Changing expectations: A longitudinal study of community attitudes toward a nuclear power plant

Initial and 5-year follow-up interviews were conducted with 213 residents of the host community for a nuclear power plant. The purpose was to determine possible changes in attitudes toward the plant and expectations about potential outcomes associated with construction. Large negative changes in attitudes toward the plant were noted and were accompanied most notably by decreased expectations of positive outcomes. The structure of the expectations remained essentially stable over the 5-year period. Perceptions of hazards, community disruption, and economic benefits as measured early in construction and during peak construction were found to be the best predictors of acceptance of the nuclear plant. Initial expectations were found to predict overall attitude toward the plant 5 years later. Results were discussed in terms of implications for social impact assessment, large-scale community change, and the predictability of community attitudes toward nuclear power plant construction.     

An experimental study of crowding: effects of room size, intrusion, and goal blocking on nonverbal behavior, self-disclosure, and self-reported stress.

This study hypothesized that stress in high room density, or crowding, depends on interpersonal disturbances such as intrusion and goal blocking. High room density was expected to intensify individual reactions to these disturbances. In a 2 X 2 X 2 design, groups of six male college students containing three subjects and three confederates were placed in a large or small room. Subjects and confederates interacted in pairs; confederates introduced intrusion by leaning forward, touching subjects, and attempting 80% eye contact as confederates talked. Goal blocking involved inattention and interruptions as subjects talked. Interactions were videotaped through two-way mirrors to record nonverbal behaviors associated with affiliation and stress. Subjects also completed self-report measures of stress and self-disclosure. Intrusion led to initial discomfort that decreased with time, and lower levels of facial regard. Goal blocking produced self-reported irritation that increased with time, and lower levels of facial regard, gesturing, and positive head nodding. Contrary to predictions, stress responses to intrusion and goal blocking were not intensified by high room density. Lower levels of affiliative behavior were viewed as coping responses to interpersonal disturbances--subjects apparently coped successfully with intrusion, but not with goal blocking. Results are interpreted in terms of a sequential, interpersonal model of crowding.     

Perceptions of Three Mile Island and Acceptance of a Nuclear Power Plant in a Distant Community

Links between the accident at Three Mile Island (TMI) and attitudes among residents of a distant community toward a local nuclear power plant were examined. Interviews were conducted about 18 months after TMI with 213 residents of a nuclear host community concerning the effects of TMI, expectations about local events, and attitudes toward the local plant. Residents' perceptions of the importance of TMI in relation to their attitudes were associated with the perceived hazards of the local plant and with changes in attitudes over the past five years. A path analysis showed that the perceived influence of TMI was inversely related to local acceptance of the plant through expectations of local outcomes. Perceived hazards were more strongly related to the perceived influence of TMI than to expected economic benefits. Findings suggested a strong link between a distant event and local expectations and attitudes.     

Leader esteem for the least preferred co-worker score, training, and effectiveness: an experimental examination.

A laboratory experiment supported Fiedler's Contingency Model analysis of leadership training. The effect of leadership training on group performance was contingent on leadership style, that is, the leader's relation to his least preferred co-worker (LPC). Training improved the performance of high LPC leaders, but was detrimental to the performance of groups with low LPC leaders. High intelligence leaders profited more from training than low intelligence leaders, but low intelligence leaders were more productive overall. Leader LPC times Intelligence interactions indicated that follower satisfaction and interpersonal affect were highest for groups with high LPC-low intelligence leaders or low LPC-high intelligence leaders. Implications for contingency theories of leadership are discussed.