A robust finding in social psychology is that people judge negative events as less likely to happen to themselves than to the average person, a behavior interpreted as showing that people are "unrealistically optimistic" in their judgments of risk concerning future life events. However, we demonstrate how unbiased responses can result in data…

This study of adolescent boys' literacy builds on motivation theory and uses the Motivations for Reading Questionnaire (Wigfield, Guthrie, & McGough, 1996) as a foundation. Survey and achievement data were collected from 330 students and eight teachers at a Catholic, all-boys high-school. Results suggest that the motivational constructs…

The question, "How many people are enrolled in public school adult education?" is presented. The current survey on Adult Education in the Public Education System is one of several surveys. Adult education is defined here as "organized instruction to meet the unique needs of persons beyond compulsory school age who have interrupted or completed…

This study was designed to measure adult performance as related to age. Using methodology derived from information theory, information processing ability was measured with the individuals performing as a communication system. Fifty-five school teachers, ranging in age from 20 to 66, served as subjects. In four groups, the subjects judged the sizes…

Reversals of trait desirability are studied. Terms indicating conservativw behavior appeared to be judged relatively desirable in comparative judgement, while traits indicating dynamic and expansive behavior benefited from absolute judgement. The reversal effect was shown to be a general one, i.e. reversals were not dependent upon the specific…

Formulae and graphs are presented allowing computation of the variances of three prototypical distributions over a finite number of categories. The uses of the variances of the maximum variance distribution, the uniform distribution and a unimodal triangular distribution to make inferences about distribution shapes are shown in several examples.…

Subjective norms account for a significant, albeit small, proportion of unique variance in intentions. To explore the hypothesis that this effect can be explained largely by individual differences in the degree to which people are apt to be more under normative control, subjects were asked to indicate their intentions, attitudes, and subjective…

THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED DURING 1966 TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF MAGNESIUM PEMOLINE (A COMBINATION OF 2-IMINO-5-PHENYL-4-OXAZOLIDINONE AND MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE) ON A VARIETY OF HUMAN LEARNING, MEMORY, AND PERFORMANCE TASKS. MAGNESIUM PEMOLINE (25 OR 37.5 MG) OR A PLACEBO WAS ADMINISTERED ORALLY ON A DOUBLE-BLIND BASIS TO INTELLIGENCE-MATCHED GROUPS…

This report outlines a method for analyzing the status of stimuli which control deviant child behavior. Hypothetically, an effective family treatment program would not only alter the reinforcing contingencies provided by family members for the deviant behaviors of the problem child, but would also reduce the frequency with which they present these…

A LINEAR AND A BRANCHING PROGRAMED TEXTBOOK WERE COMPARED FOR EFFECTIVENESS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH A CONVENTIONAL TEXTBOOK. SIX GROUPS OF 82 AIRMEN EACH STUDIED EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES UNDER THE THREE FORMATS. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN LEARNING WAS MEASURED BY BOTH MULTIPLE-CHOICE AND CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE TESTS. IMMEDIATE ACHIEVEMENT WAS MEASURED BY…

In the spring of 1990, over 9,000 4th-, 8th- and 12th-grade students (only 6 percent of all students in Massachusetts) were assessed using open-ended mathematical, scientific, social studies, and reading concepts. Beginning with the Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program for 1992, open-ended questions will be administered to all students and…