To what extent -- and why -- do many people share similar views in socially significant domains such as politics, the economy, race, and gender? Both the conceptual and substantive approaches to these questions are explored in this new book. Part I introduces the approach adopted, reviews recent developments in the area of belief, and endeavors to synthesize speculations from anthropology and from psychology. Part II concentrates on four different sets of concepts for the social psychological study of widespread beliefs. Finally, contributions from six social psychologists -- each examining a substantive area or series of studies with an analysis of the empirical work in that area -- comprise Part III. This fully up-to-date work provides a broad conceptual approach to this contemporary, important topic. Social psychologists, social anthropologists and sociologists will find this work particularly useful.

Arguing that widespread changes in human attitude and behaviour patterns are central to ensuring a more secure and sustainable future on earth, this book focuses on communication processes in development. The authors show how communication can be used to mobilize societies, to facilitate democratic and participatory decision-making, and to help people acquire new knowledge and skills. Among the issues explored are: social mobilization worldwide for child immunization; communication as a means of facilitating rapid advances in family planning; and the use of video to enable peasant farmers to participate in their own development. The book should be of interest to those working in development, both as practitioners and theorists, and to those concerned with politics and society in the developing world.