Compares the high school varsity sports participation of Black, Hispanic, and White students and college attendance by reanalyzing data from the High School and Beyond Survey. Finds a positive correlation between high school athletic participation and academic achievement as represented by college entrance for all three groups. (FMW)

Temperamental characteristics, especially low reactivity-high manageability, appeared to curtail the influence of adverse family factors on children's adjustment. Strength of relationships between temperament and children's behavioral adjustment differed as a function of time, temperamental characteristics, and the source of behavioral ratings.…

Five physicians were tape recorded during their initial interviews with 52 adult patients to quantify behaviors in physicians' initial interviewing style. Patients were asked to complete the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale. Silences or reaction time latencies, reciprocity, and reflective use of interruptions were significantly correlated with…

Effects of credit load on the intent-turnover relation at a community college were assessed. Results of a stepwise logistic regression model for 316 students indicate that intent was more strongly related to turnover among students carrying 13 or more credit hours as compared to students carrying fewer credit hours. (TJH)

Discusses the accuracy of reference service in libraries as measured by evaluating answers that reference librarians give to factual questions. More than 30 reference accuracy studies are analyzed, variables explored in each study are examined, further research needs are described, and suggestions for improving service quality for reference…

Most observed conflicts were: (1) brief and lacked aggression; (2) resolved without adult intervention by children's insistence; (3) resulted in winner/loser outcomes; (4) concluded with children remaining together after the conflict. Social interaction before conflicts was unrelated to conflict behaviors other than aggression. (RH)

Comments on McShane and Plas' study relating Indian children's academic achievement gains to scores on psycholinguistic and intelligence tests. Questions the applicability of the instruments used, and points out problems related to multiple regression techniques, collinearity of predictor variables, and use of achievement gain scores. Contains 15…

Argues that the complex human behavior studied by educational researchers is by its nature unpredictable if not indeterminate. Concludes that research should focus on descriptions and interpretations of educational phenomena and not on the prediction and control of educational outcomes. (FMW)

Discussion of task motivation focuses on study that investigated the choice behavior of college students within a computer problem solving task as they controlled and selected problem difficulty levels which maximized either intrinsic interest or extrinsic reward. Sex differences are examined, and treatment for experimental and control groups is…

Proposes a causal model whereby attitude toward welfare state programs is a function of self-interest or life experiences and of the resulting identification with either the work ethic or the social equality ideology. Uses data from the 1983 Detroit Area Study to confirm the model. Contains 66 references. (SV)

This study examines the contribution of assessments of interpersonal behavior to the prediction of initial teacher success. Findings indicate that the widely used predictor of cognitive ability has limited predictive power. Evaluations of interpersonal skills, including oral intelligence, significantly contribute to the prediction of success in…

Examined whether a significant difference exists between variable of ethnicity and scores attained on a minimum competency test using high school juniors as subjects (N=2,681). Found ethnicity influenced competency scores; reading scores were influenced by sex; and ethnicity and sex negatively affected whether student passed or failed competency…

Examines factors related to computer anxiety measured by the Computer Anxiety Index (CAIN). Achievement in two programing courses was inversely related to computer anxiety. Students who had a home computer and had computer experience before high school had lower computer anxiety than those who had not. Lists 14 references. (YP)

Predictors of 4 indices of well-being (physical health, life satisfaction, burden, and parenting stress) were examined among 203 aging mothers of mentally retarded adults living at home. Predictive variables examined include maternal characteristics, retarded adult's characteristics, family social climate, mother's social support network, and…

Describes study that was conducted at Bar-Ilan University (Israel) to examine the influence of previous experience on the computer activity of first-year university students. The average computer activity for high-experience and low-experience groups is analyzed, and implications for beginning computer courses are discussed. (10 references) (LRW)