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Reasons for leaving the profession of medical technology were determined through a survey of 83 technologists' attitudes and demographic characteristics. Information was obtained on the age of respondents, year of certification, number of years experience as a medical technologist, and number of years as a member of the American Society for Medical Technology. The sample was 74.4 percent female and 25.3 percent male; the mean age of the sample was 31 years; the mean year of certification was 1972; and the mean number of years of experience as a medical technologist was 4.5 years. The sample was composed largely of baccalaureate degree people. Information was also obtained on the laboratory setting at their last place of employment, the employment capacity at last employment, current employment status, and type of employment. The data of the total study sample were divided into two groups for analysis. Data from the domestic group indicated that only factors that related to home and family responsibilities influenced their professional attrition. Data from the nondomestic group indicated that the primary factors contributing to their attrition were job-related in terms of little satisfaction of the need for self-actualization. Study results suggest that a clearer definition of the role of the medical technologist in health care delivery is needed, and that an evaluation of the educational standards for the preparation of the medical technologist be undertaken. A bibliography is appended. (SW)

The themes that emerge from a review of the literature on continuing education (CE) in the health professions fail either to describe the CE phenomenon adequately or to explain the disappointing results reported from CE evaluation studies. This represents a simplistic and incomplete view of CE and the effects of CE experiences. The major objective of this project was to develop a conceptual framework for the planning and evaluation of CE in the health professions that was based on a more complete understanding of the components of CE and an open systems view for describing outcome data. The initial step of this process was the critical analysis of the complex concept of CE using Guttman's facet theory and mapping sentence technique. This was followed by the integration of the conceptual definition of CE with a system view of human behavior based on the work of Brunswik. The model presented might be useful in the planning of CE experiences to insure that potential anticipated outcomes are realistic for the type (category) of program developed. In addition, using the model to design CE impact evaluation studies can help identify a range of questions to ask and thereby suggest to the evaluator appropriate data collection strategies. Finally, it might be useful to apply the model to the analysis of impact data collected as a way to bring to light information that can explain the mismatch between potential and actual program outcomes that is often reported in the literature. (KC)

Recent research has demonstrated that, for young adults, officers' accommodative practices are potent predictors of civilians' attributed trust in police, and their perceived likelihood of compliance with police requests. The present study continued this line of work in the United States and Bulgaria. The latter context is not only intriguing as little communication research has been conducted there, but is significant in being heralded as having one of the most corrupt governments and law enforcement institutions in the European Community. Besides differences between nations, results revealed that for U.S.A. participants, officer accommodativeness indirectly predicted civilian compliance through trust. For those in Bulgaria, however, only direct relationships were foundâ??between officer accommodation and civilian trust, and between accommodation and compliance. The latter finding is fairly unique and the theoretical and practical significance of these are discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the extension of communication accommodation theory into intergroup communication and considers its applications to law enforcement training, practice and policies. The media plays a role in shaping the views of the average person of the police. This became apparent with the popularity of shows such as "Dragnet" and "NYPD Blue." Since 1972, U.S. citizens demonstrated some confidence in and support for law enforcement officers.

This study examined patronizing communication in the law enforcement/civilian intergroup context, complementing previous research designs in this area with additional of degrees of patronization, varying the patronizer by manipulating physical appearance, and also by varying the person who is patronized by including two distinct subtypes within a vignette. By examining patronizing communication in these expanded ways, this study aimed to determine which variables in verbal (language) and nonverbal (appearance) communication may most likely yield effects in an interaction, and thus maintain negative stereotypes. In this vignette study, 426 students rated a conversation in which an older person was patronized, or not patronized, at two degrees of magnitude by a police officer. Appearances of the patronizer/ee were factorially varied. While degree of patronization was linearly related to attributions afforded both social targets, it was predictably negative for the patronizer, yet surprisingly positive for the recipient. Results are discussed in terms of the Communication Predicament of Aging (Ryan, Giles, Bartolucci, & Henwood, 1986) and Communication Enhancement of Aging (Ryan, Meredith, MacLean, & Orange, 1995) models, and directions for future research are explored. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored the use of intergroup communication schemas in heterosexuals' imagined conversations with gay versus heterosexual targets. Communication schemas identified in the gay conversational context included homonegative, gay stereotype, and learning about homosexuality. Key findings revealed that heterosexual males were generally more negative (and more explicitly homonegative) with a gay target than were heterosexual females. Additionally, heterosexual male participants expressed less interest in learning about homosexuality, less desire for future interaction with the gay target, and engaged in more stereotyping of the gay target, than did their female counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has demonstrated that, for young adults, officers' communicative practices are potent predictors of civilians' attributed trust in police, and their perceived likelihood of compliance with police requests. This line of work has important applied implications for ameliorating police-civilian relations and promoting a joint law enforcement/community response to crime prevention. The present study continued this line of work in Armenia and the USA. Armenia is not only intriguing as little communication research has been conducted in this setting, but is significant as its government (and the law enforcement) is currently experiencing significant social upheavals. Besides differences between nations, results revealed that, for American participants, officer accommodativeness indirectly predicted civilian compliance through trust. For those in Armenia, however, only direct relationships were found—between officer accommodation and civilian trust, and between accommodation and compliance. The latter finding is fairly unique and the theoretical and practical significance of these are discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Police-civilian interactions have recently been investigated from an intergroup communication perspective. While much past research has shown that civilians' sociodemographic characteristics predict attitudes toward police, recent work in the USA has revealed that perceptions of police officers' communication accommodation can be a better predictor than these measures. The current study continued this line of work in Korea, Japan, Guam, and Canada and tested a theoretical model aimed at exploring the role of communication accommodation in voluntary compliance with police. A total of 684 university students completed a questionnaire that assessed how accommodating they perceived police to be together with their reported trust in, and inclinations to comply with, them. For each location, structural equation models were tested. The findings indicated that, for all locations, perceived police officer communication accommodation predicted trust in police which, in turn, predicted attitudes about compliance with police requests. The theoretical and applied significance of the findings are discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]