NCJ Number
58256
Journal
ANTHROPOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 119-128
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH ANTHROPOLOGY HAS LITTLE IMPORTANCE IN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION, IT PROVIDES A THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL BASIS FOR CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH.
Abstract
THE ROLE OF ANTHROPOLOGY IN PROGRAM EVALUATION HAS BEEN LIMITED BY THE LACK OF A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BASIS FOR ANTHROPOLOGICAL INPUTS. EXISTING EVALUATION APPROACHES REPRESENT TWO BASIC MODELS, EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTEXTUAL, WHICH MAKE ALTERNATIVE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT IN SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMS. ANTHROPOLOGY IS ONLY A SUBSIDIARY DATA SOURCE IN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION, BUT ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY AND METHODS HAVE A CENTRAL ROLE IN CONTEXTUAL STUDIES. SUCH STUDIES ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN PROVIDING A BASIS FOR POLICY DECISIONS INVOLVING IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES IN CONTINUING PROGRAM SETTINGS. ALTHOUGH EACH EVALUATION MODEL IS APPROPRIATE TO DIFFERENT PROGRAM TYPES AND EVALUATION GOALS, MOST ACTION PROGRAMS ARE PART OF LARGER INSTITUTIONS THAT APPLY COMPLEX TREATMENTS TOWARDS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL GOALS WITH DIFFUSE EFFECTS. THIS REQUIRES A CONTEXTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSMENT. THE USE OF A CONTEXTUAL MODEL WAS ILLUSTRATED THROUGH THE EXAMINATION OF AN EVALUATION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY INCENTIVES PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS. THIS STUDY NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATED THE VALUE OF A CONTEXTUAL MODEL, BUT ALSO INDICATED A HIGH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT RECEPTIVENESS TO THAT KIND OF RESEARCH. MORE IMPORTANT FOR ANTHROPOLOGISTS, SUCH EVALUATION RESEARCH PROVIDES A PRACTICAL TESTING GROUND FOR ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY. THIS TESTING IS SORELY NEEDED IF ANTHROPOLOGY IS TO CUMULATIVELY BUILD OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN CONDITION. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ILL., AND FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. FINALLY, THE COMMUNITY OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL., IS EXAMINED TO ACCOUNT FOR ITS