USING ANALOGIES TO TEACH CONCEPTUAL APPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES

Teachers traditionally have used analogies as explanatory tools in bridging the gap between new and preexisting knowledge. In two studies, I examine the impact of analogies in teaching undergraduates conceptual applications of developmental psychology theories. In Study 1, I generate analogies reflecting each theory; in Study 2, I use both teacher- and student-generated analogies. Students' attitudes toward analogy-enhanced instruction were predominantly favorable. Teacher-generated-analogy (TGA) and student-generated-analogy (SGA) learning conditions performed significantly better than a no-analogy control group in understanding and applying developmental theories. Because learning becomes more active and interactive when students create their own analogies and share them with classmates and the instructor as part of in-class discussion and critique, the SGA learning condition similarly outperformed the TGA learning condition. In line with a constructivist model of teaching and learning, psychological explanations, educational applications, and implications for future research are discussed.     

TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION CLAIMING: AN INTEGRATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL INFORMATION PROCESSING THEORIES

This research examines predictors of actual discrimination claiming among terminated workers by investigating a number of variables suggested by organizational justice and social information processing theories. This study investigated initial decisions to claim in a sample of 439 terminated workers who were surveyed at several unemployment offices. Logistic regression was used to examine how the decision to claim for discrimination was affected by procedural and distributive justice, social guidance, minority status, gender, age, tenure, and education. All of the variables except education and gender were found to be significant. Thus, the results support variables from each of the theories. Social guidance was found to have a major influence on discrimination-claiming. A counter-intuitive finding for minority status was found such that Whites were more likely to claim than minorities. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

AUTONOMIC INDICES OF HABITUATION TO COMPLEX AND SIMPLE STIMULI

Skin conductance and heart rate were continuously recorded in 8 subjects repeatedly exposed to a perceptual-conflict test and to auditory signals. (1) Both complex and simple stimuli gave rise to a pronounced increase in skin conductance, the magnitude of response decreasing with number of repetitions. For both types of stimuli a linear relationship was obtained when GSR, measured as the change in log conductance, was plotted against the logarithm of the stimulus number. (2) Each presentation of the conflict test increased heart rate, magnitude of change decreasing approximately linearly with number of trials.     

JUSTICE,INCENTIVES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

In Rescuing Justice and Equality, G. A. Cohen reiterates his critique of John Rawls's difference principle as a justification for inequality‐generating incentives, and also argues that Rawls's ambition to provide a constructivist defence of the first principles of justice is doomed. Cohen's arguments also suggest a natural response to my earlier attempt to defend the basic structure objection to Cohen's critique, which I term the alien factors reply. This paper criticises the reply, and Cohen's more general argument against Rawls's constructivism. 1     

SUPERORDINATE IDENTIFICATION, SUBGROUP IDENTIFICATION, AND JUSTICE CONCERNS:

Abstract— The diversity of American society raises concerns about whether authorities can maintain social cohesion amid competing interests and values The group-value model of justice suggests that authorities function more effectively when they are perceived as fair (e g, benevolent, neutral, and respectful) However, such relational evaluations may be effective only if authorities represent a group with which people identify In a diverse society, subgroup memberships may assume special importance People who identify predominantly with a subgroup may focus on instrumental issues when evaluating a superordinate-group authority, and conflicts with that authority may escalate if those people do not receive favorable outcomes Results indicate that subgroup identification creates problems for authorities only when people have strong subgroup subgroup identification and weak superordinate-group identification As long as people identify strongly with the superordinate group, even if they also identify strongly with their subgroup, relational issues will dominate reactions to authorities     

JUSTICE IN TEAMS: ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF PROCEDURAL JUSTICE CLIMATE

This study examined antecedents and consequences of procedural justice climate (Mossholder, Bennett, & Martin, 1998; Naumann & Bennett, 2000) in a sample of manufacturing teams. The results showed that climate level (i.e., the average procedural justice perception within the team) was significantly related to both team performance and team absenteeism. Moreover, the effects of climate level were moderated by climate strength, such that the relationships were more beneficial in stronger climates. In addition, team size and team collectivism were significant antecedents of climate level, and team size and team demographic diversity predicted climate strength.     

LOVE,JUSTICE, AND SOCIAL ESCHATOLOGY

In this paper, we explore the ontological and theological ground of political institutions in order to then reflect upon the eschatological calling of society. The paper builds on Tillich's ontological insight that love does not simply transcend justice, but that it permeates and drives justice, that justice gives form to love's reunion of the separated. This relation between love and justice is at play in political institutions: these unite human beings under forms of justice that must be transformed ever anew if they are not to lose touch with the dynamic power of love and freeze into increasingly unjust juridicalism. The modern history of Western civilisation bears witness to this ontological tension, and the phenomenon of globalisation is yet another instance of human society's mystical calling. Thus, love heads the dynamic movement that transforms political institutions ever anew. Yet society as a whole must become conscious of its ontology for humanity to truly reach its eschatological potential, and this will require both that theology recovers its ground and that political theory thinks theologically.     

PEACE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, AND COMPETENCE

Abstract. Peace, justice, and freedom are hard to define, but closely related. Peace has many meanings; an important one is "inclusive peace," defined by dividing total human activity into war and "not war." Justice is an elusive concept related to the legitimacy of property and the structure of equality. Freedom "to,""from," and "of" have different meanings, all related to the boundaries and legitimacy of property. The market has the virtue of economizing agreement and consensus. The existence of public goods necessitates government. Peace, justice, and freedom are unlikely to be achieved without competence, which fortunately can be learned.     

RACISM, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND INTERRACIAL COALITIONS

Is racism in the United States alive and well? Do African Americans still experience alienation and social injustice because of racism? What are the various proposals that have been tendered by conservatives and liberals for overcoming racism? Can interracial coalitions be used as an effective tool for combating racism? I attempt to answer these questions in part by offering an analysis of Cornel West's interracial coalition proposal in Race Matters.