5th Annual Institute for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity

The conference opened with the usual social gathering on Thursday night, at which time the Stephenson Research Center was presented with a xeroxed copy of William Stephenson’s 1926 physics dissertation, On the effect of the shape of the cathode on the glow discharge: The “Hetero-Normal” current-density effect, Kings College, Durham University. Program director for the conference was Donald J. Brenner, Director of the Stephenson Research Center, School of Journalism, University of Missouri. The following papers were presented during the course of the conference:

• Steven R. Brown, Kent State University, Operant foundations of value clarification
• Brian D’Agostino, Columbia University, Personality, belief systems and U.S. foreign policy
• Albert D. Talbott, University of Iowa, Journalists in the movies: A series of studies of the ways journalists are perceived to be portayed in feature films
• Leonard J. Barchak, McNeese State University, Evil advertising and virtuous public relations: The future of an illusion in the open society
• Karen E. Dennis, Francis Scott Key Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University, Patients’ control and the information imperative: Clarification and confirmation
• Deborah E. Gibson, Memphis State University, A Q analysis of interpersonal trust in the nurse-client relationship
• Karen E. Dennis, Francis Scott Key Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University, The real and ideal hospital work environments in juxtaposition
• Won Ho Chang and Suk Hong Yoon, University of Missouri-Columbia and Chosun Ilbo, Seoul, National interest and the press in Korea: A Q methodological study
• Patrick Peritore, University of Missouri-Columbia, Q methodology and ethnopsychology
• Keith P. Sanders and Daniel N. Morris, University of Missouri-Columbia and Boise State University, Q method and the oral history tradition
• Irvin Goldman and Ivan Emke, University of Windsor and Carleton University, Communication and Canadian identity: A Q methodological study
• Joan E. Aitken, University of Missouri-Kansas City, College student perception of alcohol use as related to interpersonal communciation interaction
• Leonard J. Barchak and Paul Arnold, McNeese State University, Reducing vulnerability by assessing customer business styles
• James Shaner, University of Missouri-Columbia, Modeling farm management decision-making: A Q test of Adoption Theory applied to decisions regarding conservation compliance

The yearly banquet was taken up by a “William Stephenson Memorial Program” which included a showing of portions of the 1988 videotaped interview, William Stephenson on His Life and Career (provided courtesy of New Direction for News Programs, School of Journalism, University of Missouri), followed by reminisces by Charles Stephenson and comments by others in attendance.