Individuals' fear of crime and actual victimization do not lead to their being more likely to advocate harsh treatment for criminals. Also, environmental areas which differ greatly in level of victimization and level of fear do not differ in their level of support for capital punishment or harsher courts. (Author/MC)

Even among individuals operating at Piaget's highest cognitive level (Formal Operations Stage) there is a range of behaviors on important cognitive characteristics. Various substages and their performance criteria are suggested. (JD)

Investigates the exploratory behavior of young children as it relates to individual differences in curiosity, the novelty of the objects explored, and the interactive style employed by an adult experimenter. (Author/MP)

Four models of teaching methods are presented: social interaction, information processing, affective instruction, and behavior modification. The need for adapting these models to individual students is explored. (JD)

There is a current trend toward matching the style of teaching with the cognitive style of the individual student. (JD)

Several issues about component validity are examined by using covariance modeling to test hypotheses about the relationships between components, aptitude, and achievement. Support was found for cognitive components to model individual differences in verbal aptitude, decompose test validity, and differentially predict achievement. (Author/GK)

In an attempt to better organize supportive environments for teachers, teacher educators are examining specific environments which best influence teachers. Teacher behavior is produced as a result of the interactive effects of teacher characteristics, teacher educational environments, and the tasks in which teachers engage. (JN)

Discusses specialization vs general education, stating that a good general education is needed now more than ever. For better general education, teachers must be adequately prepared and outstanding teachers rewarded. Teachers and parents must participate in developing a curriculum adapted to individual pupil needs and abilities. (MF)

Reports the results of a study that compared teacher rankings of seven business letters written by students. (RL)

No correlation was found between test scores and time to test completion in a study of psychology and chemistry students taking multiple-choice tests with no time restrictions. (Editor)

Reviews research on notetaking in terms of encoding and external storage hypotheses, test mode expectancy, and individual differences. (JEG)

Discusses adult individuality and the need to recognize and consider individual differences in adult education. States that the effects of differences experienced over time determine adult value systems. Presents data from author's dissertation study to show one group's value ranges and how no one person can represent the composite data. (MF)

Cognitive Flexibility (availability in the individual's repertoire of various strategies and ability to select those most effective to the required task) is suggested as an important individual-difference variable. Some methodological problems in the assessment of cognitive flexibility as related to human memory are discussed. (Editor/SJL)

Finds significant correlations between scores on vocabulary tests and tests of syntax and morphology, suggesting two major second language learning factors (grammar and vocabulary/phonological ability). Relates these results to hypotheses concerning individual differences in strategies of first and second language learning. (Author/RL)