Homo sapiens is the only extant species for which there exists a significant post-reproductive period in the normal lifespan. Explanations for the evolution of this species-specific trait are possible through "non-deterministic" theories of aging positing "wear and tear" or the failure of nature to eliminate imperfection, or…

A study was undertaken (1) to determine if a relationship existed between preadolescents' levels of reading comprehension as defined by T. C. Barrett's Taxonomy of Reading Comprehension and their levels of moral development according to Lawrence Kohlberg's stage sequence and (2) to discover if females demonstrated higher levels of reading…

A model of identity formation, based on the cognitive developmental stages of social perspective-taking, was tested to determine if identity is achievable through cognitive strategies of considering the self in relation to friends, family, peers, and society. Two separate studies, one involving college students (N=28) and one involving high school…

A study was conducted to examine young children's perceptions of television characters. Three preschool children were observed intensively for three years, with supplemental information gained from parents' diaries and interviews. As the children watched television and as they engaged in television-related play, their verbal descriptions and…

Three preschool children were observed intensively for three years to document children's early television viewing repertoires and programing preferences. Relevant information was obtained from children and parents during biweekly home television viewing sessions. In addition, parents reported in diaries and questionnaires all aspects of their…

Do women go through identifiable developmental stages? Can generalizable patterns of transition be found, and if so, do these patterns differ according to the age of the respondent? What are women's most difficult and most satisfying times of life? To provide some exploratory quantitative data on these questions, a sample of 120 women completed a…

The term, "schema," used largely as a descriptive convenience rather than a theoretical guidepost in social psychology is examined through an analysis of its development, function, and structure. This paper articulates a model of schema development in adults by defining a schema as a representation of some stimulus domain and a set of…

Providing information about the interrelationships among learning, teaching, and the act of reading, this book serves as a guide for gaining an understanding of the psychological bases of the reading process. The 11 chapters discuss the following topics: (1) language and intellectual development during the formative years; (2) the aspects of child…

This paper briefly describes four early childhood education philosophies (cognitive-interactionist, behaviorist, affective-interactionist, and developmental-maturationist). Each philosophy is briefly reviewed to provide understanding of its application to an appropriate curriculum model. A reading program congruent with each philosophy and model…

Group interaction research typically focusses on behavior under "laboratory" conditions rather than in less contrived situations. Observation of natural group behaviors at different ages can effect a better understanding of their occurrence and patterning at various developmental stages. Knowledge of age-related group behavior tendencies could…

It was hypothesized that high visual imagery is a liability during acquisition periods and an asset during consolidation periods of Piaget's stages of concrete and formal operations. It was also hypothesized that at all ages high imagery would be related to performance on a "spatial egocentrism" task. A sample consisting of 195 children…

This study explored sex differences in the Future Temporal Perspectives (FTP) of children. The influences of age, social class and intelligence were also investigated, or FTP was generally believed to be affected by them. Subjects were 96 boys and 96 girls, selected from 26 schools in Nova Scotia, from three age groups: 9.6-11.0, 12.0-13.6, and…

Based upon the theory of moral stages devised by educational psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, this report examines the influence of the social situation on principled moral reasoning and on cheating. Research assessed the level of moral reasoning for 152 college juniors and seniors using Rest's Defining Issues Test (1976) in which levels of low,…

The purpose of this module is to help the Child Development Associate (CDA) intern develop an awareness of the problem-solving process and factors affecting problem-solving abilities of children. The teacher should be able to recognize opportunities to enhance children's abilities to solve problems. Objectives are stipulated, activities for…

Four papers address issues of identification, secondary program alternatives, guidance to develop creativity, and needed research in gifted education. In the first paper, "Some Creative Dimensions to the Issue of Identification," E. Torrance analyzes the problem of idntifying and cultivating creative giftedness in an unfavorable national climate.…