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Dissertation Information for Christine Crawford

NAME:
- Christine Crawford

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA) (1999)

ADVISORS:
- Darlene Weingand

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Dianne Hopkins
- Joe Elder
- Warren Olaf Hagstrom
- Anne Hutchison Lundin

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: Intergroup bias within the library profession: Exploring the attitudes of public library administrators

Abstract: Over the years librarianship has relied on anecdotal and popular library journal articles to discuss perceived lack of administrative support and respect to professional librarians in various specialist departments. Relying on these library journal articles and studies from other academic disciplines, a survey instrument was developed and mailed to administrators of medium-sized public libraries. The responses of 374 administrators were tabulated to determine if intergroup bias--the lack of administrative support and respect to professional librarians--existed. Data was also collected to determine relationships between the dependent variable intergroup bias and seventeen independent variables.

Analysis of the test results revealed that intergroup bias did exist among the respondents. Attention was then turned to the seventeen independent variables and whether or not a statistically significant association existed between them and bias. There was only one independent variable that did not have any statistically significant relationship with any group by any test; this was the independent variable known as "geographical location of the graduate school where an administrator received his or her master's degree in library and information studies."

This study found that various qualities developed in medium-sized public library administrators that contribute to intergroup bias. These qualities include personality traits and behavior and personal characteristics. Some of these traits and characteristics are more strongly associated with intergroup bias than others. Although there were four independent variables that had a statistically significant association with all specialist groups and total group bias, most of the traits and behaviors identified were different for each individual specialist group. Traits and characteristics can only be predicted in a limited fashion from an administrator's past experiences.

The respondents were generous in providing comment about the survey instrument and the issues that it addressed. The most sensitive issue regarded the use of the term "professional." The debate of "professional" versus "paraprofessional" is one that continues today.

This study addressed the issue of administrative intergroup bias against specific professional specialists; more research needs to be done to investigate intergroup bias among professional librarians, whatever their specialty. Several more questions were developed for this purpose.

MPACT Scores for Christine Crawford

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:27:42

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Students under Christine Crawford

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None