Children must learn to discriminate among the visual stimuli they experience and to recognize the existence of a visual language. Learning activities to help young children develop a sense of visual literacy are suggested. (PP)

Mothers' ability to decode their children's nonverbal expressions of four affects (happiness, sadness, fear, and anger) was contrasted with the decoding ability of a matched group of nonmothers. Results indicate that mothers were accurately able to decode expressions of happiness but had relative difficulty with decoding expressions of sadness,…

Determined whether skills involved in decoding of nonverbal behaviors are related to the clinical skills of the beginning counselor. Results showed no significant difference between good and poor counselors in nonverbal decoding abilities. Counselor nonverbal behaviors, as rated by judges, showed no significant correlation with decoding skills.…

Developmental changes in the encoding of unfamiliar faces was studied in three experiments with Australian 7- to 12-year-old children (N=24 in experiment 1, N=48 in experiment 2, and N=32 in experiment 3). Results showed that younger children encoded unfamiliar faces in terms of striking isolated features and that avoidant children made more…

Examined the effect of level of nonverbal behavior and mode of presentation (audio, audiovisual, visual, and printed transcript) on ratings given to a confederate "job interviewee." The results showed significant main effects and an interaction between level and mode. A poor visual presentation results in the lowest interviewer ratings. (Author)

Investigated the effects of selected spatial-environmental conditions on counselor and counselee interview behaviors. Rated excerpts from initial sessions. Results indicated significant effects of distance on counselor concreteness, lighting on counselor communication of cognitive sets and distance on counselee affective self-disclosure in later…

Reviews recent research on mother-infant communication that takes into account both the infant's and parent's influences in interactions. Topics discussed include varieties of infant communications, cross-cultural research, the beginnings of communication patterns, assessment of communication effectiveness, and sequelae of differing mother-infant…

Results of an experiment manipulating violations of distancing expectations and physical attractiveness indicate that both may be sources of distraction. Offers modest support for the prediction that attractive individuals engaging in violations of expectations will serve as positive sources of distraction, leading to greater susceptibility to…

Included is a framework for determining if a young severely language delayed child is an appropriate candidate for sign programs; a discussion of specific sign objectives; and guidelines for classroom implementation and family intervention. (Author)

Develops an interpersonal perception inventory which demonstrates that various ratings of facial caricature drawings when made by a husband and wife can be used as a predictor of marital adjustment. Analysis of data establishes validity for the Facial Interpersonal Perception Inventory as well as reliability and consistency. Implications are…

Client photographs can be helpful to counselors trying to understand their clients' worlds, and also to the client's self-concept. It is an enjoyable, yet challenging activity and can be a valuable tool. Additional research is needed comparing photographs with traditional personality measures. (JAC)

Review of literature on gender-linked aspects of nonverbal behavior reveals that the differences in nonverbal behavior are in line with societal expectations calling for women to be reactive and for men to be proactive. Communication between the sexes is discussed in terms of smiling, personal space, touch, and talk. (JMF)

Describes instances of harassment, including harassment of teachers by students, and discusses harassment as a sign system that has structure, folkloric elements, a wide paradigmatic range, behavioral effects on the receiver, and meaning beyond the normal significance of the sign. (GT)

Higher WISC-R scores were achieved by high school students receiving positive nonverbal treatment than by those receiving neutral nonverbal treatment. (Author/RL)

The article explains the Grunes interview procedure, in which drawings of people significant to the interviewee are used, along with a series of 91 questions which all begin "Which one...", to facilitate conventional diagnostic interviews with children who cannot communicate verbally. (PHR)