Voluntary Community Organizations Research Articles

Cognitive Social Learning Variables and the Characteristics of Leaders1

This study explored the potential of a person × situation approach to identifying the characteristics of leaders in a voluntary community organization. A set of variables based on Mischel's “cognitive social learning variables” was operationalized to provide variables which assess the characteristics of individuals in relation to the specific context in which some emerge as leaders. This set of variables was compared with a larger set of traditional demographic and personality variables. Analyses indicated the approximate statistical comparability of the two sets. Advantages of the cognitive social learning approach for understanding and intervening in leader emergence and development in voluntary community organizations are discussed.

Black Participation in Voluntary Associations

This study explored the potential of a new approach to predicting and understand ing black participation in voluntary community organizations. A set of variables based on Mischel's (1973) "cognitive social learning variables" was compared with a larger set of traditional demographic and personality variables for ability to dis criminate blacks who differed in their level of participation. The "cognitive social learning variables" are person variables which attempt to conceptualize how the qualities of the person alter the input of stimuli and how complex behavior patterns are generated by a interaction of person and situation. Analyses indicated the ap proximate statistical comparability of the two sets. Advantages of the use of the cognitive social learning approach for understanding and intervening in black par ticipation in voluntary organizations are discussed.

Formal Connections of Community Leadership to the Health System

A crucial problem facing voluntary community organizations and the planners who wish to provide more adequate health services is the extent to which the community leaders become involved in that particular area of community life and the forms this involvement takes. Any organization which assumes the responsibility of planning and coordinating the activities of others presumably requires sufficient power resources to accomplish the task. The community health system provides an excellent setting for the exploration of this problem and the influence of community leaders on it. This is because a public awareness of the need for planning and coordination in this area is growing and, consequently, top local leaders are becoming more involved.' This paper is based on an exploratory study of some forms of leadership involvement in health planning bodies and other organizations of the health system in a metropolitan community. The relationship between community influentials and voluntary and official health and welfare associations, and the decisions affecting these associations, have been the object of a wide range of studies. Some of the studies have explored the importance of financial support resulting from connections between organizations and outstanding individuals who occupy positions of community 294