Acceptance Of Others Research Articles

Helping students understand their learning styles: Effects on study self‐efficacy, preference for group work, and group climate

Small tutorial groups in higher education are often composed without regard to students’ gender or broad knowledge background, for example, yet research indicates that composing groups on the basis of gender and prior qualifications may have significant effects on assessment outcomes. Previous studies have also investigated the effects of composing groups on the basis of learning style preference and found no effects. The effect of combining group composition with training in learning styles is unclear, however. In this study we report on the effects of workshop training in learning styles on balanced group members’ study self‐efficacy, preference for group work, group climate, and assessment performance. Although we found no effects, students reported greater self‐awareness of their own learning and acceptance of others’ styles. We conclude that in collaborative learning environments, training may need to go beyond facilitating growth in students’ self‐awareness to include a focus on how to apply this understanding to improving group function and helping others to learn.

Generation X: acceptance of others and teamwork implications

PurposeSeeks to conduct serious academic study of the Generation X phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachConsiders how the literature (primarily the popular press) has viewed the contrast between Generation X and its predecessor, the Baby Boomer generation. Uses Fey's acceptance of others scale to consider what differences may exist between these individuals and those who preceded them.FindingsThe popular literature and anecdotal evidence from practicing managers hold that the impact of a new, radically different generation, often referred to as Generation X, is just now beginning to be felt in US organizations as well as in society as a whole. Many observations and informal reports from practicing managers describe how different the “new breed” of employees is and how difficult they are to manage. Finds that issues of trust and independence surface repeatedly. Interprets the results as providing some evidence that generational differences may exist.Research limitations/implicationsConsiderable future research will be required to clarify the extensiveness of the differences and their significance.Originality/valueConsiders the impact of a radically different generation on US organizations and on society as a whole.

Anthropology as a Moral Science of Possibilities

In a world of continued and expanding empire, does sociocultural anthropology in itself offer grounds for moral and social criticism? One line in anthropological thought leads to cultural relativism and an awareness that a cloud of alternative possibilites surrounds any moral code. However, a second line, based in reflection on fieldwork and on the professional ethics arising with it, does suggest some basic moral aesthetic standards, including trust, mutual forbearance, and acceptance of others' worth. Moreover, a third line, that investigating the sources of social change and cultural metamorphosis, suggests that moral agencycumpatiencydoingandbeingdoneto in the web of social relationsis a basic category of human thought and existence and that moral rhetorical persuasion of agentscumpatients is likewise a constituent of all cultural arrangements. These reflections give sociocultural anthropologists support, based in the moral logic of the discipline itself and in its understanding of the complexity of possibilities surrounding any moral judgment, for sceptical and therapeutic criticism of rhetoric exercised in pursuit of empire. This argument is illustrated through an analysis of American political rhetoric supporting the invasion of Iraq.

The development and evaluation of a Biblically-based therapy programme for a congregation

The aim of the research underlying this article was to develop a Biblically-based therapy programme for a congregation and to evaluate its impact. The aim of the programme was to enhance participants’ acceptance of self, their acceptance of others and their ability to have a meaningful relationship with God. A preand post-test design that included an experimental group (n = 27) and a control group (n = 23) was used. The programme consisted of six weekly individual therapy sessions that were conducted by one of the researchers, and a support and prayer group that supported the experimental group. The impact of the programme presentation was assessed by nine measuring instruments. Results obtained indicated that the participants in the experimental group experienced significant growth in almost all the psychological and spiritual dimensions that had been assessed. It was concluded that a Biblically-based therapy programme could be used to enhance individuals’ intra-psychic, interpersonal and, ultimately, spiritual growth.

他者の「表現」を受け入れる主体の形成をめざす国語科の授業開発

他者の「表現」を受け入れる主体の形成をめざす国語科の授業開発

Focalizing the Unfamiliar: Laurence Yep's "Child in a Strange Land"

Issues of memory, subjectivity, genre, and ideology intersect in the complex children's literary form of the ethnic fictional autobiography, which is historical fiction as well since it looks back to a time prior to the moment of writing. The form also presents particular interpretive challenges for contemporary readers, who may see themselves as radically different from the protagonist and therefore unable or unwilling to experience the story. Since otherness (across time, space, and ethnicity) is always challengingparticularly in a culture dominated by an identity politics that encourages children merely to see themselves in the mirror of their reading-it will be my argument that critical tools for reading become particularly important. We can no longer rely on simple reader reaction or intuitive connection, but must explore specifically rhetorical and political ways to open up children's texts about otherness.1 The ethnic child's fictional testimonial itself provides such critical methods since, as a rule, children's autobiographical stories privilege the child's first-person point of view over the adult or omniscient narrator's view. Child readers' acceptance of otherness might therefore come through an understanding of narrative techniques that articulate the ethnic child protagonist's own sense of difference, a difference that texts themselves distinguish from any adult's perception, but also from the majority child's view.

Economies of sacrifice: Recognition, monadism, and alien‐ation*

‘Economies of Sacrifice’ compares Girard's (1987) Hegelian inter‐dividualism to the Cartesian notion of the cogito and the Freudian theory of the unconscious in order to show how the monadic identity position violates the communicative balance of the self‐other bind. By looking at how both these thinkers constitute an identity category through the concept of sacrifice, the paper refers to the Girardian (1986) and Bataillean (1990) theories of violence and recognition in search of an alternative stance that may provide a more balanced view of human sociability. With regard to Bataille's theory of radical difference we can see how the idea which seeks to attack monadic individualism by destroying all identity advocates a principle of amoralism which views equality as ‘the generalisation of expendability’. As such, through reference to the work of Goux (1998) and O'Neill (2000) the article shows how the Bataillean thesis may pre‐empt the emergence of the post‐modern political economy. In light of this realisation the paper looks beyond both the Bataillean attempt to collapse identity, by exposing humanity to the total violence of the state of nature/post‐modern economic system, and the solipsistic theories of Descartes and Freud, which emphasis the centrality of the self at the cost of an acceptance of otherness, and towards Girard's theory of social justice as a communicative attempt to re‐state the importance of Hegelian recognition and human sociability.

Optimal collective dichotomous choice under partial order constraints

This paper generalizes optimal collective dichotomous choices by including constraints which limit combinations of acceptance and rejection decisions for m projects under consideration. Two types of constraints are examined. The first type occurs when acceptance of some projects requires acceptance of others. This type reduces the choice problem to the tractable (solvable in polynomial time) problem of finding a maximum weight closed subset of a directed acyclic graph. The second type occurs when some projects must be accepted when certain others are rejected. We show that this type renders the choice problem to be NP-complete by reduction from the problem of Vertex Cover. Applicability of the generalization to information filtering is discussed.

Can rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) be effectively used with people who have devout beliefs in God and religion?

Several writers on religion and psychotherapy claim that people who follow a loving model and who see God as a partner who works with them to resolve their problems are less emotionally disturbed and can benefit more from systems of therapy than religionists who have a more negative view of God. Some authors have specifically written that rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) includes many religious philosophies and that the principles and practices of REBT are similar to those endorsed by certain kinds of devout religionists. In this article, the author describes the constructive philosophies of REBT and shows how they are similar to those of many religionists in regard to unconditional self-acceptance, high frustration tolerance, unconditional acceptance of others, the desire rather than the need for achievement and approval, and other mental health goals. It shows how REBT is compatible with some important religious views and can be used effectively with many clients who have absolutistic philosophies about God and religion. Certain rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) practitioners have attempted to demonstrate that REBT is compatible with many religious philosophies and that it can be used by clinicians who accept their clients' religious orientations and show them how their disturbance-creating beliefs can be religiously disputed. For almost 40 years I have known many therapists, including members of the clergy, who nicely combine REBT teachings with religious teachings and have no difficulty doing so. These recent contributions considerably add to other attempts (Backus, 1985;

Cultural Preservation Reconsidered

Hybrid art forms are emerging more than ever now that advances in global communication link the world’s societies. James Clifford, Trinh T. MinhHa, Valerie Dominguez and other eminent scholars champion such hybrid culture. They argue that it leads to greater acceptance of others and otherness, and destroys notions of ‘others’ as aesthetically unsophisticated. While there is merit in such claims, this article sheds a different light on the nature of hybrid culture. It argues that in some instances, such culture is the by-product of cultural imperialism – first-world socio-economic and cultural policies imposed on ‘Second’ and ‘Third World’ communities. The article concentrates on the dichotomy between native Canadian and Anglo-American Canadian mass culture and adopts Minh-Ha’s claim that a First World and a Third World can exist in the same country.

The Cork person centred gestalt project: Two outcome studies

The present paper considers two studies that investigated the outcomes of person centred gestalt groups with graduate trainee therapists. The treatment group in both studies underwent 24 hours in a person centred gestalt group. Study 1 compared 12 graduate students who were trainee first year therapists with 12 graduate students who served as a control group. Results indicated that the treatment group had higher scores than the control group on empathy, congruence, unconditionality and level of regard at the 0.01 level. In Study 2, seven graduate trainee therapists were compared with 10 graduate students who served as a control group. Results indicated a significantly higher score on the part of the graduate trainee therapists for acceptance of others in comparison to the control group at the 0.05 level. Trust was the greatest reported change by the treatment group as assessed by Van Kaam's phenomenal analysis. They also reported the development of various aspects of awareness and this development was further supported by the reports of spouses/partners/best friends. The studies offer research support for person centred gestalt therapy as proposed by O'Leary (1997c).

Relationships Between Enrollment in an Inclusive Class and Preschool Children's Ideas about People with Disabilities

This research examines the relationships between participation in an inclusive preschool program, children's understanding of disabilities, and their acceptance of children with disabilities. Subjects were preschool children enrolled in regular ( n = 31) and inclusive ( n = 29) programs. Children's understanding of competencies associated with specific disabilities, and their general acceptance of others, were assessed using interview questions and dolls. Children were interviewed to learn their ideas about the immediate and long-term consequences of physical and sensory disabilities. In addition, children provided ratings of the social acceptance of hypothetical children with and without disabilities. Children in inclusive classes had more knowledge about long-term consequences of disabilities than did children in regular preschool classes. In addition, children in inclusive settings gave significantly higher acceptance ratings to children with and without disabilities than did children in regular preschool classes. Finally, it was found that children's knowledge of disabilities, their overall acceptance of individuals without disabilities, and their participation in an inclusive class contributed significantly and independently to their acceptance of children with disabilities.

Claiming Insufficient Knowledge

When speakers produce “I don't knows” in ordinary conversation, they claim insufficient knowledge about the matters at hand. Analysis of diverse conversational environments reveal, however, that speakers’claims nevertheless accomplish a variety of subtle actions. “I don't knows” may be strategically and ambiguously deployed across the following achievements: (a) marking uncertainty and concerns about next-positioned opinions, assessments, or troubles; (b) constructing neutral positions, designed to mitigate agreement and disagreement, by disattending and seeking closure on other-initiated topics (e.g., moving toward completing stories or working to avoid troubling issues); and (c) postponing or withholding acceptance of others’invited and requested actions. By examining moments where insufficient knowledge claims are contingently used as a resource, understandings of proactive yet delicately managed interactional conduct are forwarded. Such conduct is shown to be anchored in ordinary conversations but adapted in similar yet distinct ways within institutional interactions such as courtroom cross-examination.

Creating a caring community in nursing education.

In response to the call to reclaim caring in nursing, an associate of science in nursing degree program recently incorporated a curriculum that emphasizes the teaching and learning of caring. To accomplish this goal, caring groups composed of nursing faculty and students were established. The caring group experience involved the creation of a safe place in which nursing students and faculty could engage each other in a reciprocal dialogue of sharing and support. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study designed to discover and describe the lived experience of being in a caring group from the perspective of nursing students. Participants reported being more aware of the meaning and importance of caring in their personal and professional lives, being more accepting of others, and valuing caring and self-care more. They also expressed an intention to recreate the caring group experience in future practice settings. Conclusions from this study address the pedagogical measures necessary to sustain care and caring as the essence of nursing.

Willingness to provide care and treatment for patients with HIV/AIDS

This paper is derived from the findings of a larger study which examines nurses' and doctors' attitudes towards mainstreaming of hospital inpatient services for individuals with HIV/AIDS in general hospital wards. The aim of this paper is to discuss the factors which influence nurses' and doctors' willingness to provide care and treatment for patients with HIV/AIDS. Two methods of study are used in this research--a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study provide several themes about the positive attributes associated with caring for and treating patients with HIV/AIDS. These include: that caring for and treating is personally and professionally rewarding; the need to be non-judgemental and accepting of others; that previous work or social experience is related to willingness to work with patients; the influence of family and colleague support in the work environment; and having a duty of care.

The Other Side of Help: Negative Effects in the Help-Seeking Processes of Abused Women

Data from 32 in-depth interviews with abused women in outreach groups demonstrated that respondents first sought assistance from informal helpers by telling the stories of their violent experiences. Telling was a significant social act since it made public their fictions of intimacy (Tifft 1993), affected their perceptions of their relationships, and altered others' definitions of the couple. In part because help providers often reduced the complexity of intimate relationships to incidents of violence, well-intentioned help provision frequently had unintended negative consequences. It was not necessarily the help women wanted and the assistance was often based on a definitional contingency, or acceptance of others' definitions of the situations and others' prescriptions for action. This contingency placed the women in the same relation to the supporters as they were to the abusers, that is, others controlled the definitions of their experiences and their identities.

Impact of Summer Trip to Israel on the Self-Esteem of Jewish Adolescents

Psychological research has identified many positive effects of adolescents being aware of their religious and cultural backgrounds (Fiese, 1992). Religious rituals and community support facilitate developmental transitions. They also instill a stronger sense of identity. Mainstream North American society's emphasis on autonomy and individuality has meant that people are less reliant on religious and cultural rituals as a source of community strength. The lack of defined traditions and spiritual goals has left many of today's American adolescents confused. Jewish American adolescents, in particular, may not achieve a full sense of their religious and cultural background due to the preponderance of Christian symbols and ideology as well as to a de-emphasis of religion due to America's scientific/secular world view. A trip to Israel, the Jewish homeland, gives Jewish adolescents the chance to meet other Jewish people and to spend time in an environment which promotes Jewish ideology, history, and culture. Although past research on Jewish adolescents has found that a trip to Israel enhances a sense of Jewish identity, personality, and leadership skills (Kafka, London, Bandler, & Frank, 1990), no recorded empirical research has looked at possible changes in self-esteem. The goal of this research project was to determine if learning about and experiencing Israeli religious practices and culture foster greater Jewish self-esteem, Jewish identity, and/or self-concept for Jewish adolescents. The compiled data reveal that Jewish identity and Jewish self-esteem have a direct and positive bearing on each other. Jewish adolescents with a strong sense of Jewish identity are more likely to develop a higher level of Jewish self-esteem. Likewise, enhanced Jewish self-esteem is connected to a greater sense of Jewish identity. Although scores on the Jewish Identity and Jewish Self-Esteem Scales did not significantly correlate with self-concept scores on the Piers-Harris Children’ Self Concept Scale (1984), and the Piers-Harris scores did not significantly change over time, these results may be due to the above average pre-test self-concept scores of the participants. Adolescents from both the Camp and Israel groups scored in the above average range on the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale prior to and following the summer excursion. Directed at parents, scholars, and communities, this study calls attention to the importance of religiosity and culture to adolescent development. This research project also confirms this study's hypothesis that sending all Jewish adolescents to Israel between Middle and Late Adolescence lessens developmental ambiguity and strengthens self-esteem. By gaining an understanding of roots, identity, and self-esteem, adolescents and adults may become more accepting of themselves, thus enhancing their ability to be open and accepting of others—much needed qualities.

Effects of a prison‐based program for reducing violence

This study evaluates a prison‐based intervention for reducing violence, known as the Altematives to Violence (ATV) program. The study also explores the ATV participants' defining personality characteristics for their therapeutic implications. Self‐report personality and anger measures collected from volunteer ATV participants were compared with those from a control group at program commencement and again at its end. Results indicated that at program commencement the ATV group displayed a strong propensity for violence as reflected in high levels of anger, expressed antagonism, cynicism, and impulsivity. At program's end, the ATV group displayed improved interpersonal qualities, becoming more open and accepting of others. They also improved their anger proneness, resentful brooding, and anger control. The data support the program's efficacy and document the challenges posed by ATV participants' tendency to antisocial personality characteristics.

Ratings of interpersonal conduct in small groups by aggregated peers and self: replicated factor analyses.

After participating in 32 small, interpersonal learning groups, 258 young adult, U.S. students twice rated each same-group member's conduct on brief, bipolar measures of self-acceptance and acceptance of others. These ratings had medium effect-size shifts toward the expressive, shows feelings, dominant, active, and warm anchors of the bipolar subscales. Separate principal components analyses of how the men and women were rated at each time by both aggregated others and self revealed very similar factorial structures, despite the shifts, the gender and status (leader vs. member) effects, the largely positive intermeasure correlations, and the intervening discussions of the first sets of ratings. Wholly composed of subscales addressing self-acceptance, Factor 1 was best marked by active vs. passive, and the Accepts Others vs. Rejects Others subscale best marked Factor 2. These measures appear to have a robust internal structure and to represent the 2 salient dimensions of interpersonal behavior.

Differences in Expressed Racial Prejudice and Acceptance of Others

Differences in Expressed Racial Prejudice and Acceptance of Others