This article reviews empirical studies of the role of college roommate relationships in students' mental health and college adjustment. We propose a systemic conceptualization of roommate relationships that highlights roommates' interdependence and origins of roommate relationship dynamics. We discuss practice implications for student…

This article critically reviews strategy research on learning Chinese both as a second and foreign language. Through a careful examination of major data bases in both the Chinese and English languages, the article summarizes research in the field and the principal research methods used in the studies reviewed. Moreover, key limitations in research…

This paper reviews evidence that meaningful learning is facilitated by several imagery eliciting strategies including pictorial stimuli, concrete verbal stimuli, and imagery instructions. The review focuses on the conditions under which imagery eliciting strategies facilitate memory for prose or expository texts rather than for more simple…

Aimed to provide an extensive and integrative review of empirical studies of pretend play in children. Attempts were made to sort out what is known from what is supposed but unconfirmed, and to identify the theoretical implications of the former and the relevance of the latter. (Author/RH)

Discusses normative developmental changes in cardiovascular and electrodermal activity and describes the dynamic balance between branches of the autonomic nervous system. Issues for further developmental study are identified, and problems and limitations in the psychophysiological study of children are explored. (Author/RH)

Cultures have distinctive learning style patterns, but the great variation among individuals within groups requires educators to use diverse teaching strategies. Researchers identify three kinds of information about culture and learning styles: observation-based descriptions of cultural groups of learners, data-based descriptions of specific…

Summarizes data on developmental patterns in constructive play--play in which children use play materials to make something. Reviews knowledge about developmental correlates and effects of constructive play behavior and examines methodological and theoretical issues. (NH)

A literature review describes several dimensions of cognitive styles in an effort to illustrate individual stylistic differences. Discusses the field dependence-independence dimension, taking into account age, sex, and cultural differences. Suggests that cognitive style theory needs to be structured in a broader theoretical framework. (NH)

The purpose of this paper is to understand how gifts are discovered and talents developed within sport. The current literature is critically discussed, highlighting contributions and gaps in current knowledge. Due to issues concerning terminology and the nature versus nurture debate, research on talent faces challenges relating to continuity and…

Provides a conceptual foundation for the development of hypermedia as an instructional tool for addressing individual differences in learning styles. Highlights include a literature review; computers and instruction; individual differences, computers, and instruction; cognitive controls; cognitive styles and learning; personality types; and future…

Notes that psychologists' interest in behavioral development concerns individual differences in behavior. Explores complexities of genetic and environmental determination of development, and of canalization. Intelligence is considered as an example of the canalization of human behavior. (BC)

Research has compared employed and non-employed women in the areas of depression, reported psychological problems, alienation, role conflict, marital problems, life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and anxiety. A review of this research generally revealed no differences between employed and non-employed women. Those studies which reported…

To place the concept of emotion in perspective, various issues must be considered: the usefulness of emotion as a unitary concept; the measurement of emotions and the relations among diverse measures; developmental changes; the origins of individual differences in emotional behavior; and the relation between emotional and cognitive development.…

Reviews the literature investigating children's ability to use the computer mouse. Results suggest that the mouse is suitable for children. Identifies issues requiring further attention, including the role of individual characteristics and previous experience in competent mouse usage. Examines adequacy of measurement tools used, stressing the…

Some of the problems in research on aptitude treatment interactions (ATIs), are discussed. Among these problems are the inconsistency and lack of generality to many ATI findings, especially in classroom-based ATI investigations. It is suggested that such investigations may be of limited generality due to the nature of the phenomena. The importance…