Reports a study of mathematically and verbally talented children which investigated hypotheses that (1) mathematically related fields are sex typed as male domains and (2) parents give differential encouragement to sons and daughters in math. Results indicated that neither hypothesis related to current sex differences in mathematical reasoning…

In response to changing social norms and "psychosocial epidemics" disrupting children's lives, schools must become more important agents of character development, providing education in civic virtue and personality adjustment. Schools'"damage control" function cannot succeed without involving families and reevaluating existing…

Investigates the influence on Scottish preschool children's self-control of labels regarding patience given directly to the children themselves, and of the expectations regarding the children's patience provided to adult testers. Childrens self-control was assessed in a task in which each child's possession of accumulating candy rewards was made…

Assesses the degree of difficulty parents attribute to specific socialization tasks; explores the relation between parents' perceived difficulty and children's perceived and actual competence in these two domains; and determines whether the ease or difficulty of these child rearing tasks, as perceived by parents, varies as a function of the…

Examines cognitive barriers to an individual's personalizing information about social discrimination against groups in which he/she is a member. Results suggest that individuals are more aware of discrimination against others than against themselves and are more likely to attribute personal efficacy and control to themselves than to others. (SA)

Observation indicates that affect is experienced prior to organized thought. After five months emotional responses are increasingly differentiated and independent of physical state. All childhood learning is propelled by affect. Adults who work with children must recognize their emotions to facilitate their acquisition of skills and knowledge.…

Current research concerning affective development in infants and children is selectively reviewed. The focus of findings and discussion is on three general and related topics: (1) expression of emotion and affective interaction in infancy; (2) socialization and regulation of emotion; (3) comprehension of emotions and empathy with others by…

Powerful elites assume they embody rationality and see themselves as husbanders of a set of common values. Any effort to develop an educationally sound policy on the teaching of value issues must be tied to alterations in the existing distribution of power in our society. Several approaches are evaluated. (MT)

This analysis of current adult reading habits, library use during previous year, and related childhood experiences of both the respondents and their parents reveals the importance of social learning and parents as primary agents in the development of reading and library habits. Twenty-three references are included. (EJS)

Comments on a preceding discussion of control in Japanese and American cultures by Weisz et al. Discusses forms and modes of control, the context-boundedness of interpersonal relations, and concept of self in Japan. (KH)

One of the major barriers to effective schools is the tracking and ability grouping system, which socializes children to trajectories of failure or success throughout their school lives and adult careers. Since schools play a major role in forging adolescent identity, such a process systematically disadvantages students given negative labels and…

Reports results of questionnaires and interviews conducted with 123 parents (mostly mothers) of preschool, first-grade, and sixth-grade children. Finds that parental limitations on children's altruism are based on cogent rationales and are a direct function of the situational cost involved and the age and familiarity of the recipient. (CB)

Twenty intensive interviews with respondents who were students, teachers, or both in New York City's schools prior to 1917 provided data enabling the author to compare the educational goals of Eastern European Jewish immigrants of the pre-World War I period with the official goals of the schools. (PGD)

Describes two surveys used to (1) determine sex differences in attitudes toward computers and video games among schoolchildren and the relationship of these attitudes to attitudes about science, math, and writing; and (2) sex differences in attitudes toward computing among a select group of highly motivated college freshmen. (SA)

Focuses on psychological sex differences--questions about variations in ability, emotions, drives, and personal traits. Discusses research into sex differences in mathematical ability, revealing the difficulties of acquiring findings which are both impartial and stable between studies. Argues that the literature on other aspects of sex difference…