Understanding how relationships between instructors and students develop is important for understanding the undergraduate student experience. We expect the development of positive relationships is related to the social practices (e.g., greetings, using names, sympathizing, or empathizing with students) that instructors use in the course of normal…

One of the ongoing challenges all educators face, often on a daily basis, is problem behavior. Compounding this challenge is the need to significantly alter these behavioral patterns among at-risk students early in their development to prevent correlated poor life outcomes such as academic failure and school dropout, mental health issues, or…

Discusses variables which determine the strategies animals use to organize their lives. Describes advances in understanding animal behaviors. Shows how game theory has helped to explain the existence of alternative behavioral strategies and the constraints under which organizers exist. (Author/CW)

The Problem Behavior Questionnaire is an indirect functional assessment instrument for use with students presenting behavior problems in general education settings. Preliminary studies indicate that the questionnaire offers a practical, easy assessment method which considers the potential effects of peer attention on problem behavior. The…

The user-friendly Classroom Ecobehavioral Assessment Instrument was developed to incorporate advantages of environmental assessment and functional assessment. Relatively simple behavior sampling procedures and scripted steps for summarizing and analyzing data lead to prescriptions for altering assessment and/or intervention practices. Results of…

Summarizes the Konstanz Training Model (KTM), a German primary and secondary preventive program that increases teacher self-competence and social competence in dealing with aggressive and disruptive student behaviors. Emphasizes KTM's focus on systemic aspects, cognitive level, and behavioral level approaches. Describes KTM Compact, a short term…

Describes an activity in which students observe pairs of students engaged in conversation. Observations of "body language" are made, shifts in stance, and duration of stance. Discusses the application of this type of study to other species. (TW)

Argues for a greater and more explicit use of evolutionary theory in psychology courses. Provides examples of ways that this strategy can help students think critically about classic psychological theories, understand the importance of narrower domain-specific theories, and comprehend the rationales behind cross-species comparison in psychology.…

Surprisingly little systematic research has been conducted using school records as a source in determining students' at-risk status for achievement and behavioral difficulties. School records represent measures of permanent products of student behavior and chronicle attempts to meet the diverse needs of the school population. Behavioral profiles…

A skills training approach provides a conceptual framework from which human services can be provided for the personal and emotional needs of Indian people without the subtle, culturally erosive effect of traditional psychotherapy. Some 30 tribal groups and agencies participated in a cultural adaptation of an assertive coping-skills training…

The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed description of the Monitoring the Future research design, including sampling, data collection procedures, measurement content, and questionnaire format. Monitoring the Future is designed to assess the changing lifestyles, values, and preferences of American youth on a continuing basis. Since the…