Social Contagion and Multiplexity Communication Networks as Predictors of Commitment and Role Ambiguity

This research compares two contrasting perspectives of social contagion processes associated with the organizational outcome variables of commitment and role ambiguity in organizations. The two perspectives are structural equivalence (which focuses on the positions of individuals in social networks) and cohesion (which focuses on an individual's direct communication contacts). It was hypothesized that structural equivalence would be more associated with role ambiguity and that commitment would be more associated with cohesion. The relationship between these variables and multiplex content networks was also studied. It was hypothesized that commitment was a much more broadly based concept in the sense that a number of functional content networks systematically relate to it. On the other hand, role ambiguity was hypothesized to be more closely associated with uniplex networks, especially those related to job duties and organizational goals. While there were exceptions, generally the research results supported the hypotheses relating to multiplexity. The hypotheses that structural equivalence was more associated with role ambiguity and that commitment was more associated with cohesion also were supported in this research.     

Factors Associated with Engagement in Family Therapy

Thirty-eight families who continued in conjoint family therapy were compared on a variety of antecedent variables to 13 families who dropped out. Three potentially important predictors of continuance in family therapy were found: (a) which spouse initiated the search for treatment; (b) the level of authoritarianism in the spouses; and (c) family socioeconomic status. Families that dropped out of treatment tended to be of lower socioeconomic status and contained spouses who had more highly authoritarian attitudes as measured by the California F Scale ( 1 ). Families that contained a severly disturbed member had a poor rate of engagement in treatment, but if both spouses in such a family were low in authoritarianism, the engagement rate was 100 per cent. When both spouses initiated the search for treatment, engagement was also nearly perfect. The difficulty in engaging families from the lowest socio-economic class may be attributed partly to the authoritarian attitudes of the husband.     

Introduction—Accountability or A-ccount-ability?

Guest Editors Larry Ellis and William Prochnow introduce this special issue of JEC by raising questions and issues of accountability that affect all professionals in employment counseling. Past accountability definitions hare been narrowly defined using accomplishmen/cost approaches. The Manpower Administration has attempted to use this approach in the provision of and justification for counseling services. Positive outcome data have been obtained for counseled applicants, but the counseling function is still being questioned. This article proposes expanding the concept of counselor accountability and introduces a multi-approach to accountability.     

VALIDITY AND TEST-RETEST STABILITY OF THE NASH MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS SCALE ON THE REVISED FORM OF THE STRONG VOCATIONAL INTEREST BLANK1

Managers ’motives (preferences for different activities or outcomes) probably determine, in part, their relative job effectiveness. This hypothesis was tested and confirmed by Nash (1966) when he developed and cross-validated a Managerial Effectiveness Key for the 1937 edition of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB). We revised the Nash SVIB key for those items retained in the recently-revised form of SVIB (Campbell, 1966). The new key has the same validity as Nash's key and high test-retest stability for lengthy periods of time (up to twenty-two years). Validity of the key is not extremely high (about .30), but its content does denote a pattern of stable and distinct manager motives which merit study along with cognitive, aptitude, and temperament factors as potential determiners of effective managing.     

Counseling Regulations Regarding Sexual Misconduct: A Comparison Across States

Sexual relationships with clients, former clients, and supervisees are some of the most powerful and difficult clinical issues for counselors. These issues force counselors to examine the heart of the therapeutic process: the counseling relationship. The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze different approaches used by state counseling boards to deal with sexual relationships in counseling and supervision. This information affords counselors and state licensure board members a broader view of options and issues involved in this difficult area of ethical decision making.     

Intimate partner support: A comparison of gay,lesbian, and heterosexual relationships

In this investigation, intimate partner support, relationship satisfaction, and separation proneness were assessed for four types of people: men in a relationship with a woman (MRW), men in a relationship with a man (MRM), women in a relationship with a man (WRM), and women in a relationship with a woman (WRW). Men and women in same‐sex relationships received more support, were more satisfied, and reported fewer thoughts of separating than their counterparts in opposite‐sex relationships. The effect of relationship type on satisfaction was not significant once the amount of received support was controlled. The implications of these findings for understanding the support process in same‐sex relationships are discussed.     

A Fuller Account: The Role of ‘Fittingness’ in Thomas Aquinas' Development of the Doctrine of the Atonement

This article draws attention to Thomas Aquinas' under‐appreciated development of the doctrine of the atonement. I argue that Thomas' pursuit of the ‘fittingness’ of the passion yields an exceptional grasp of the multiplicity of effects accomplished by Christ's death. To defend this thesis, I explore the methodology underlying Thomas' approach to the atonement, contrasting it with that of Anselm. I then follow the implications of Thomas' methodology in his stance toward the diverse atonement theories of his day. In conclusion, I briefly note the significance of Thomas' method and conclusions for contemporary debates concerning the efficacy of Christ's passion.