Observed 39 adolescent girls in discussions with their parents about moral and family issues on which they disagreed. Daughters' ego development was predicted by parental cognitive and affective enabling, but not by constraining communications. Parents' ego levels were related to their enabling transactions. (SLD)

Empirical research examining the social competence and affective functioning of children with mild disabilities was reviewed. Findings are interpreted in terms of social comparison theory, and methodological issues that should be addressed in considering social competence and affective characteristics of children with mild disabilities are…

A comprehensive review of the debate over the inclusion of children with disabilities in educational programs needs to explore research and issues beyond those considered by F. Gresham and D. MacMillan. Some of those issues are reviewed, focusing on a shift away from the medical deficit model. (SLD)

Adult learners (n=532) at University College Cork (Ireland) identified the following features of a positive affective learning environment: teacher's key role in class organization and pace, healthy interpersonal interaction among students, and focused cognitive environment. Older learners were particularly sensitive to six of seven dimensions of…

Surveys older adults (N=242) to determine the relationship between self esteem and identity processing styles of identity assimilation, accommodation, and a balance between consistency seeking and identity change. Identity assimilation and balance predicted increases in self esteem; identity accommodation predicted decreases. No interaction…

Emotion concepts might be represented as distributed around a circumplex defined on bipolar dimensions of pleasure and arousal. Using an analog of categorical perception methodology, this study demonstrated a number of category boundaries that mark out discrete segments of the circumplex. Discriminability of emotion concepts was relatively weak…

Discusses several theories of play advanced before the development of psychoanalysis, including the theories of surplus energy, recreation, and practice. Examines the psychoanalytical view advanced by Freud and others, which focuses on the emotional release of play and its role in discovery and learning. (MDM)

Videotaped four- and five-year-olds playing to investigate conflict emotions during peer disputes. Found that initiators', recipients', and observers' emotions differed in the conflict and postconflict periods. Conflict initiators almost exclusively expressed happiness, whereas conflict recipients expressed mostly sadness and anger. Conflict…

Discussion of the nature/nurture controversy in giftedness concludes that giftedness has a strong hereditary basis that is greatly influenced by educational experiences. The importance of the affective domain is also stressed. Some specific suggestions are offered to help students nurture themselves and to help parents and teachers nurture others.…

This article proposes a model that continuously calibrates happiness and considers its application with people who have mental retardation. The model suggests that the affective system is continuously recalibrated as a result of either positive or negative affect in a particular domain. Thus, as objective circumstances vary, the person still…

This paper presents a unitary approach to emotion and emotion regulation, building on the excellent points in the lead article by Cole, Martin, and Dennis (this issue), as well as the fine commentaries that follow it. It begins by stressing how, in the real world, the processes underlying emotion and emotion regulation appear to be largely one and…

Service-learning courses can be powerful instruments for cognitive, affective, and moral transformation. This chapter examines the strengths and weaknesses of service-learning as an agent for cognitive, moral, and interpersonal development and its ability to promote civic or social engagement.

This article presents a brief overview of existing research on the effects of exposure to violent video games. An updated meta-analysis reveals that exposure to violent video games is significantly linked to increases in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, and cardiovascular arousal, and to decreases in helping…

Using daily diary methodology, 67 Mexican American adolescents completed measures assessing daily stressors experienced, specific coping strategies employed with reference to these stressors, and indices of psychological health over 5 consecutive days. With respect to coping usage, adolescents reported they most often used planning and least often…

Attributional (explanatory) thinking involves the appraisal of factors that contribute to performance and is instrumental to motivation and goal striving. Little is understood, however, concerning attributional thinking when multiple causes are involved in the transition to new achievement settings. Our study examined such complex attributional…