of them. These descriptions will help me make sense of what I am reading and will probably become parts of the introduction of my paper.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Negative Reinforcement Illustrated


Close to Home by John McPherson