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Books in Social sciences and humanities

  • Organizational Effectiveness

    A Comparison of Multiple Models
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Kim S. Cameron + 1 more
    • English
    Organizational Effectiveness: A Comparison of Multiple Models directly addresses the issues of non-integration and non-comparability. This book not only provides well thought out approaches to effectiveness as a construct, but also practical suggestions for improving effectiveness in organizations. A set of integrating questions that raise theoretical, conceptual, empirical, research, practical, and managerial issues are also included. This text likewise compares and contrasts theoretical and philosophical roots of a particular perspective with other perspectives. This publication is intended for scholars and researchers seeking to understand and measure organizational effectiveness, as well as practitioners who are faced with the problem of managing and improving their own organization's effectiveness.
  • Sensory Restriction

    Effects on Behavior
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Duane P. Schultz
    • English
    Sensory Restriction: Effects on Behavior focuses on the presentation of experimental findings on sensory deprivation and their connection to behavior. The book first offers information on the theoretical framework and physiological effects of sensory restriction. Discussions focus on arousal and the reticular activating system; cortical arousal as a function of level of stimulus variation; possible basis for individual differences in level of arousal; galvanic skin response; biological changes; and other physiological findings. The manuscript also ponders on perceptual and motor effects, affective changes, and differences in tolerance for sensory restriction. Topics include sensory restriction research, therapeutic effects of sensory restriction, and tolerance as a function of need for stimulation. The text also ponders on the effects of social isolation, including individual and small group social isolation. The book is a valuable source of data for readers interested on the effects of sensory restriction on behavior.
  • Economic Policy Reform in Mexico

    A Case Study for Developing Countries
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Leopoldo Solís
    • English
    Economic Policy Reform in Mexico: A Case Study for Developing Countries is a five-chapter text about political economy that tries to assess the economic developments in Mexico, especially the attempt at economic reform in the early 1970s. The first chapter examines the period of Stabilizing Development to provide a framework necessary for judging the environment in which the attempts at economic reform were undertaken. This chapter is a piece of applied economics that tries to assess the too frequent attacks against that phase of economic policy. The following three chapters discuss the economic policy objectives of Echeverria's administration, the attempt at tax reform, and the change in the structure and practices of public spending. The final chapter evaluates the experience and draws some inferences about the nature of decision making in economic policy and the constraints faced by a government that wants to use economic policy as an instrument for the promotion of social welfare. This book will prove useful to economists, historians, and researchers.
  • Negotiation Behavior

    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Dean G. Pruitt
    • Peter Warr
    • English
    Negotiation Behavior is a theoretical synthesis of what is known about negotiation as a general phenomenon. The principles presented are illustrated with examples of negotiation from many specific realms. A great deal of attention is devoted to the motives, perceptions, and other microprocesses underlying the behavior of negotiators and to the results of laboratory experiments on negotiation. Comprised of seven chapters, this book begins by defining negotiation and contrasting it with other forms of multiparty decision making, along with its significance and the nature of research on the subject. Two fundamental theoretical notions are presented: the strategic choice model and the goal/expectation hypothesis. Subsequent chapters focus on where bargainers place their demands as well as the strategies they use to foster their interests while moving toward agreement. The reader is introduced to key concepts such as demand level and concession rate, competitive tactics, and coordinative behavior, together with integrative agreements and third-party intervention in negotiation (mediation and arbitration). This monograph will be of value to practitioners in the fields of organizational and occupational psychology, social psychology, economics, industrial relations, and international relations.
  • Background to the English Civil War

    The Commonwealth and International Library: History Division
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Frank W. Jessup
    • G. M. D. Howat
    • English
    Background to the English Civil War is a collection of literature that attempts to address various queries about the English civil war. The book is comprised 13 chapters that cover various concerns in the conflict. The text first covers the arrival of the Stuarts, and then proceeds to present materials about Charles I. Chapter 3 tackles the growing tension between the king and the population. The next chapter deals with early stages of the war. Next, the book details the execution of Charles I, the battle that comes after, and the eventual restoration of the Stuarts. The selection will be of great use to readers who have a keen interest in English history.
  • Economics Private and Public Choice

    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • James D Gwartney
    • English
    Economics: Private and Public Choice is an aid for students and general readers to develop a sound economic reasoning. The book discusses several ways to economic thinking including six guideposts as follows: (i) scarce goods have costs; (ii) Decision-makers economize in their choices; (iii) Incentives are important; (iv) Decision-makers are dependent on information scarcity; (v) Economic actions can have secondary effects; and (vi) Economic thinking is scientific. The book explains the Keynesian view of money, employment, and inflation, as well as the monetarist view on the proper macropolicy, business cycle, and inflation. The book also discusses consumer decision making, the elasticity of demand, and how income influences demand. The text analyzes costs and producer decisions, the firm under pure competition, and how a competitive model functions. The book explains monopoly, and also considers the high barriers that prevent entry such as legal barriers, economies of scale, and control over important resources. The author also presents comparative economic systems such as capitalism and socialism. This book can prove useful for students and professors in economics, as well as general readers whose works are related to public service and planning in the area of economic development.
  • Attention, Arousal and the Orientation Reaction

    International Series of Monographs in Experimental Psychology
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • R. Lynn
    • H. J. Eysenck
    • English
    Attention, Arousal and the Orientation Reaction aims to present in a volume the works of Pavlov, an eminent Russian physiologist known for his contributions, specifically the classical conditioning. This book contains the interpretations and theories in physiological terms, and elaborates on the neurological models of significant interest. The “orientation reaction” is described, and the Sokolov's model, which is claimed to be the most comprehensive model for the orientation reaction, is then illustrated. This text also explains the phenomenon of habituation, wherein facts involved are summarized in a chapter. A discussion on the numerous neurological models of the habituation process is then given. This text notes that the models are divided into ""one-stage models"" and ""two-stage models."" Other topics presented are the effects of transforming a neutral stimulus into a conditioned stimulus; the orientation reaction in ontogenetic and phylogenetic development; and the orientation reaction in the measurement of individual differences. This book will be beneficial to those fascinated with the works of Pavlov, especially the psychology students and practitioners.
  • Groups in Contact

    The Psychology of Desegregation
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Norman S. Miller + 1 more
    • English
    Groups in Contact: The Psychology of Desegregation uses the contact hypothesis as a point of departure and provides new data obtained in a variety of social contexts. The contact hypothesis states that attitudes toward a disliked social group will become more positive with increased interpersonal interaction. The various chapters provide a picture of the desegregation process as a complex interplay between the cognitive processes within the individual and the structural features of the social environment. What emerges is an expanded theory of contact based on social categorization and social comparison processes. The book is organized into three parts. The chapters in Part I deal with issues of intergroup contact in a wide range of cultures and settings, each focusing on a particular social or political factor that influences receptivity to intergroup interaction and affects its outcomes. The chapters in Part II review the effects of specific interventions that have been introduced into desegregation settings with the intent of improving intergroup acceptance in those settings. Part III provides a systematic integration of the preceding chapters within a common theoretical framework. Although this book is written primarily from the perspective of social psychology, it is intended for students of intergroup relations in all disciplines. It was also written with policymakers, as well as social science researchers, in mind.
  • Land Reform in Mexico: 1910—1980

    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Susan R. Walsh Sanderson
    • Charles Tilly + 1 more
    • English
    Land Reform in Mexico: 1910–1980 presents the workings of the Mexican government by analyzing actual policies, their implementation, and their outcomes in a significant and central sector of the Mexican economy, agriculture. This book discusses the pattern of Mexican redistribution policy in agriculture over an extensive period of time, with emphasis on the causes and effects of these policy shifts. Organized into eight chapters, this book begins with an overview of the agricultural policy and modernization strategy of Mexico. This text then relates regional variations in the rural social structure of the late 19th century to the history of Mexico's unique agricultural policy. Other chapters consider the policy shifts reflected in agrarian legislation by presidential period. This book discusses as well the politics of land reform and its linkages to local, state, and national administrations. The final chapter deals with the status of agricultural policy in Mexico during the 1980s. This book is a valuable resource for scholar and students with interest in Mexican politics.
  • Life-Span Developmental Psychology

    Personality and Socialization
    • 1st Edition
    • September 11, 2013
    • Paul B. Baltes + 1 more
    • English
    Life-Span Developmental Psychology: Personality and Socialization presents papers on personality and socialization. The book discusses the history, theory, and psychological approaches of developmental psychology, with focus on socialization and personality development through the life span; personality dimensions; and theories of socialization and sex-role development. The text also describes the life-span perspective of creativity and cognitive styles; continuities in childhood and adult moral development revisited; and issues of intergenerational relations as they affect both individual socialization and continuity of culture. The interactional analysis of family attachments; social-learning theory as a framework for the study of adult personality development; person-perception research; and the perception of life-span development are also considered. The book further tackles the potential usefulness of the life-span developmental perspective in education; the strategies for enhancing human development over the life span through educational intervention; and some ecological implications for the organization of human intervention throughout the life span. Developmental psychologists, sociologists, gerontologists, and people involved in the study of child development will find the book invaluable.