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Microanalyses of unstructured videotaped interactions of three mother-infant dyads revealed dramatic shifts in dyadic vocalization patterns from primarily overlapping to primarily alternating. These results suggest that the emergent patterns reflect increased potential for coordination within the dyad, which may be capitalized on by mother and infant. (Author/CB)

Samples of one new religious group (Unificationists) and two established religious groups (Catholics and Presbyterians) were compared on measures of the importance of communal experiences to one's religious faith and the number of prior religious associations. A three-way interaction emerged among religious group, importance of communal experiences, and number of prior religious associations. Also, communal experiences in a religious context generally were valued for the social support they provide, although the type of social support differed among the three groups. These findings provide evidence of the ‘communalization of experience’ and religious searching for some members of one new religion and even for some members of two established religions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article uses Lifton's protean man concept to describe a pattern of social experimentation with new religious, cultic and self-growth groups in con temporary American society. However, proteanism or social experimentation is understood herein to signify a positive search by some for meaning, identity and community, and to describe more aptly a new social role, rather than a new form of self-process. We delineate the social experimenter role and its various support systems within society (i.e., the cultic/self-growth subculture, the entrepreneurs of experience, and the cominant culture itself). In conclusion, we discuss the popularity of social experimentation in contemporary American society in relation to: 1) the human need to explore and grow; 2) the opportunities afforded by modem society; and 3) the conflicts between various interest groups in society. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study investigated the reported feelings of power and dependency of chronic neuropsychiatric patients in a sheltered workshop. Self-evaluations of dependency were assessed in relation to one real-life role (i.e. disabled welfare recipient), and evaluations of power feelings were assessed in relation to another real life role (i.e. worker in a sheltered workshop), with a complementary work-related performance measure. While dependency and power feelings were independent of each other, it was also found that: 1) dependency feelings positively predicted the number of mental hospital admissions; and 2) feelings of power in the workshop negatively predicted work performance. These results provide direct evidence that feelings of dependency and power can be role specific and not indicative of generalized behaviours. They also provide indirect evidence of a role theory interpretation of learned helplessnesslike phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study reports on three separate field experiments that investigated, respectively, the foot-in-the-door (FITD) compliance induction procedure in three cultures (Paris, France; Frankfurt, West Germany; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands). A three-group design was employed in all three settings: a small request only, a large request only (control), and a small request followed by a large request. Ratings of the size of the request, normative expectations of what others would be likely to do in response to a similar request, and actual compliance behavior were obtained. Across all three experiments, the small request was rated as small and the large request was rated as large. Compliance behavior and normative expectations varied systematically as a function of request condition. An FlTD effect, however, emerged only in the Amsterdam sample. The findings were discussed in relation to request norms, self-perception theory, a probabilistic model of social psychology, and the ideological underpinnings of FITD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

No abstract available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using an account analysis (giving excuses or justifications for compliance or noncompliance) to indicate the operation of social norms, the foot-in-the-door (FITD) paradigm was investigated with four groups (N = 160): small-request only, large-request only, small-request/large-request, and small-request/large-request with an excuse provided. A three-factor interaction between compliance, category of account, and group indicated that (a) Ss were more likely to comply and give justifications in the small-request only group; (b) Ss were more likely not to comply and give excuses in the large-request only group; (c) Ss in the FITD group indicated a bimodal pattern of accounting and compliance; and (d) compliance in the FITD group was reduced when an excuse for noncompliance was provided. It was concluded that norms of social conduct may govern how people respond to different sized requests from strangers and that the small-request/large-request sequence (FITD) may be normatively ambiguous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]