The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities report heartily supported arts integration. However, the President's Committee called for a better understanding of the dimensions of quality and best practices. One promising arts integration method is drama-based pedagogy (DBP). A comprehensive search of the literature revealed 47…

Despite the fact that many researchers acknowledge the significance of ethnic identity to a person's psychological functioning, few empirical studies have focused on factors that may influence the process of ethnic identity development. An examination of the empirical literature on such factors can yield valuable information to help guide…

Third in a series, this review examines progress made in research in developmental psychology, primarily in India, between 1976 and 1984. Focusing on physical, motor, and mental development, Section I discusses physical development and growth norms as well as factors influencing physical development. Section II, centering on cognitive, perceptual,…

Reviews empirical studies of cognitive self-efficacy from childhood through old age, addressing issues of definition and measurement related to the self-efficacy construct. Integrates findings of research on self-efficacy and establishes generalizations regarding the relationship of self-efficacy to choice and goal-setting behaviors, a sense of…

Both as a method of measurement and as a theoretical hypothesis, syntactic maturity (SM) has profoundly affected thinking about verbal growth and ways to enhance that growth. On the positive side, SM is easy to use, requiring no elaborate training in grammar or statistics, and it is quantifiable providing an objective numerical index of…

A number of research disciplines have contributed to an emerging picture of creative individuals, processes, and achievements. Contributions to a science of creativity are reviewed, focusing on the psychometric approach, cognitive approaches, studies of personality and motivation, sociological and historiometric investigations, and neurobiological…

This report was prepared at the request of the Kaiser Family Foundation to examine the methodological options for investigating the effects of sexual content in the media on children and adolescents. To discuss the issues and prepare the report, a forum of 20 scholars with expertise in sexuality, sexual development, media analysis, and media…

Presents an overview of the topics of planning and control to provide a context for the articles in this issue of the journal. Considers development across the life span, subgroup variations, and correlates. Also explores potential linkages between planning and control. (MM)

Illustrates contribution of genetic and environmental factors to differential ratings of within-family behavior and environmental differences. Maintains that, assuming differential ratings are a linear function of underlying trait differences, it is simple to recover within-family statistics, offering a more legitimate basis than comparing mean…

The application of Piagetian theory to educational practices encounters a series of major difficulties. The main focus of this paper is on the notion of general stages, which has been under attack in numerous studies. Organized in four parts, the paper: (1) discusses the problem of the existence of general stages and of a developmental…

This paper argues that faculty career studies have neglected important work in life-span human development and narratives of the academic life. It suggests that such studies should use recent contributions from the behavioral sciences, pay attention to scholarly and scientific biography/autobiography, be discipline specific, and use varied methods…

The controversy between Margaret Mead and Derek Freeman about Mead's work (1928) on coming of age in Samoa in the 1920s is analyzed. Freeman's claim to have refuted Mead's findings can be easily refuted itself. Mead's study, arguing that adolescent turmoil is not universal, stands the test of time. (SLD)

For more than 35 years the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has been the nation's major instrument of support for research in mental health. The yield from this ongoing research effort has been substantial, with a substantive increase of information about the causes, treatment, and prevention of mental illness as well as the factors that…

Reviews the evolution of research over the past 25 years on sexual orientation and its effects on human development, concluding that gay and lesbian interests and behavior appear to result from a complex interplay of genetic, prenatal, and environmental influences. Notes that gender identity develops early, especially for males, and is difficult…

Bayley's major contributions to developmental psychology are reviewed. These include her concern with measurement and methodology and her early anticipation of such topics as behavior genetics. Her work in such areas as androgyny and body build, motor and mental development, and maternal and child behaviors is summarized. (LB)