Two experiments involving skilled readers (159 college students) explored the benefits to student attitude and content retention of adding emotional interest, through seductive text, or cognitive interest, through signals for structural understanding, to scientific text. Results support the benefits of cognitive over emotional interest. (SLD)

Sixty mediators from British schools for children with mental retardation watched one of five matched videos depicting no self-injury, self-injury maintained by positive reinforcement, self-injury maintained by negative reinforcement, and self-injury unrelated to social events. Self-injury maintained by negative reinforcement was associated with…

This study examined the power of nonshared environment to differentiate adolescent monozygotic twin development and the extent to which this power varied across social structural contexts. Findings indicated that differences in maternal closeness, teacher bonding, and religious participation differentiated twins on emotional distress. Family…

Focuses on the role of gender as a significant aspect of self-concept suggesting that transitional phases intensify the sociocultural processes of identity construction and that gender acquires salience as an aspect of identity during the transitions. Highlights studies on gender as an aspect of identity during transitional phases of the school…

This study compared national samples of United States' 11- to 18- year-olds assessed in 1989 and 1999. Parent, teacher and self-report sources showed small improvements in competencies and adaptive functioning and small declines in problems over ten years. No significant differences on any scales were found for youths assessed shortly before and…

A study investigated the differing interactional patterns of 1197 Australian preservice teachers with people with disabilities. Results indicate that even though preservice teachers reported being fearful and concerned about their own vulnerability, these concerns did not appear to cause them excess discomfort in their contact with people with…

One of the most affluent segments of the population is also one of the least well prepared to face the reality of college costs. It is not the need analysis system that causes difficulty but a combination of rapidly increasing costs and the changing lifestyle of this group. (MSE)

Assesses effectiveness of two desensitization strategies for reducing children's emotional reactions to mass media. Examines children having passive exposure, modeled exposure, or no exposure to lizards before watching a horror movie involving lizards. Finds that modeled exposure decreases emotional reactions and negative interpretations, whereas…

Assessed through analysis of telephone interviews (N=630) extent to which women's higher levels of psychological distress can be explained by work and family role configurations, satisfactions, and strains. Found that, although a relationship existed between work and family roles and psychological distress, factoring in these variables did not…

The emotional experience of one teacher was studied in depth using phenomenological interviews and participant observation. The teacher experienced a variety of emotions generated when the instructional dynamics of the lesson were congruent or incongruent with his professional practical knowledge, and a compelling emotional state of "being a…

Examines classic fairy tales, noting the lack of attention given the role of imagination in children's learning. Discusses features of fairy stories such as structure, oppositional concepts, and emotional component, then infers four principles about young children's learning. Gives two examples of how these principles can influence teaching to be…

Examined the impact of homicidal, suicidal, and nonviolent heavy metal and rap songs on the moods of male college undergraduates. Students (n=164) completed mood inventories after listening to 1 of 6 songs. Results show no effects of these songs on suicidal ideation, anxiety, or self-esteem. Rap songs elicited greater angry responses than heavy…

Examined the role of three sympathy-related responses--cognitive, affective, and motivational--in adolescents' self-reports of prosocial response to distress in friends and acquaintances. Findings suggest that, in adolescents, affective and motivational responses can be differentiated along a dimension of other- versus self-orientation and that…

Examined children's feelings about, and emotional reaction to, violent and distressful television programs. Suggests that coping with distressing experiences, in this case with television, involved making sense of them. Children used complex knowledge to do this, related to the media and to their own experience. When this processing led to…

Assessed ways attachment styles affect young adults' reactions to stressors associated with four-month combat training. Results show that, compared with secure trainees, ambivalent trainees reported more emotion-focused coping, appraised the training in more threatening terms, and considered themselves less capable of coping with the training.…