Assessing Value Differences: Urban vs. Rural Professionals in TDPRS, East Texas

1. Assessing Value DifferencesBetween Urban and Rural Professionals of the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) in East Texas, 2003Roger Bruce McNellie, Ph.D.,MSSW,LCSW,LMFT,LPC,DCSW

2. Purpose of Study To determine if being raised or working in a rural vs. urban environment predicts a significant difference in scores on a values instrument, specifically the Values Scale (VS) (Donald Super & Dorothy Nevill, 1989).

3. Dependent Variables: • Participant’s scores on Values Scales. Independent variables: • Working in rural or non-rural working environment, and. • Raised in an urban vs. rural environment.

4. Definition of Rural Vs. Urban • RURAL: Those population areas not designated as urban or urbanized areas with urban or urbanized areas defined as a central city and the surrounding densely settled territory that together have a population of 50,000 or more and a population density generally exceeding 1,000 people per square mile. • Rural or non-metropolitan referred to those geographic areas 20 miles outside the city limits of population centers of 50,000 or more people (Bureau of the Census, 1990; USGAO, 1993).

5. Definition of Rural Vs. Urban • RURAL WORK SETTING: This referred to the location of the professional’s principal office if it met the definition of rural.

6. Definition of Rural Vs. Urban RAISED RURAL: The person was raised primarily in a rural setting (self report).

7. Values Scale by Donald Super and Dorothy Nevill (1989) • The Values Scale was created to match respondents to careers which reflect similarly held values. • The 21 subscales include: • Ability Utilization, • Achievement, • Advancement, • Aesthetics, • Altruism, • Authority, • Autonomy, • Creativity, • Economic Rewards, • Life Style, • Personal Development, • Physical Activity, • Prestige, • Risk, • Social Interaction, • Social Relations, • Variety, • Working Conditions, • Cultural Identity, • Physical Prowess, and. • Economic Security (Super & Nevill, 1989).

8. Sample Question It is now or will be in the future be important for me to … • Have lots of fun 1 2 3 4 • Do things with other people, • Work in a group rather than by myself, • Be with other people while I work, • Have people take time to chat, • Deal with a variety of people at work. 1 means of little or no importance 2 means of some importance 3 means important 4 means very important

9. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences Authors (Bachrach, 1977; Berry & Davis, 1978; Blouch, 1982; Cowan, 1979; Coward et al., 1983; Flax, Wagenfeld, Ivens, & Weiss, 1979; Kenkel, 1986; Putnam, 2000; Wagenfeld & Wagenfeld, 1981; Wagenfeld, 1994) have suggested that rural values stress the importance of the following:

10. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance,

11. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance, • conservatism,

12. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance, • conservatism, • distrust of outsiders,

13. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance, • conservatism, • distrust of outsiders, • religion,

14. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance, • conservatism, • distrust of outsiders, • religion, • work, • stronger family orientation,

15. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences • self-reliance, • conservatism, • distrust of outsiders, • religion, • work, • stronger family orientation, • individualism, and fatalism. These studies conclude that urban counterparts place less importance on these concepts.

16. Brief Literature Review: Support for Differences Oliver (1997) suggests that there is a higher degree of involvement in volunteer organizations for those living in suburban or more rural areas vs. urbanareas.

17. Brief Literature Review: Support for No Differences • Cordes (1990) refutes the notion that the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of rural people are substantially different from those of urban residents.

18. Brief Literature Review: Support for No Differences • Cordes suggests the modernization of America has brought the city to the farm, causing a blurring of any differences that might have been present during America’s frontier days. He suggests that systems of interstate highways, television, and other mass media have for the most part ended the severe isolation of rural areas.

19. Brief Literature Review: Support for No Differences • Melton (1983) suggests that the evidence in support of rural/urban value differences is limited and anecdotal, and that such differences are more of a legend or lore than grounded in fact.

20. Rural Characteristics: Generally supported by literature • May confront life with a more fatalistic view.

21. Rural Characteristics: Generally supported by literature • May confront life with a more fatalistic view. • Clannishness, a sense of inferiority, and mistrust of outsiders.

22. Rural Characteristics: Generally supported by literature • May confront life with a more fatalistic view. • Clannishness, a sense of inferiority, and mistrust of outsiders. • Less specialized practice and more frequent exposure to dual relationship situations.

23. Rural Characteristics: Generally supported by literature • May confront life with a more fatalistic view. • Clannishness, a sense of inferiority, and mistrust of outsiders. • Less specialized practice and more frequent exposure to dual relationship situations. • More independent, more self-sufficient, and more extended family oriented.

24. Rural Characteristics: Generally supported by literature • May confront life with a more fatalistic view. • Clannishness, a sense of inferiority, and mistrust of outsiders. • Less specialized practice and more frequent exposure to dual relationship situations. • More independent, more self-sufficient, and more extended family oriented. • Stronger interpersonal and professional relationships with close ties to the community and a stronger reliance on informal communication.

25. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes .

26. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education.

27. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement.

28. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism.

29. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community.

30. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community. • More satisfied with and positive about job.

31. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community. • More satisfied with and positive about job. • Higher organizational commitment.

32. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community. • More satisfied with and positive about job. • Higher organizational commitment. • Higher position tenure.

33. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community. • More satisfied with and positive about job. • Higher organizational commitment. • Higher position tenure. • Higher levels of autonomy and decision making.

34. Rural Characteristics: Attitude and Lifestyle Differences • Less formal decision making processes . • Less importance placed on education. • Less satisfied with job security and their opportunities for training and career advancement. • More importance on stable lifestyles, traditional values, informal support networks, and individualism. • More satisfied with their lifestyle and the friendliness of the community. • More satisfied with and positive about job. • Higher organizational commitment. • Higher position tenure. • Higher levels of autonomy and decision making. • Higher reports of agency support.

35. Rural Characteristics: Privacy • Privacy viewed as a premium more in urban areas.

36. Rural Characteristics: Privacy • Privacy viewed as a premium more in urban areas. • The rural individual may view the collection of additional relationships and community contacts as a desired goal in overcoming feelings of isolation, and consequently, comes to the position of holding dear all social contacts.

37. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity.

38. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity. • More participation in civic functions.

39. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity. • More participation in civic functions. • It is much clearer in a rural setting that the welfare of its members are inextricably connected.

40. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity. • More participation in civic functions. • It is much clearer in a rural setting that the welfare of its members are inextricably connected. • Stronger social sanctions applied to people who don't reciprocate in helping one another or who do not participate in the social life of the community.

41. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity. • More participation in civic functions. • It is much clearer in a rural setting that the welfare of its members are inextricably connected. • Stronger social sanctions applied to people who don't reciprocate in helping one another or who do not participate in the social life of the community. • In an urban area, there are few needs that cannot be easily met through readily available resources.

42. Rural Characteristics: Community Issues • In general, moral precepts about social and community concerns may be relatively more important to rural people than to urban as related to religious influences or reciprocity. • More participation in civic functions. • It is much clearer in a rural setting that the welfare of its members are inextricably connected. • Stronger social sanctions applied to people who don't reciprocate in helping one another or who do not participate in the social life of the community. • In an urban area, there are few needs that cannot be easily met through readily available resources. • In a rural setting resources are often dependent on calling upon a neighbor, friend, or family member for assistance and reflect a sense of quid pro quo or reciprocity.

43. Rural Characteristics: Race Issues • Rural areas often track behind urban areas in race relations.

44. Rural Characteristics: Race Issues • Rural areas often track behind urban areas in race relations. • Often the access to a diverse environment is more limited and the level of diversity is more fixed or static.

45. Rural Characteristics: Race Issues • Rural areas often track behind urban areas in race relations. • Often the access to a diverse environment is more limited and the level of diversity is more fixed or static. • People raised in rural communities tend to know each other in certain roles that may remain static throughout their lives.

46. Rural Characteristics: Salaries • Lower salaries. Promotions less likely.

47. Rural Characteristics: Salaries • Lower salaries. Promotions less likely. • Limited pay/limited recruiting/limited diversity in the workforce.

48. Rural Characteristics: Salaries • Lower salaries. Promotions less likely. • Limited pay/limited recruiting/limited diversity in the workforce. • Rural work faces statistical problems in funding.

49. Rural Characteristics: Salaries • Lower salaries. Promotions less likely. • Limited pay/limited recruiting/limited diversity in the workforce. • Rural work faces statistical problems in funding. • Lower levels of education and sophistication in legal and professional work.

50. Rural Characteristics: Limited Resources • Social services and resources are often lacking in rural areas.