Norwegian 6th graders (n=107) either were taught a mnemonic imagery to apply to passages they read or were given no strategy. Mnemonic-imagery students remembered more information. Individual differences in short-term memory and verbal and visual competence did not predict performance in the imagery condition. (SLD)

Data from the 1980 Public Use Microdata Sample D for 16- to 18-year-old youths living with their parents are used to construct a model of youth labor force participation, incorporating household, local economic, and individual variables. Findings suggest the significant effects of household structural characteristics and family resources. (SLD)

A total of 50 children were observed at home at 33 months of age and then tested at 40 months on affective labeling, perspective taking, and false belief tasks. Individual differences at 40 months were associated with family discourse about feelings and causality at 33 months, verbal fluency of mother and child, and sibling cooperation. (BC)

Observed kindergartners and first graders playing in dyads. Children who were frequent pretenders had more predictable behavior pathways to and fewer exits from social pretend play (BSP) than children who were infrequent pretenders. Children's social interaction increased in complexity sooner after the onset of BSP than of nonpretend social…

Japanese and U.S. mothers of three- to six-year-old children answered questionnaires about child-rearing practices. U.S. mothers expected their children to follow more rules than did Japanese mothers. Japanese mothers were more likely than U.S. mothers to use physical punishment when their children showed disrespect for authority. (BC)

To shift educational research's focus from the rigorous study of individuals to whole learning environments, a systemic view of the classroom is proposed, with a list of seven generic components of the classroom environment. L. Guttman's Small Space Analysis is used, and a science teaching project illustrates the discussion. (SLD)

Two experiments involving 227 children aged 5 to 18 years suggest that working memory operates as a general system independent of the subject's reading skill and that dynamic testing procedures enhance predictions of reading performance. Individual differences in working memory do not appear restricted to an academic domain. (SLD)

Describes an African-American parent's efforts to ensure that her daughter be treated fairly in a second grade classroom. Because some teachers mistakenly believe that African-American children are not capable of performing well in the classroom, these teachers may inadvertently convey lower expectations and damage African-American students'…

Discusses research concerning individual differences in children that appear to be associated with vicarious emotional responses and a tendency to engage in prosocial behavior. Focuses on research concerning parents' influence on children's methods for coping with their own and others' emotions and children's social behavior. (BB)

Examined the emotional reactions of toddlers to two mishaps. Children's reactions varied along two dimensions: tension and frustration and concerned reparation. Mishaps elicited more negative emotions than did free play, and most toddlers attempted to correct the mishap. Findings indicate that children's styles of emotional response to mishaps may…

Examined the self-descriptions of social support networks provided by 185 African American children attending Head Start programs in Alabama. Although the networks reported by children averaged nearly 20 members, the bulk of the support from network members was provided by household residents and close kin. Girls tended to report having larger…

A trial advocacy professor who spent some time as an assistant public defender discusses the types of clients the criminal defense lawyer is likely to encounter and offers suggestions for training the advocate to address the problems posed by each defendant type. (Author/MSE)

A cross-national comparison of infant behavior in the Strange Situation was designed to determine whether preseparation episodes made any difference in attachment classifications and whether infant behavior before separation from mother was the same in different countries. Infants in different countries made similar primary appraisals of the…

Four experiments with 128 college undergraduates and 82 Air Force recruits examined the coordination of a verbal component task with a visual spatial and an auditory component task. Results show that ability to coordinate perceptual and visual information differs from ability to deal with either type of information alone. (SLD)

Presents results of two studies examining individual differences in self-presentation style. Identifies three major groups among subjects: consistents, flexible impression managers, and rigid impression managers. Reports differences in self-evaluations among the groups with consistents rating themselves most favorably. Concludes that individuals'…