Peer groups matter more than we think. In this paper we assert that peer group commitments and affiliations are often the primary social reference in determining the way young people think about and practice risk. It is, we argue, inappropriate to impose adult constructions of risk-taking and anti-social behaviour when trying to assert influence…

This article reports the group equivalents to deep and surface learning approaches by individuals. The learning behaviour of out-of-class student groups was examined through 57 individual and 15 focus group interviews with university students in Hong Kong. A number of types of learning activities were identified and most had variants with…

Improving the quality of out-of-school time activities and creating effective learning environments is of keen interest to practitioners, funders and policymakers. Funded by The William Penn Foundation, "Quality Time After School" identifies characteristics of after-school activities that are linked to youth engagement and learning…

A total of 467 mothers of firstborn 20-month-old children from 7 countries (103 Argentine, 61 Belgian, 39 Israeli, 78 Italian, 57 Japanese, 69 Korean, and 60 US American) completed the "Jackson Personality Inventory" (JPI), measures of parenting cognitions (self-perceptions and knowledge), and a social desirability scale. Our first…

This activity book offers students in grades 3-7 creative, imaginative ways to explore what manners are and are not, why they matter and how to use manners to get more from life. The book is divided into nine chapters: (1) "What Are Manners?"; (2) "Why Do Manners Matter?"; (3) "Getting to Know One Another"; (4)…

A study examined the effectiveness of an experimental system of peer assessment. Two speech communication classes consisting of 22 student groups (110 participants) served as subjects. At the beginning of the semester, students in both classes were assigned to groups. Each group was responsible for presenting a project. The groups met both inside…

Relates a study designed to measure the extent to which trust-destroying communication affects verbal fluency of members in small group discussions. (MH)

This article discusses the nature and problems of group interaction among American students participating in overseas study programs, with specific reference to a Junior Year program offered by the University of Connecticut in Rouen, France. (CLK)

Discusses a study designed to determine the influences of reticent members on group interaction. (MH)

This paper presents an overview of the psycho-social aspects of social loafing and free riding in a traditional and distance learning environment. A brief literature review and summaries of frequently cited antecedents and their mitigating factors are reviewed for application by instructors, designers, and administrators in distance education.…

This paper reports on a pilot study designed to investigate how regulating group size or social density, in the form of peer-dyad intervention, may contribute to peer interaction in children who have severe language disorders. Subjects were five males and one female ranging in age from 42-48 months all of whom had a severe developmental delay in…

This monograph's purpose is to provide a basis for team development for quality circle groups involved in problem-solving and decision-making. Training group members in team building is a crucial factor for success in quality circles. The following are important needs for group members: a sense of belonging, a commitment to group goals, a sense of…

This study examines the normalcy of adolescent risk-taking and proposes that the social adventures of adolescents have significance for the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships and self-identity. To evaluate the narrative role of shared risks in transforming different types of relationships, an interview procedure was…

Noting that the concept of convention as a rule procedure in a formal analysis of interpersonal communication applies to the mass communication practice known as the "convention" or annual professional meeting of an academic discipline, this paper illustrates the ideological consequence of this eidetic connection. The paper characterizes…

Designed to clarify the roles played by prizes as evaluative mechanisms in journalism, a study examined journalists' attitudes toward both internal (professional) and external (nonprofessional) reward systems and then examined the ability of both individual-level and organizational-level variables to predict these attitudes and prize-seeking…