Social comparative information and proximal goals' influence on skillful performance and percepts of self-efficacy were examined in low-achieving children in arithmetic. A significant main effect on perceived efficacy due to proximal goals was found. Problem-solving goals and comparative information treatments together resulted in the highest…

Tested the hypothesis that increased task difficulty elicits more efficient problem-solving strategies from older adults, using "Twenty Questions" tasks with either 64 or 10,000 possible solutions. Although younger adults were more efficient, there was not evidence that task difficulty affected problem-solving for either age group. (Author/JAC)

Investigated effects of differing performance standards (constant or accelerating) on male and female college students' intrinsic motivation in a number guessing task. Found that students with the accelerating standard continued playing the game after the task significantly more than those with a constant standard. (RC)

Replicated within a field setting, a portion of previous findings dealing with negative impacts of situational constraints on worker performance. The presence of inhibiting constraints was associated with higher employee frustration and lower satisfaction scores. (Author/RC)

Examined (1) whether sex differences in achievement patterns are recalled by subjects who were personally involved; (2) whether women and men rely on different causal factors to explain their success or failure; and (3) if the achievement pattern influences causal attributions for success or failure. (Author/GC)

Broadens the search for correlates of locus of control orientation by examining the observable behaviors of mothers and their seven- to eight-year-old children in a work task that elicited differential dependency responses. (RH)

Reviews research concerning how teachers determine the content their students learn and discusses both the conscious decision making involved in selecting curriculum and the unwitting reductions and distortions introduced into intended curriculum in the process of attempting to teach. (Author/MP)

Results indicated that, despite SES group variation in level of performance, improvement (when it occurred) was evident for both high and low SES groups of children referred for classroom problems. (Author/SW)

Examines theoretical and practical issues in ESL testing including inadequacies of definitions of language proficiency with respect to test taker characteristics; empirical evidence in support of relationship between test taker characteristics and performance on language tests; and guidelines to dealing with test taker characteristics and language…

Preschool- and kindergarten-age children's understanding of the distinct referential properties of collective and class nouns and the relationship between this understanding and performance in part-whole comparison tasks was examined in three experiments. Results indicate children understand the relationship between nouns and the sets to which…

Subjects (N=48) attempted 24 trials of a psychomotor task to avoid aversive stimulus. Subject-experimenters, with solution expectancies instilled, offered information to subjects. Found that subject-experimenter expectancies were communicated to subjects via periodic comments. Expectancies affected subjects' task performance. Previous similar task…

A study of the compositions and performance of United Methodist-affiliated governing boards is described. The nature and composition of the boards, how characteristics relate to performance ratings, composition of boards by type of institution, the board's involvement in providing direction to the college, and the boards' health are discussed.…

Applies the basic principle of performance to taking tests, poses some alternative views of test performance, and provides some general guidelines that will facilitate improved test-taking. (Author/CM)

Assisted by a team of physicians and sports scientists, the United States Ski Team has developed its own sports medicine program, the purpose of which is to assist coaches and athletes in controlling and optimizing factors which influence skiing performance. A number of biomechanical research projects which have been undertaken as part of this…

Research indicates that the use of volunteer subjects in experiments involving motor performance may result in a selection bias and treatment interaction on certain tasks. (CJ)