Weblog Menu

• News & Events
• CSR Projects
  • Kent County Congregations Study
  • Christian Reformed Church
  • Cherry Street Health Services
  • Previous Projects
    • Faith Communities Today 2005
• Research at Calvin by Department
  • Business
  • Calvin Institute for Christian Worship
  • Communications
  • CSR Staff
  • Psychology
  • Social Work
  • Sociology

Admin

• Member Login

PALS Teens at MPA

Last week, the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) hosted its annual meeting at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL. As the current CSR Research Associate, I presented a poster on some of my collaborative work with Calvin psychology professor, Marjorie Gunnoe.

Using PALS teen data, professor Gunnoe and I examined predictors of teenage expectations to marry. We explored several theoretical & well-established domains in an effort to compare our data with other national studies and to contribute to the growing body of literature on teenage development and attitudes toward marriage.

In addition to several poster sessions, I had the opportunity to hear a fabulous lecture by Washington University’s memory expert, Henry L. Roediger, III on how testing not only measures knowledge but enhances it. Visit the Washington University Memory Lab for more on this groundbreaking research.

Business development mentoring in Haiti, Kenya and Nicaragua

In summer and fall 2007, CSR assisted Roland Hoksbergen, professor of economics and international development, and student Jeremy Veenema in their evaluation of the Partners Worldwide “Million Mentors Initiative.”

In addition to other information sources, Hoksbergen and Veenema conducted a survey of the target population for the initiative, entrepreneurs and employees in small businesses in Haiti, Kenya and Nicaragua. Local field interviewers in each country conducted interviews with business owners and employees in the field, then returned to their home bases (often colleges and universities) and entered their data into web forms created by CSR (you can view preview versions of the forms for owners and employees). Hoksbergen and Veenema also received statistical analysis consulting support from CSR.

Their final report is posted here. They found strong evidence for the program’s effectiveness, with a total of 84 business associations, 6,419 individual members and 4,516 businesses across the three countries.

CSR Open House on April 3

Please join us on the afternoon of April 3, 2008, 3:30 - 6:00pm for a friendly open house at the stylish new offices of the Center for Social Research at 2041 Raybrook St. SE, Suite 103, downstairs from the Van Lunen Center and Kuyers Institute. We’d like to welcome all Calvin faculty and staff and our clients from the community, share refreshments, introduce you to CSR’s new director Dr. James Penning, and chat about social research at Calvin College. Thanks are due to past Director Kurt Schaefer, Interim Director Janel Curry, all our campus collaborators, and especially to the Physical Plant personnel who did such a great job remodeling.

Find your way with this map:
Sorry, this neat feature doesn’t work in Internet Explorer, but is too cool to drop for all that. Try Firefox!!

View Larger Map

Monsma publishes book on Christian evaluation of public policy

Adapted from the Christians in Political Science newsletter for March 2008: Just published, Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy is written by Steve Monsma, a research fellow at the Henry Institute at Calvin College and a former CPS president. In his book, Steve lays out foundational biblical principles for guiding Christians’ evaluation of current public policy issues and then applies them to several key issue areas. His goal is not to prescribe specific public policy positions, but to assist believers to evaluate and reach their own public policy positions in a thoughtful manner, guided by biblical principles. It is published by Crossway Books; more information can be found at www.healingbrokenworldbook.com. The Henry Institute has also produced a DVD and study guide to accompany the book, which is suited for use in introductory college classes and study groups. More information on it can be found at the Henry Institute publications page.

Major study documents religious mobility

The Grand Rapids Press newspaper invited CSR staff to comment for a story about a major new study of American religion by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

A massive survey of over 35,000 people, the U.S. Religious Landscape study reveals significant levels of religious mobility among Americans, with 28 percent reporting leaving the faith tradition of their childhood and another 16 percent reporting movement between groups within the Protestant tradition. Over sixteen percent reported no religious affiliation at all, but this figure includes 5.8 percent who still think of themselves as “religious” (see the bottom of the table at right on the Pew page.)

READ MORE...