Discusses the role of extrinsic reinforcement in intrinsic motivation in cognitive attribution theory. Concludes that cognitive attribution theory lacks parsimony, in that extant reinforcement analysis can account for undermining with equal facility. Suggests undermining is of little significance due to its elusive and transient impact on operant…

Discusses theoretical and methodological problems relating to the comparison of test results of individuals and groups with differing cultural backgrounds. Develops a statistic by which deviance of score patterns can be quantified and which indicates whether a person's score can be compared with the scores in a specific group. (Author/GC)

Policy science is a new intellectual discipline which attempts to rationalize social life or conditions. Policy science faces two major obstacles: (1) the lack of convergence of different research efforts and (2) the treatment of bias and normative values. (GDC)

The evaluation of the reading programs in the Eugene, Oregon, public schools is described. Emphasis is placed on the eclectic approach to reading in the district prior to the evaluation and on the effect of using staff members as evaluators in their own district. (CTM)

Explores concerns about the functions of research and uses of research findings, examines the institutional context of research and some of the problems faced by social sciences, and identifies some possible approaches and changes in institutional structure which would strengthen the role and effectiveness of social scientists and rural…

Addresses a number of ethical and methodological issues related to research involving vulnerable populations such as the frail elderly, when the research design calls for a control or nonintervention group. Techniques are presented for building a "limited" service component into the research design. (Author)

A total population study of 4,797 six-year-old children attending the public preschools in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden was conducted in order to investigate the problematic area of perceptual, motor and attentional deficits in preschool children. A questionnaire with 34 questions about minimal brain dysfunction-related problems was distributed…

Surveyed directors (N=109) of clinical psychology programs to assess their opinions regarding proposed personality evaluation of doctoral applicants. Results showed that 75.3 percent opposed the evaluation based on the applicant's right to privacy and the inadequacies of assessment alternatives. (Author/JAC)

Discusses the relationship between changes in delinquency prevalence over time and prediction error. Data from a 21-year British longitudinal study exemplify the formal relationships that are derived. Results indicate statistically, as prevalence increases, a relative increase in false negative errors and a decrease in false positive errors…

Studied the effects of realistic job previews (RJPs) with candidates (N=842) for telephone service representative. Two types of preview, a film and job visit, were used. Results showed no significant differences between RJP candidates and control candidates with respect to job acceptance, expectations, job commitment, and turnover. (Author/RC)

A critique by Carroll of a study by Jarman and Das (EJ 171 820) is refuted in terms of the methodology and theory of the Jarman and Das study. Additionally, two general issues concerned with individual differences in cognitive processes and strategic behavior are elaborated beyond Carroll's discussion. (Author/CP)

With even the simplest bivariate regression, least-squares solutions are inappropriate unless one assumes a priori that reciprocal effects are absent, or at least implausible. While this discussion is limited to bivariate regression, the issues apply equally to multivariate regression, including stepwise regression. (Author/CTM)

Suggests that dominance can be defined as asymmetry in predictability in social variables of importance, and bidirectionality as symmetrical predictability. Procedures which address the concepts of cyclicity within a person and synchronicity between people and which assess asymmetry and symmetry in social interaction are discussed. (Author/RH)

The author argues that because citizenship education has such a long-term aim--adult behavior--it is very difficult for teachers or educational researchers to assess its results. Citizenship itself is a concept which varies over time and between countries. She reviews some European efforts at civic education. (SJL)

This article uses an examination of the formal instruction of the Bumbudye association in Zaire to point out problems that exist in anthropological writings concerning primitive and modern schooling in nonindustrial, non-Europeanized nations. (Author/EB)