Behaviors associated with “good” and “poor” outcomes in a simulated career decision

What career decision-making procedures enable people to make decisions that yield consequences congruent with their own values? The 40 “best” (most congruent) and 40 “worst” decision makers on the Career Decision Simulation were compared in a sample of 148 community college students. No significant differences appeared in the amount of double checking, number of occupations and information sources checked, amount of information collected, decision time required, and the proportion of information sought about high values. The “best” decision makers, however, were significantly more persistent in immediately seeking more information about an occupation that seemed to match one of their most important personal work values. Following a values-guided search appears more effective than simply searching exhaustively.     

Counseling Women in Behavioral Self-Direction

After consciousness raising, what? Women who want to alter their socialized responses may learn the necessary skills from counselors. Teaching behavioral self-management principles in the context of women's sex role enculturation is a preventive as well as corrective approach to helping women develop increased personal effectiveness. It is also an important option for those who do not need therapy or who have found other skill training insufficient.     

Encouraging research: make it collegial,enjoyable, and relevant

Researchers are too often trained under circumstances that discourage them from continuing research activities after they graduate. Three hypotheses are suggested that, if confirmed, would lead to a greater number of competent and enthusiastic researchers. (a) Arrange compatible peer groups. Allowing graduate students to form research teams to conduct dissertation studies would provide more social support than the individualistic environment traditionally required does. (b) Make the experience satisfying and enjoyable. Infuse a spirit of playfulness and puzzlement.     

Effects of a Peer Engagement Program on Socially Withdrawn Children with a History of Maltreatment

Children with a history of child maltreatment often have limited social interactions with other children and adults. This study examined the effects of a Peer Engagement Program, consisting of peer mentoring and social skills training with positive reinforcement, in three children with low levels of oral and social interaction. A multiple baseline, single-subject research design was used to test whether introduction of the intervention was associated with increased, directly observed oral interaction and engagement in social activities with peers and adults. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) were administered before and after intervention. All children showed increased levels of oral and social interaction and improved scores on the SSRS and the CBCL.     

How to blow the Whistle and still have a career afterwards

Filing charges of scientific misconduct can be a risky and dangerous endeavor. This article presents rules of conduct to follow when considering whether to report perceived misconduct, and a set of step-by-step procedures for responsible whistleblowing that describe how to do so once the decision to report misconduct has been made. This advice is framed within the university setting, and may not apply fully in industrial settings. Ms. Gunsalus, an attorney, has been responsible for a wide range of compliance issues and academic policy matters at her university including responding to allegations of scientific misconduct. She served on the United States Commission on Research Integrity and spent six years on the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility, four of them as chair. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the symposium entitled “Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t: What the Scientific Community Can Do About Whistleblowing” held during the Annual Meeting of the AAAS, Seattle, Washington, 15 February, 1997.     

Counsellor actions needed for the new career perspective

The perspective of a self-reliant 'new career' can be seen as a positive stimulus for career counsellors to reform their profession. Recommended actions include: (1) making life satisfaction the major goal; (2) advocating open-mindedness rather than decisiveness; (3) assuming a broad role in dealing with client concerns; (4) normalising unplanned events; (5) teaching clients to create beneficial unplanned events; and (6) using increased learning and life satisfaction as outcome measures.     

Embedding Work Values in Stories

A story about “A Typical Day in Your Future Worklife” was given to 1,037 high school students who were asked to rate its appeal. Differing work values had been embedded systematically to create 16 versions of the story. Higher pay and supportive supervisor feedback made a job more attractive on the average, but reactions varied by sex and ethnicity. Embedding work values in realistic occupational narratives may provide a more meaningful way of stimulating clients to explore the impact of alternative occupations on their future lives.