Outdoor adventure education (OAE) has a long history of being credited with the personal and social development (PSD) of its participants. PSD is notoriously difficult to measure quantitatively, yet stakeholders demand statistical evidence that given approaches to eliciting PSD are effective in their methods. Rightly or wrongly, many stakeholders…

The purposes of this paper are to consider how the prototypical research design of day care studies may unjustifiably emphasize day care as the effective factor or "treatment" in children's development, and to describe processes by which the family or some interaction between the family and day care may also affect preschoolers'…

Traces continuities between current approaches and earlier traditions in developmental psychology. Contends that current work often ignores commonalities with previous work within psychology. Explores the fate of Piaget's clinical method and its continuities and contrasts with current approaches. Maintains that the conflict generated by the…

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)

The belief that gifted children are more likely to have personality problems than "normal" individuals is not supported by research, but the image of the disturbed gifted child persists. This paper reviews research from a life-span developmental perspective to examine why this image persists. The paper critically examines the research of L.…

Discusses the role of extrinsic reinforcement in intrinsic motivation in cognitive attribution theory. Concludes that cognitive attribution theory lacks parsimony, in that extant reinforcement analysis can account for undermining with equal facility. Suggests undermining is of little significance due to its elusive and transient impact on operant…

Questions the validity of much current educational research in Great Britain, suggesting that researchers lose sight of the "educational" in search of the "fundable." Offers examples of how education is missing from the purposes and language of research into "effective schools" and into the "learning…

Reviewed 21 empirical studies concerning the relationship between self-esteem and ethnic identity among Latino adolescents. Found that despite differences in conceptualization of ethnic identity and some methodological limitations, existing research suggested a positive relationship between ethnic identification and self-esteem for Latinos living…

Considered are the developmental and prognostic implications of early peer relations. Evidence concerning peer difficulties as risk factors is reviewed along with research dealing with family relations and peer relations in social development. In preference to a stepping-stone model of the development of social deviance, a conjunctive feedback…

Experience-based training and development (EBTD), also known as Outdoor Management Development (OMD) in Great Britain and corporate adventure training (CAT) in Canada and Australia, is a field that uses adventure activities to bring beneficial change to organizations, primarily corporations. Activities used in EBTD and CAT programs include…