Action theory is based on a school of thought in philosophy, social and cognitive psychology, neurology, and organizational behavior as well as in counseling and career development. This school of thought addresses the intentional, goal-directed nature of human behavior. It has historical roots in the works of George Herbert Mead, Talcott Parsons, and Lev Vygotsky
Theories of health behavior change are needed to explain, predict, and improve self-regulation of physical activity. Such theories are being divided into continuum models and stage models. In continuum models, people are positioned along a range that reflects the likelihood of action. Influential predictor variables are identified and combined within one prediction equation. The goal
Collective action may be defined as any behavior that is directed at fulfilling a goal shared by two or more people. Examples of collective action include the chants and audience waves of sports crowds, race riots, language revival movements, political election campaigns, military action, and political protests. In essence, communication scholars have been concerned with
Action assembly theory (AAT) seeks to explain message behavior (both verbal and nonverbal) by describing the system of mental structures and processes that give rise to those behaviors. As such, AAT is a member of the broader class of cognitive theories of message production. AAT, in turn, is itself an umbrella category for any of
Affirmative action (AA) is a public policy designed to eliminate systemic bias against members of under-represented groups in employment and education. Although the use of AA is not limited to the United States, it can be argued that it is in the United States that AA has its greatest influence on business, education, and the
The study of human memory has a long history, making it one of the oldest and most investigated topics in psychology. The initial scientific studies of memory are usually ascribed to Hermann Ebbinghaus’s work in 1885. He investigated the serial learning and forgetting of new information (nonsense syllables) and described the speed of forgetting by
Participatory action research (PAR) is a methodological approach to research that breaks with standard social scientific practice in a number of ways. In standard practice, research into the behavior of social groups is conducted by university-trained scientists, while in PAR research is conducted by the social groups themselves with the assistance of university-trained scientists. In
Action anthropology is a scholarly enterprise based in field research, data collection, and theory building, during which the anthropologist is also committed to assisting local communities in achieving their goals and meeting specific felt needs. Rather than pursuing pure science or perusing their own agendas, action anthropologists see themselves more as tentative coexplorers who help
Just as with many phrases, affirmative action can mean different things to different people. Not only do we find a difference in definition, but we find a difference among people in how they view it. Perhaps an individual’s view of affirmative action is sometimes affected by how it personally affects that person or someone close
The term affirmative action encompasses a broad range of voluntary and mandated policies and procedures intended to provide equal access to educational and employment opportunities for members of historically excluded groups. Foremost among the bases for historical exclusion have been race, ethnicity, and sex, although consideration is sometimes extended to other groups (e.g., Vietnam veterans