Both the popular and professional literatures commonly suggest that the more involvement by fathers in their infants' routine care the better. However, empirical support for this position is far from conclusive. Although several researchers have reported a positive relationship between father involvement and father-infant relations, others have…

This study was intended to examine: (1) the kinds of conflict preschool children between 2 and 5 years of age become involved in; (2) the methods children use in dealing with such conflicts; (3) the outcomes of the conflicts; and (4) differences in behavior according to age and gender of children. Recorded were random samples of conflict…

This paper introduces a research series recently initiated to begin to describe and interpret curriculum as practiced and experienced at the classroom and individual student levels. Curriculum is defined as whatever a student learns. A multi-year series of studies is planned to combine naturalistic and survey methods to generate theories about how…

A naturalistic-observational study of three inner-city, working-class mother-infant pairs was conducted to study early language development and maternal teaching styles. The subjects were three white 2-year-olds and their mothers. Observations were made under everyday conditions as the infants interacted with their mothers and other family members…

Procedures are presented for training classroom observers to collect data in naturalistic research projects. Training methods are directed toward the collection of highly reliable observational data. Pre-classroom training prepares observers for data collection by working with the coding manual, video-tapes, and written dialogues, and through…

An attempt at defining and describing those factors which most often jeopardize the validity of naturalistic behavioral data is presented. A number of investigations from many laboratories which demonstrate these methodological problems are reviewed. Next, suggestions, implementations, and testing of effectiveness of various solutions to these…

Four different observational systems and two time sequences were employed to determine the extent to which they would yield different incidences of anti-social behavior. Two videotapes, randomly chosen from a pool of 30 tapes, were utilized. These illustrated the behaviors of anti-social children in a natural setting. Six observers were reliably…

If language research is to arrive at valid analyses of speech behavior, both observation and elicitation methods of data collection will have to be used as necessary complements to one another. The advantages and disadvantages of different research methods are discussed. (CB)

This article introduces H. F. Wolcott's 1982 taxonomy entitled "Styles of On-Site Research: A Guide for Students." It describes how the taxonomy may be used to improve the quality of on-site investigations in art education and includes an extensive bibliography on each of the approaches. (Author/JDH)

Observers coded the behavior of 40 middle-class, traditional couples and their 5-month-old infants, and parents filled out attitude questionnaires. Fathers' sex-role orientation and both parents' views concerning the role of the father were found to be correlated significantly with observed levels of paternal activity. (Author/CB)

Ethical issues relating to naturalistic evaluation are addressed, focusing on the role of the evaluator, problems of privacy and data gathering techniques, and issues relating to the use/abuse of findings. Benefits and costs of the naturalistic approach to program evaluation are also identified. (EGS)

Investigated interactive and noninteractive classroom behavior (as related to structural dimensions of the classroom) in order to observe student-student interaction in naturalistic classrooms, specifically in science subjects. Also investigated the empirical validity of a conceptual framework related to student classroom behavior. (JN)

Explores opportunities for enriching science instruction outside school building. Discusses various nature trails for sensory awareness, observation, problem-solving, and nature identification. Explores possibilities for science study using school yards, parks, community sites, museums, nature centers, and libraries. Briefly examines television…

Examines the relationship between self-reported child-rearing attitudes and practices and actual child management among 68 mothers and their children aged 16-44 months. Results indicate that the authoritarian and authoritative patterns of child rearing attitudes were positively related to a number of child management strategies. (RJC)

Analyzes extracts of classroom discourse involving teachers and groups of nine-year-olds in terms of what they reveal about the establishment of shared knowledge between teacher and students. Identifies this shared knowledge with the discourse "context," focusing on how classroom events are recalled and reconstructed. (MM)